Bristol Eating Better Awards relaunch!

The Bristol Eating Better Award is a free award scheme for food businesses that sell healthier food options and promote sustainability. Find out more about what the award is and how you can apply.

Improving the food environment to make Bristol’s food healthy and sustainable is a key aim of the Bristol Eating Better Award. The Bristol Eating Better Business Award has been relaunched in October 2022 following a review and works with the out of home food sector to improve healthy eating, sustainability and the ecological and climate emergencies. Bristol was awarded Gold Sustainable Food City status in May 2021 and the award contributes to this status.

What is the award about?

The award is a free award that supports food businesses, to make healthy and sustainable changes to the food they offer. Food brings people together and we want to make sure communities can connect in a healthy and sustainable way. Businesses can take small actions to improve the health of people and be recognised for their achievements.

What changes are businesses asked to make?

The award actions ask businesses to complete small and achievable changes in their menu, examples include:

• Selling low sugar drinks
• Lowering sugar, salt and fat in your products
• Offering healthy snacks
• Offering a choice of salad, vegetables or fruit with all meals
• Reducing and monitoring your food waste
• Buying locally sourced foods
• Encouraging customers to use re-useable cups and containers

In the recent review of the award, healthy eating actions have been updated and adapted to reflect recent changes in the food environment and government food buying standards. Food actions to support the climate and ecological emergencies have been included, with new actions on food waste and carbon emissions to name a few. Food equality has also been included with businesses encouraged to redistribute leftover food to organisations who help people in need, or to consumers at a reduced price/for free.

How can the award benefit your business?

There are many advantages of achieving a Bristol eating better award including:

• You will be supporting a citywide effort to improve the health and sustainability food environment across Bristol.
• You will also be promoted on the Bristol Eating Better Award website, on the awarded places page and map.
• Your menu will become healthier and sustainable and can attract new customers to your business.
• Actions to complete the award can help you save money in your recipes and for your business.

What do businesses say about the award?

Maddy Crammond, partner at Ceylon and Beyond, a local trader that holds the Business Award said:“The Bristol Eating Better Awards has given us more access to local markets where we can trade and sell our products. It’s pushed us to think more carefully about the food that we’re producing and selling, make healthier choices in our cooking – using organic ingredients with low fat and sugar content such as pulses and vegetables, as well as switching to coconut oil.”

How can you get involved and sign up for a Bristol Eating Better Award?

We would encourage you to get involved and signup for an award for your food business. To apply for an award and find out more information, simply visit the Bristol Eating Better Award website.

You can join our online community on our Facebook and Instagram pages, follow and like our pages and posts and spread the word about the great work of Bristol Eating Better Award holders.