Food News, with Amanda Killelea

WHEN it comes to resolutions, this year isn't much different from any other.

Thoughts are turning to health after nearly a fortnight of over-indulgence. And, as usual, giving up smoking and eating more healthily are at the top of people's lists.

Now one local council is aiming to make it easier for people to keep their resolutions by encouraging restaurants, cafes, canteens, schools and colleges to promote a healthier lifestyle.

Blackburn with Darwen Council's Healthy Catering Award Scheme was launched so that diners in the town can have a choice of healthy food options, can be sure their meals have been cooked in a hygienic way and can enjoy their meals in a smoke-free atmosphere.

Catherine Snape, health education officer, said: "This is the only scheme of its type in the area, although other local councils are involved in the national Heartbeat scheme."

It is two years since the scheme was launched and it is going from strength to strength, with more and more premises being awarded the coveted gold and silver platters.

But in order to win the gold award, cafes and restaurants really have their work cut out.

For a start 40 per cent of the seating areas have to be non-smoking and positioned to prevent tobacco smoke drifting over them.

Healthy menu options are also a major factor, with restaurants, cafes, and snack bars being required to make sure at least a quarter of the dishes on the menu every day are healthy choices - with each main course containing no more than 15 grams of fat and each starter containing no more than five grams of fat.

There should also be at least one healthy pudding or dessert with not more than five grams of fat, and low sugar drinks should also be available. Catherine Snape said: "Consulting with staff and training them in the importance of producing the healthy choices in such a way that they are always consistent is also an important factor.

"A dish marked as a healthy choice must always meet the awards criteria no matter who prepares it."

Also the menu should offer at least one meat-free low fat dish and establishments which cater for children should offer at least one healthy alternative for younger diners.

Cafes, restaurants and canteens are being encouraged to adapt customers' favourite dishes into healthy choices by changing cooking methods.

Using skimmed or semi-skimmed milk in sauces or custards reduces fat, as does trimming fat off meat and serving vegetables without sauces or butter. Nursery schools, schools and colleges can also aim for the Golden Platter and they have their own guidelines to follow.

Catherine said: "Children quickly develop a taste for high-fat and high-sugar foods such as cakes, biscuits, potato and corn-based processed snacks and fried foods.

"While children gain a large amount of their energy intake from fats, these should be balanced with other foods to ensure a healthy diet."

Schools are encouraged to balance protein, carbohydrate, vegetables and dairy products in meals, as well as reducing fat and sugar used in cooking. And processed foods such as sausages, baked beans and ice cream should not be served more than three times a week.

Residential homes for the elderly and hostels can also aim for the awards by reducing fat in meals, catering for special dietary needs and balancing the protein, fat and carbohydrate in dishes.

Several premises in Blackburn and Darwen which have earned the coveted golden and silver platter awards. Golden Platter winners include Blackburn College, St Wilfrid's High School and The Tea Shop in Market Street, Darwen. Lee's Cantonese Kitchen, in Sudell Road, Darwen, also scooped the top award.

Owner Mrs Angela Lee said: "It is a real honour as we are the first Cantonese in the borough to get this award."

Other healthy eating schemes in East Lancashire include the county council-run Curry Club, where Indian restaurants have pledged to cook dishes without brightly-coloured additives which have been linked with health problems. This scheme, which was started from the Nila Indian Restaurant, in Rawtenstall, is now being extended to encourage all catering establishments to cut down on food additives. A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "We don't have a healthy eating scheme at the moment but we are looking into it in conjunction with the health authorities."

Hyndburn Council also runs a food hygiene award scheme for catering premises which aims to ensure food is stored, prepared and stored safely.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.