Kick Start the New Year with a ‘400 Calorie’ Breakfast

Get yourself a new ‘BF’ this year in the form of a 400 Calorie breakfast.  Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF) and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland (FSA in NI) are encouraging hospitality providers to help customers become best friends with a healthy breakfast by creating options that are 400 Calories or less.

To support local businesses in their efforts, the competition submission process will use the Food Standards Agency free online tool MenuCal which helps caterers manage allergen information and calculate Calories for the food they serve. Local chefs will be asked to test out their breakfast recipes using the simple tool to calculate the Calorie count of their food.

The challenge will also support Northern Ireland’s drive to showcase local food and drink as it celebrates Year of Food & Drink 2016.

Janice Gault, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation says:

“It's easy to let breakfast fall off your list of priorities when you are rushing to get out of the house, but taking just a few minutes to have something to eat can make a massive difference to your day. If you don't have time to eat before leaving the house, there are lots of breakfast options that can be eaten on-the-go or when you arrive at work. It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and to achieve a healthy balanced diet, aim to include a breakfast around 400 Calories.

“Northern Ireland is known for culinary delights and it has an established food production industry with numerous products exported globally on a daily basis.  To mark the Year of Food and Drink 2016, and to ensure that our hospitality providers are showcasing the talent and creativity that exists within our shores, we are kicking off the New Year with a celebration of breakfast.

“The challenge is to create a healthy breakfast option of 400 Calories or under which features local Northern Ireland products.  One of our most famous breakfast offerings is the ‘Ulster fry’, eaten not only at breakfast time but throughout the day. Making small changes to how we cook our food can have significant health benefits. Consider grilling rather than frying and swapping some of the ingredients to make this option a healthy choice as well. By entering into the breakfast challenge, we can ensure everyone has an egg-cellent start to their day!”

Julie McKinstry-Harvey, Senior Dietary Health Advisor at the Food Standards Agency discusses how consumers in Northern Ireland have become more discerning in their eating habits:

“With 1 in 6 meals being eaten out of the home, coupled with the fact that consumers are becoming more and more health conscious, it’s important that we provide local business owners with the resources and information they are looking for when it comes to offering healthier menu options.

Using this tool, businesses have the potential to increase their profitability by helping them make smarter choices about the food they serve, by changing the ingredients to give a healthier option or tailoring their portion sizes to reduce the food’s Calories if it contains too many. So this is where the idea for the competition came from; by simply putting in your ingredients you can create healthier breakfast options with the help of MenuCal”.

The free, online resource provides a mechanism for businesses to be confident that the information they are providing to customers is correct. MenuCal also allows businesses to provide information to their customers about the 14 main allergen ingredients, inspiring more confidence in consumers about the food they are eating.

FSA in NI have ensured that you will be able to access training tools and user demos online to get you up and running on this confidential online resource. For further information on MenuCal and to sign up for free visit: menucalni.co.uk. You can also access further information on FSA in NI’s webpage at:  food.gov.uk/northern-ireland/nutritionni/menucal.

Janice Gault, Chief Executive, Northern Ireland Hotels Federation adds:

“The competition mechanic invites members from the hotel & guesthouse sector to submit a breakfast suggestion that is 400 Calories or under, using the MenuCal tool to work out the Calorie count. It is important to stress that MenuCal stores information safely and securely, so no-one else can access your information.  Entrants will also be asked to supply an image and a summary of the breakfast ingredients as part of their submission.

“We are keen that the industry embraces the concept of a healthy breakfast and responds to the changes in consumer habits.  Breakfast is one the most important meals of the day and it’s important to get it right. It provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast. Eating breakfast also has long term health benefits. People who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight or obese and have a lower risk of certain diseases such as heart disease and diabetes”.