And the HCA has joined forces with BFF to produce a comprehensive guide for hospital caterers wanting to take part. It includes tips and ideas, has sections on sourcing locally and seasonally, suggestions for recipes and children’s activities, plus ways to involve the whole hospital community in harvest activities.
Andy Jones, HCA chairman, said: “We are delighted to be working with Love British Food to promote activities during British Food Fortnight.
“The two weeks are a great reminder for caterers and their suppliers that they should think about incorporating local and seasonal produce into their cooking.
“By making small changes to purchasing patterns and menus, we can make a big difference to the quality of healthcare catering in the long term.
“This shows how the HCA is building on the Hospital Food Plan and how the HCA and Love British Food have already started to address some of the recommendations made.
“Plus I have already called for all HCA members to change their menus to use fresh fruit and vegetables as a minimum."
Love British Food founder, Alexia Robinson added: “Following the tremendous response to last year’s Bring Home the Harvest campaign, we are inviting hospital caterers to join us.
“It is so important for everyone, no matter where they are, to have access to wholesome food, and how better to do this than through a fun national promotion that gets everyone involved.”
The HCA, a hub for nutrition and catering advice and best practice for the trade, champions the sourcing and use of local and seasonal food in hospital meals. As well as British Food Fortnight, it supports campaigns such as the NHS sustainability day, Nutrition & Hydration Week and James Martin’s Operation Hospital Food.
British Food Fortnight is the largest showcase of British food on the national calendar, and its Bring Home the Harvest campaign encourages hospitals, retailers, producers, schools, young people and all other sectors of the community to take part by organising activities which celebrate British food and the harvest.
For details and entry forms visit: www.lovebritishfood.co.uk.