Turning Actions Into Gold

We want to make Middlesbrough a place where everyone can eat good quality, healthy food that is easy to buy and offers value for money. In 2019, Middlesbrough became a silver Sustainable Food City, and are now bidding for Gold.

The Council and other institutions across the town are taking action to make food healthier and more sustainable. We are calling on residents, visitors, schools, cafes, restaurants, shops and caterers to all play their part too. Every action counts!

Individuals & Visitors

  1. Eat a healthier diet that is low in salt, sugar and fat.
  2. Eat less meat and more fresh vegetables and fruit
  3. Not cook more than you need and re-use leftover food
  4. Buy food that has less packaging and recycle as much packaging as you can.
  5. Buy food that is produced locally to Middlesbrough – find local food at www.growingmiddlesbrough.org.uk
  6. Buy Fairtrade items.
  7. Use local independent shops
  8. Grow some of your own food
  9. Start composting at home
  10. Become a Good Food Ambassador in your workplace and support colleagues and your employer in taking these actions.

Schools

  1. Offer cooking and growing opportunities
  2. Undertake a food waste audit/ food waste collection
  3. Arrange visits to community food projects and farms
  4. Offer a healthy and active breakfast club: low cost for those that need it
  5. Develop a whole-school healthy and sustainable
    food and drink policy
  6. Run an Eco Shop to help tackle food waste
  7. Provide access to drinking water and reusable water bottles
  8. Work to improve your Food 4 Health status.
  9. Help facilitate the conversation about healthy and sustainable food with pupils and families include in lessons, and/ or give information to children to take home
  10. Improve referrals to Feast of Fun holiday clubs and foodbanks

Food Businesses

  1. Buy more sustainable, local, healthy, seasonal and responsibly sourced food
  2. Flip the menu order to read vegetarian, fish, meat
  3. Offer smaller portion sizes and doggy bags
  4. Reduce and recycle food waste – do a food waste audit/ redistribute surplus food/ arrange food waste collection
  5. Reduce and recycle food related packaging and sign up to plasticfreepledge.com
  6. Buy Fairtrade food if the food is not produced locally
  7. Go for accreditation (e.g. Food for Health, Sustainable Restaurant Association, Food for Life)
  8. Support customers and employees to do as many of the actions for residents as they can
  9. Sign up to become a Water Refill Station or Breast Feeding Friendly
  10. Donate a small percentage of food/meals to initiatives that support vulnerable families

Are you already taking action?

We would love to hear what you or your organisation are doing for a more healthy and sustainable local food system. It could one or more of the actions listed above, or something else entirely. Please let us know and join others in turning these actions into gold!

Turning Actions into gold
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