Current status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what policy measures it is considering to encourage people in Scotland to eat more plant-based meals, as illustrated in the Eatwell Guide.
The Scottish Government and partners continue to take a variety of steps to promote healthier food and diet, including an increase in plant-based meals. The 2021 Out of Home Action Plan (OOHAP) and the 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan underpin this approach.
Public Health Scotland’s pilot of the Eating Out Eating Well Framework (announced in the OOHAP) is supporting people and business to facilitate access to healthier and sustainable options including, for instance, suggesting businesses may want to display and promote vegan and vegetarian meal options, or switching high-fat dairy products to plant based ones.
The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2020 have strengthened the provision of balanced and nutritious food to children, including setting standards for the maximum amount of red and processed meat that can be provided to primary and secondary school children each week, in addition to setting standards on the provision of fruit and vegetables.
The Healthy Living Programme, delivered in partnership with the Scottish Grocer’s Federation is supporting over 2,400 convenience stores to provide affordable healthier food options, especially in lower income areas, including promotion of fruit and vegetables as recommended by the Eatwell Guide.
Our Parent Club website provides free advice on healthy eating, as well as recipe ideas to support individuals and families prepare healthy meals including how to increase their consumption of fruit and vegetables, featuring a range of vegetarian options. In 2023-24, the recipe page had 326,979 visits.