Hospital wins Healthy Eating Gold Award

THE restaurant at Mayo University Hospital is celebrating after winning the Irish Heart Healthy Eating Gold Award.

The restaurant had a recertification audit by the Irish Heart to retain their Happy Heart Healthy Eating Award. MUH not only retained the award but also achieved the gold standard.

The Healthy Eating Award is valid for two years and in 2016 Irish Heart introduced an innovative new grading system of gold, silver and bronze to its long-standing Happy Heart at Work Healthy Eating Award for staff restaurants. This new departure is designed to encourage companies to set their targets high, continue to promote healthy living and strive for the gold medal standard.

“Aramark is absolutely delighted to not only retain the Irish Heart Healthy Eating Award but also to win the gold standard,” said Elbha Purcell, company dietician. “The role of food in everyday life is so important to the impact of overall health, especially in an area like a hospital where people recover and good nutritional content is vital.

“We are so proud to win this prestigious award and would like to extend our highest congratulations to the team on the ground, particularly to head chef Ronan Fox and restaurant manager Marcella O’Connor, who make it possible day in, day out.”

Some of the required criteria include:

· That calories are displayed on all menus.

· Ensuring a good availability of food options low in fat, especially saturated fat.

· At least 3 chip-free days a week.

· High fibre choices.

· More fruit and vegetable choices.

· Hot or cold pastries are not offered at least two days a week.

· More than 50% of beverages available in the dining area are healthier choices - i.e. water, unsweetened fruit juice and diet drinks than unhealthier choices i.e. sugar-sweetened soft drinks, sugar-sweetened fruit juices, juice drinks.

· Beans, peas or lentils are offered in hot or cold dishes most days of the week.

· Offer food within recommended portion size.

During the audit some of the comments the auditor noted in her report from customers were:

“Best hospital restaurant I have ever eaten in!”

“Restaurant management and staff work very hard in promoting healthy choices!”

“There is always table talkers on the tables promoting healthy choices.”

“Lots of healthy options daily.”

Janis Morrissey, health promotion manager from the Irish Heart, said that the award recognised the commitment and hard work from Aramark and Mayo University Hospital in ensuring the food menus in the staff restaurant meet the recommended guidelines.

Loretta Bracken, catering manager, said it was down to the hard work of the Aramark team, Marcella O’Connor, restaurant manager, Ronan Fox, head chef, and their teams who continually do things better each day.