Luton Food Plan

The objective of which is to increase public recognition of the importance of a balanced diet made up of good quality food, so as to improve residents’ health and wellbeing, our food sustainability and our economy.

Our busy lives mean more and more meals are being eaten outside of the home, often ‘on the go’ and there are fewer sit-down meals at home. Consequently, we eat more processed food higher calories, sugar, fat and salt.

Food promotions, advertising, pricing and product placement have all added to this shift in eating patterns and have made choosing healthier options even more challenging.

We know that the reasons why people eat unhealthy diets are complex and related to easy access and availability of food, affordability, knowledge, skills and culture.

The proposals outlined in the food plan are part of a town-wide holistic approach targeted at encouraging healthier lifestyles through eating better and increasing physical activity. By creating an environment in which it is easier for everyone to make healthier, better quality food choices, we will contribute to reducing obesity, improving dental health and increasing the number of healthy Luton food outlets.

The plan focuses on three key priority areas:

• getting our house in order.  We will offer healthier school meals through Council catering, remove vending machines from Council premises and use our spending power to influence local businesses to sell better food.
• access to healthier food.  We will work with local businesses to encourage healthier menus and reductions in sugar, fat and salt content, and use our planning and licensing teams to manage food availability near schools and colleges.
• greening the Borough  and ‘growing your own’. We will improve access to green space and support residents to grow their own fruit and vegetables. We will increase the number of community food hubs and connect residents to allotments while developing other food growing and greening activities.

Annual action plans will implement, monitor and evaluate the food plan and deliver the strategic healthy eating aims for Luton.