Eating Better

Mossgiel Organic in Ayrshire is the model of better dairy production. It’s transitioned from an intensive system to one which is certified by Eating Better member, Pasture for Life and SOPA (Scottish Organic Producers Association), while working closely with another alliance member, The Soil Association. Farming in tandem with nature with fewer animals and inputs, as called for in our Better by Half roadmap, the herd of 45 Ayrshire cows are milked once a day and the calves stay with their mums, being weaned at 4 months, when they start eating grass and herbal leys. The focus is on the highest standards of animal welfare, boosting biodiversity and producing a premium product, which is in high demand.

The spotlight is on school food this week, as the annual LACA show and forum takes place in Birmingham. The theme of this year’s event by catering leaders across the school sector, or “The School Food People” as LACA likes to be known as, is “Get back on track” with keynote speakers and panel discussions on how to make school food healthier and more sustainable, at a time when budgets are being squeezed and public sector caterers are facing further challenges from rising food costs, supply chain issues and staff shortages.

Ensuring everyone has access to a healthy diet that doesn’t cost the earth is a critical priority. The Food Strategy falls desperately short on effective, evidence-based measures to achieve this.

Eating Better regularly conducts public attitude surveys to take the temperature of where people are on the journey to shifting to sustainable diets with less meat and dairy and more plant-based foods. We examine what the trends are and what the barriers are to change. This year’s analysis also took a deep dive into food-to-go to find out what’s happening in that sector and if sandwiches, a British staple, are still popular.

The government has published its first food strategy in 75 years, in response to the independent review by its lead food adviser, Henry Dimbleby. Although the government has accepted some of the review’s recommendations, there is still a lot missing from the document, in particular the lack of acknowledgement on the need to reduce meat production and consumption to tackle the climate, nature and health crises.

Eating Better’s newest member is Kids Kitchen, a social enterprise building health and community from running scratch cooking sessions, to help families with under 5s explore and enjoy sustainable eating.

The youth-led food campaigning charity, Bite Back has joined Eating Better. Founded by Jamie Oliver, the charity puts young people at the heart of changing our food systems.

How many people know that even if we ended fossil fuel use tomorrow, without making significant changes to our global food system, we would still be heading towards catastrophic levels of warming, far beyond 1.5 degrees?  

Plant-based cookery school, Made in Hackney has joined Eating Better, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise of community-led, scratch cooking, using local, seasonal and sustainable fruit and veg.

Eating Better was in Glasgow for the first week of COP26, taking part in the Recipes for Resilience series of events hosted by alliance member, Nourish Scotland.

‘Good stuff happens after a great meal’ is the motto of our newest member to the Eating Better alliance, eat:Festivals, a not-for-profit social enterprise, which operates predominantly in the South West of England.

The National Food Strategy outlines a comprehensive plan to get us all eating better over the next decade, from a salt and sugar tax on processed foods to better support for farmers to move to more sustainable models, and teaching school children about food and how to cook.

Eating Better is delighted to welcome The Wildlife Trusts as its newest supporter, bringing a new voice to our campaign and proving that eating “less and better” is good for nature and climate.

Eating Better Trustee Duncan Williamson and founder at Nourishing Food Systems looks at the connections between nutrition and nature for our mental wellbeing.

As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s time to hit reset - we can’t go back to business-as-usual. We need to take action to fix the climate and nature emergency, but we can’t do this without tackling food.

School Food Matters is the newest member to Eating Better, bringing another major voice on school food advocacy to the alliance. The charity exists to teach children about food, where it comes from and how it’s grown and to improve children’s access to healthy, sustainable food.

The Good Food Institute Europe is a welcome addition to the Eating Better alliance at this critical juncture, bringing its interest in alternatives such as plant-based protein and cell based meat. 

We are working to explore a common set a common vision of 'better' meat and dairy and a set of measures that can be used with food businesses.

Vicki is Head of Sustainable Farming at Eating Better alliance organisation – Sustain.

Eating Better Alliance organisations welcome National Food Strategy report but caution against the potential of a dual tariff system.

The Humane League UK has joined over 60 organisations that make up the Eating Better Alliance. In this article Senior Campaigner – Cordelia Britton tells us more about the organisation and particularly their work on the Better Chicken Commitment which is central to the organisation’s corporate campaigns.

The Eating Better board are pleased to announce that Nick Dugdale has been appointed as a Trustee and Treasurer.

Eating Better calls for Government to deliver an ambitious cross-departmental food and farming strategy in response to call for evidence for first National Food Strategy in 75 years.

Whole Health Agriculture have joined over 60 organisations as part of the Eating Better alliance accelerating action for less and better meat and dairy.