The nutritional quality of the mass catering meals is very important to our nutrient intake and health, especially because the lunch prepared by a catering service or a restaurant is the only warm meal of the day for many Finns. Mass catering guides our dietary choices and preferences which, in the optimum situation, will encourage us to adopt healthier dietary habits.
Contents
Having lunches that meet the nutrition recommendations will be made easy for consumers.
Operators are encouraged to offer lunches that meet the meal-specific criteria laid out in the nutrition recommendations.
Targets
- At mass catering events, in cafeterias operated by catering services and in lunch restaurants, there will always be at least one lunch option meeting the Heart Symbol meal criteria.
- The snacks offered to children and young people will be in accordance with the recommendations issued by the National Nutrition Council.
- Products meeting the Heart Symbol criteria will always be offered as snacks and in addition to them, customers can also choose berries, fruits and/or vegetables as such.
We will improve the nutritional quality of our meals by
- compiling lunches in accordance with the salt and/or fat criteria of the Better Choice Heart Symbol meals. See also: https://www.sydanmerkki.fi/en/criteria-for-healthy-lunch
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observing the nutrition criteria for parts of meals served by catering services set out in the Finnish nutrition recommendations (in Finnish)
- observing the guidelines on the selection of food ingredients issued by the National Nutrition Council in its school meal recommendation.
- ensuring that the snacks available in schools and at locations of leisure activities, as well as canteen and kiosk operations are based on healthy options that are in accordance with the guidelines for food ingredients in snacks issued by the National Nutrition Council as part of its school meal recommendation.
Examples of commitments
Example 1: Starting in 2018, we will offer at least one daily lunch option that meets all the Better Choice Heart Symbol meal criteria.
Example 2: By the year 2020, all foods served in pieces that we offer as lunches will meet the meal-specific nutrition criteria of the nutrition recommendations.
Example 3: Starting in 2018, we will offer fat spreads and salad dressings meeting the nutritional quality criteria at every meal.
Example 4: Starting in 2018, we will always offer a high-fibre option as part of our bread selection (bread options meeting the Better Choice Heart Symbol criteria).
Example 5: From the start of 2018, we will offer a fish meal meeting the Better Choice Heart Symbol criteria as lunch option at least twice a week.
Example 6: By the year 2020, the snacks offered in all schools in our municipality will be in accordance with the school meal recommendation of the National Nutrition Council.
Example 7: We will upgrade our service lines by the year 2019 by introducing smaller plates for main courses.
Example 8: By the year 2018, the food served at our workplace meetings will always have an option meeting the Better Choice Heart Symbol criteria and fresh or (frozen) fruits/berries/vegetables.
Example 9: A fruit or berry portion will become available as dessert option at all meals by the end of 2018.
Example 10: From the start of 2018, our glass case products will always include snacks meeting the Better Choice Heart Symbol criteria.
Example 11: A total of 50 per cent of our breakfast cereals will have high-fibre content by the year 2020.
Example 12: By the year 2020, we will use high-fibre rolls in 50 per cent of our hamburgers.