Collectively these sites serve more than 50,000 meals each year. The Food for Life Scotland (FFLS) programme, led by Soil Association Scotland and funded by Scottish Government since 2009, provides a framework through which local authorities and public sector sites can ensure they are serving good food.
This is done by meeting a set of standards to achieve the FFLSH certification at bronze, silver or gold level. There are currently 17 Scottish local authorities that hold the Food for Life Served Here certification for school meals services including West Dunbartonshire Council.
Since 2024, Food for Life Scotland’s remit has expanded to support caterers to achieve the certification in the wider public sector. The expansion of Food for Life Scotland means the team’s support is now also open to hospital settings, prisons and publicly run leisure facilities and visitor attractions.
Crosslet House and Queens Quay House have become the first care homes to achieve a bronze award, emulating the recent success of various universities and colleges, the Scottish Courts and Scottish Government workplaces.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon commented: “As the first care homes to join the scheme they really demonstrate their commitment to fresh cooked meals and are leading the way in providing good food in Scotland's care homes. I hope other public sector organisations and local authorities recognise this achievement and I urge them to work with FFL Scotland to achieve an award and help contribute to making Scotland a Good Food Nation.”
As part of the Food for Life Served Here bronze certification, West Dunbartonshire care home caterers ensure that a minimum of 75% of dishes are freshly prepared from unprocessed ingredients. Meals are also free from undesirable trans fats, sweeteners and additives, and use free range eggs, higher welfare meat and ingredients from sustainable and ethical sources.
Caterers worked closely with vegetable supplier McLays to incorporate more seasonal ingredients in the annual menu, which are used in soups and scratch-cooked baking dishes. The menu now includes dishes such as Ayrshire Pork Roast, and Red Tractor Roast Turkey with Scottish roast potatoes & Seasonal Vegetables.
Fiona Taylor, head of health and community care at West Dunbartonshire HSCP, added: “We are committed to providing a high standard of nutrition for all our residents. The Food for Life Served Here bronze certification allowed catering staff to further enhance their menus and source environmentally sustainable and ethical food, making healthy eating easy.
“They are also proud to be championing local food producers. I commend all those who worked so hard to achieve this, it really was a team effort and reflects the ethos of person-centered care. We look forward to achieving the silver certification next.”