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Outline Program origins Eat Smart! Ontario’s Healthy Restaurant Program Eat Smart! Standards How Eat Smart! works Eat Smart! promotional material Eat Smart! Cafeteria programs (school and workplace) Conclusion Next steps

Program Origins Eat Smart! Ontario’s Healthy Restaurant Program Started 1997 as a partnership among MOHLTC, HSFO, CCS (Ontario), OMAFRA, Toronto Public Health, local health units, heart health program, food service industry, & consumers Program launched in 1999 Started with 15 health units participating

Program Origins Eat Smart! was transferred to the Nutrition Resource Centre in 2001 Eat Smart! School Cafeteria Program and Workplace Cafeteria Program were launched in 2001 Eat Smart! expanded into additional food service venues (e.g. recreation centre’s) in 2006

Eat Smart! Ontario’s Healthy Restaurant Program Eat Smart! Ontario’s Healthy Restaurant Program is an Award of Excellence program that recognizes and promotes restaurants that meet exceptional standards in: – Nutrition – Food Safety – Smoke Free Dining

Rationale Why a provincial food service health promotion program? Consumers are interested in nutrition and they want to eat foods best for their health Hectic lifestyles - Canadians eating out more often

Rationale For every dollar households spent on food in 2001, 30 cents went to restaurant meals Stats Canada Average Canadian eats out 4.7x per week Canadian Restaurant & Food Service Association (1997) Need a holistic approach from all stakeholders but as we continue to spend more more money and time eating outside the home, the foodservice industry must play a major role Foodservice & Hospitality March 2004

Rationale Increased awareness of obesity means today’s consumers are pushing the foodservice industry to change Foodservice & Hospitality March 2004 Economic burden of 4 diet related diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer) has been estimated at $5.3 billion dollars Simcoe County District Health Unit (2004)

Program Goal The goal of Eat Smart! is to contribute to the reduction of food-borne illness and chronic disease in Ontario This goal is met by: Encouraging restaurants to meet program standards and join Eat Smart! Encouraging consumers to go to Eat Smart! restaurants

Target Groups Intended to influence 2 key groups 1. Consumers who frequently eat out at restaurants – In particular, developed to reach dual-income families with children; this group eats out more frequently than any other group

Target Groups Intended to influence 2 key groups 2. Ontario Restaurants – While all restaurants are encouraged to participate in Eat Smart!, it has been developed to appeal to quick-service and family-style restaurants (establishments where it would be common to see families with children eating out)

The Eat Smart! team Eat Smart! is implemented at a local level by the public health units NRC provides provincial support and resource development MHP provides provincial funding support 25 of 36 public health units in Ontario implement Eat Smart! Almost 900 participating restaurants across the province

Provincial Partners Canadian Cancer Society (Ontario Division) Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario

Eat Smart! Provincial Advisory Committee Drawn from key stakeholders Supports the NRC’s work in the coordination of the Eat Smart! program Help guide program direction and priorities

Eat Smart! Standards Nutrition Food Safety Smoke Free Dining Sets consistent requirements for restaurants to meet in order to achieve Eat Smart! status

Eat Smart! Nutrition Standards Developed to support Canada’s Guidelines to Healthy Eating Restaurants recognized for offering: – A variety of lower fat and nutritious food choices on the menu – Accommodating requests for certain modifications/substitutions to create healthier food choices

Eat Smart! Nutrition Standards More specifically: On the Menu Variety of lower fat grain products At least 6 choices of vegetables & fruit One, 2 or 3 meat and alternatives prepared and served in a healthier way Lower fat dessert choice Milk or 100% fruit juice with children’s meals Revised in January 2006

Eat Smart! Nutrition Standards Some Examples: By Request (at no extra cost): A substitute for French fries if served as part of an entree Gravies, sauces and dressings served on the side Information about recipe ingredients + several others

Eat Smart! Food Safety Standards Complies with the Ontario Food Premises Regulations on the date of inspection Has a history of compliance for a minimum of 12 months prior to inspection date Has not been confirmed as a source of food borne illness during the past 12 months Minimum of 1 full-time employee certified in safe food handling Consents to sharing inspection reports with customers upon request

Eat Smart! Smoke Free Dining All restaurants applying for the Eat Smart! award must be 100% smoke-free and in compliance with Smoke Free Ontario Act They must not sell tobacco Be free of a tobacco related offense in the last 12 months

Other Features Eat Smart! Restaurants can be recognized for other features – Barrier-free access – Food allergy information – Breastfeeding friendly – Alcohol server training Not necessary to become an Eat Smart! restaurant

How Eat Smart! Works Implemented by local public health units Restaurants apply to participate Applications reviewed / assessment – Food Safety inspection – Menu review – Safe Food Handlers training organized as necessary Restaurants awarded and recognized

Recognizing Eat Smart! Restaurants Provincial Eat Smart! website restaurant listing- Foodinc.ca Local dining guides produced Public Health Unit’s website Local award ceremonies and media coverage

Award Certificate

Eat Smart! Promotional Materials Information cards for restaurants to display in their establishment Posters for restaurants to display in their establishment Advantage pamphlets Consumer information cards Staff education pamphlets Locally produced materials

Eat Smart! Promotional Materials Small and large postcards

Consumer Information Cards

Eat Smart! School Cafeteria Program Awards school cafeterias for meeting standards in nutrition & food safety 229 participating schools in 2007 Recent gain in momentum. Interest from: – foodservice companies, – individual schools and – school boards

Eat Smart! Workplace Cafeteria Program Awards workplace cafeterias for meeting standards in nutrition, food safety & smoke free dining Benefits all employees their family and friends Approximately 153 participating workplace cafeterias in 2007

Conclusion Becoming an Eat Smart! restaurant means that You will strengthen your image in your community as a health conscious restaurant You will belong to a province wide program endorsed by both the Canadian Cancer Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation You will get an edge on the competition by offering consumers a restaurant that serves healthy choices and a safe environment You will have promotional opportunities and gain positive media attention