Glasshoughton takeaway proves it has a healthy recipe for success

A pizza and curry takaway in Glasshoughton is celebrating after being awarded the eatwell award by a local NHS trust and Wakefield Council.

The eatwell award is run by the Wakefield community food and health team, part of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust works in partnership with the Council’s Environmental Health team to provide the award; aiming to make it easier for local people to find a food outlet that offers and promotes healthier options.

Uncle J’s Express takeaway, Front Street in Glasshoughton, has successfully gained the eatwell award after proving its credentials in food hygiene and healthy eating. By offering healthier options on their menu such as boiled rice, low fat coleslaw, potato wedges and a chicken tikka wrap customers can now find a healthy alternative to the traditional takeaway favourites.

Staff from the community food and health team have been working with the staff at Uncle J’s to help them promote healthier eating choices for customers.

Speaking about the award Uncle J’s manager Fazil Javid said, "I am very proud of the team for achieving this award. It demonstrates the importance of healthy eating and the hard work that my staff have put in. Just because we are a takeaway doesn’t mean we can’t offer healthier options. We’ve had an excellent response to the healthy choices on the menu and we know that we are the only ones in the area who have gained the award. I would encourage all takeaways across the district to aim to achieve the eatwell award and we will continue to work hard to provide customers with healthier food choices."

Uncle J’s is among other takeaways in the Wakefield area that are getting to grips with the eatwell award. Other recipients include Cath’s Catch fish and chip shop in Outwood that has started offering healthier options such as thicker cut chips that absorb less oil, smaller portion sizes and butter-free bread cakes, in the future they are going to look at offering a fish salad.

The eatwell award helps businesses across the Wakefield District promote healthier food choices and maintain a good standard of food hygiene. All establishments that gain the award have been assessed by Wakefield Council environmental health and the food and health team, so local people including school children and their parents can be assured of high quality food and hygiene.

To date more than 180 premises have achieved the eatwell award, including schools, residential homes, cafes, hotels and takeaways.

Speaking about the eatwell award Carrie Fennell, Community food and health development worker, said, "This is a fantastic achievement and we’d like to congratulate Uncle J’s for their hard work. It shows that even takeaways can provide healthy options for customers and do their bit to help improve the health of the local community. The food and health team are currently working with local food outlets to encourage them to provide healthier food choices with reduced fat, sugar and salt. Those meeting the criteria get our award so local people know where to pick up a healthy meal."

Any organisation that serves food can apply to gain the eatwell award. Look out for the eatwell stickers in windows and on menus. A list of outlets with the award are available at www.wakefield.gov.uk/Environment/FoodSafety/eatwell

To find out how to get involved contact the Environmental Health Department on 01924 305969.