East Suffolk Council

Eat Out Eat Well

Did you know that the average person eats one in every six meals out of home in restaurants, cafes and other locations, and if snacks and 'grab and go' food are added in, men get about quarter of their calories when eating out and women about a fifth?

Eating out is part of everyday life, but it shouldn't always have to involve unhealthy eating. We're used to making choices based on calorie content and other factors when we buy and consume our food, and eating out shouldn't be any different. Having healthy options on the menu are important when making the decision to eat well and stay healthy.

That's why Suffolk has developed a new award scheme for caterers called 'Eat Out, Eat Well'. Working in conjunction with environmental health teams at the county's district and borough councils, this will reward caterers for offering healthier food choices to customers.

Most catering premises that serve food to the public are eligible for the award, including restaurants, cafes, hotels, workplace and hospital restaurants and pubs. The level of award is based on a scoring system that takes into account the type of food on offer, cooking methods, and how businesses promote healthy choices to their customers. The higher the score the higher the level of award.

• Level 2 Award in Healthier Foods and Special Diets Training leaflet

Some examples of how these healthier options will work in practice are:

• using healthier catering practices, such as grilling instead of frying
• increasing fruit, vegetables, and starchy carbohydrates
• decreasing levels of fat (especially saturated fat), sugar and salt in food
• providing healthier options for children

Look out for the Eat Out Eat Well symbol when you eat out for a commitment to healthier choices.

Why healthy eating matters

Research by the Food Standards Agency suggested that consumers felt that healthy eating was an important influencing factor when deciding what food to eat both inside and outside the home. Obesity is a growing epidemic in the UK and causes more than 30,000 deaths a year in England alone. Diet plays a major role in heart disease and has been linked to some cancers. It's more important than ever for food outlets to help consumers make the right choices.

Do you run a business? Why the award is good for you and your customers

If you run a catering business, you could make a huge contribution to improving your customers' diet and health by providing healthier food choices.

You'll have public recognition for achieving the award and could enhance your image as a responsible business that puts its customers first. It could give you a competitive edge and increase customer satisfaction as the demand for healthier choices continue to grow - many manufacturers and retailers who have introduced healthier options are seeing growth in sales.

This free award is open to all types of catering establishment that cater for the general public. This could include restaurants, cafes, canteens, catering businesses and more.

How to apply

To achieve an award your business will be assessed against certain criteria that are based on the principles of a healthy balanced diet, such as keeping fat, sugar and salt to a minimum, making fruit and vegetables widely available and basing main meals on starchy carbohydrates. You will also be assessed on marketing and promotion of healthier options. The award is free for businesses to enter. If you are interested in achieving an Eat Out, Eat Well award, the first step is to contact Healthy Suffolk.

Take Out, Eat Well

Alongside the main Eat Out, Eat Well award, we have introduced equivalent criteria for take away restaurants entitled Take Out, Eat Well.

Award holders in our region

Name	Type	Address	Award Level
Aldeburgh Cafe	Cafe	Hall Farm Shop Saxmundham Road Aldeburgh IP15 5JD	Gold
The Alex	Restaurant/Cafe	123 Undercliff Road West Felixstowe IP11 2AF	Silver
The Anchor	Restaurant	The Street Walberswick IP18 6UA	Silver
Angel Hotel	Hotel/Restaurant	Thoroughfare Halesworth IP19 8AH	Silver
The Bell Inn	Restaurant	Ferry Lane Walberswick IP18 6TN	Silver
Blue & Berry	Cafe	103-105 Hamilton Road Felixstowe IP11 7BL	Gold
Cafe East (Vertas)	Cafe	Riverside 4 Canning Road Lowestoft NR33 0EQ	Silver
The Farm Cafe and Shop	Cafe	Main Road Marlesford IP13 0AG	Gold
Focus Organic	Retail/Cafe	14 Thoroughfare Halesworth IP19 8AH	Gold
Fox Inn	Restaurant	The Street Newbourne IP12 4NY	Silver
Framlingham College	School Kitchen	College Road Framlingham IP13 9EY	Gold
Brandeston Hall (Framlingham Prep)	School Kitchen	Brandeston Hall Hall Road Brandeston IP13 7AH	Silver
Gracies Kitchen	Restaurant/Cafe	69 High Street Leiston IP16 4BX	Bronze
Graze at The White Horse	Café/Bar/Grill	29 New Market Beccles NR34 9HE	Silver
The Greenhouse Cafe	Café	5 Orwell Road Felixstowe, IP11 7HE	Gold
Greggs	Cafe/retail	13 New Market Beccles, NR34 9HD	Silver
Greggs	Cafe/retail	35 Hamilton Road Felixstowe IP11 7BB	Silver
Greggs	Cafe/retail	65-67 London Road North Lowestoft NR32 1LS	Silver
Greggs	Cafe/retail	Unit 1A Betts Avenue Martlesham Heath IP5 3RH	Silver
The Harbour Inn	Pub - Restaurant	Black Shore Southwold IP18 6TA	Silver
Honey & Harvey	Cafe	56 Thoroughfare Woodbridge IP12 1AL	Gold
Honey & Harvey	Cafe	Unit 1 Riduna Park Station Road Melton IP12 1QT	Gold
The Little Ice Cream Company	Cafe	59-61 Undercliff Rd East Felixstowe IP11 2AD	Silver
Marina Theatre Trust	Cafe	Marina Theatre Lowestoft NR32 1HH	Silver
Milsoms at Kesgrave Hall	Restaurant	Hall Road Kesgrave IP5 2PU	Gold
The Plough	Pub - Restaurant	High Street Wangford NR34 8AZ	Silver
Richardson's Family Entertainment Centre	Cafe/Restaurant	11 Capital Trading Estate Rant Score Whapload Road Lowestoft NR32 1TY	Gold
RSPB Café at Minsmere Nature Reserve	Cafe	Minsmere Nature Reserve Sheepwash Lane Westleton IP17 3BY	Gold
Simply delicious	Cafe/Restaurant	70 High Street Leiston IP16 4BZ	Bronze
The Stables Cafe and Sandwich Shop	Cafe/Restaurant	Unit 1, Brightwell Barns Waldringfield Road, Brightwell IP10 0BJ	Silver
Swan Hotel	Hotel/Restaurant	Market Place Southwold IP18 6EG	Gold
The Tea Pot Tea Room	Cafe/Restaurant	70A High Street Wickham Market IP13 0QU	Bronze
Twyfords	Cafe	Twyfords House Exchange Square Beccles NR34 9HL	Bronze
Waveney House Hotel	Hotel/Restaurant	Puddingmoor Beccles NR34 9PL	Silver
Wilford Bridge (Deben Inns)	Restaurant	Wilford Bridge Road Melton IP12 2PA	Silver