Currie RFC minis convert to healthy eating

When it comes to getting our youngsters to eat healthily, doing it through the sport they love has got to be a good way to go. That way they can combine exercise with healthy eating and be well on the way to becoming healthy adults.
Currie Rugby Football Club has managed to pull this off and has picked up a major national award for catering, making it easy for its young members to eat healthier food.

Currie RFC Minis is the section of the club for children between Primary 1 and Primary 7, who train or play rugby matches every Sunday morning throughout the rugby season and these youngsters are now all converted to healthy eating.
Currie RFC is the first rugby club, and in fact the first sports club of any kind, to have achieved the prestigious healthyliving award. It is among a total of over 150 establishments from throughout Scotland that have achieved the award since the Scottish Consumer Council launched it last year.

The good work is all down to three mums - Kim Haggart, Sheelagh Jones and Lesley Dunleavy. When they took over the post-match catering they wanted to transform the provision that was on offer to the members, parents and visiting teams and they decided to apply for the healthy living award after hearing about it from one of the club coaches.

Kim Haggart explained: “The club used to provide very traditional rugby club food such as sausage rolls and pies. When the three of us took over the catering we wanted to change the children’s eating habits, so we now offer filled rolls and salad, fruit pots and, in the colder weather, homemade soup and pasta Bolognese. Now the kids have got used to it they love it.”

The award aims to make it easier for people to choose healthy options when they eat out. Currie RFC achieved the award after adopting a range of healthier practices, including reducing levels of fat, salt and sugar in food and making fruit and vegetables more easily available.

Kim explained, “The new menu took a bit of getting used to by the kids – the first couple of times they wanted sausage rolls, but now they love it, especially the fruit. We cut up fruits that can be prepared in advance such as melon and kiwis, and make up fruit pots. The kids now accept it as the norm, and it has gone down very well with the parents too. The visiting teams are also impressed and enjoy the food as well. We have 160 children in the minis section, and on match days we can be catering for up to 350 children.

“We are delighted to have achieved the healthyliving award and to get recognition for all our hard work, and that of all the many other ‘mums’ who have helped, over the last year,’’ she added. “We are very proud of our achievement, and the fact that the kids enjoy the healthier food has made it all worthwhile.

“Because we are not a profit making organisation, we have been looking for a sponsor to help us with our healthy eating initiative, but so far have been unsuccessful. If anyone would like more info on this, or can help, then please contact us.”
Claire Brown, Project Manager of the healthyliving award, said: “We are particularly pleased to see a number of outlets that cater for children achieving the award, especially those like Currie RFC that have turned their back on the stereotypical children’s menu and are doing something much more innovative.”

You can contact Kim at kim_haggart@btinternet.com or call 0131449 4321

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