School sausages become healthier

The public health minister visited the tasting session at St Andrews primary

Scottish schoolchildren have been asked to taste-test healthier versions of traditional favourites like sausages and burgers.

Abertay University food scientists have come up with lower fat and salt versions of popular red meat meals.

It is hoped the new versions of the old favourites will encourage pupils to stay in school at lunchtime rather than visiting fast food shops.

If the meals prove popular, they will be rolled out to places like hospitals.

Visiting a tasting session at St Andrews primary school in Dundee, Public Health Minister Shona Robison said: "It's really important that children have a healthy, balanced diet and that we make it easy for them to choose healthy food.

"We've set the bar high in schools, through our nutritional guidelines, and it's great to see the food and drink sector respond through product innovation to drive change and enable children to make healthier food choices."

It combines healthy eating with the types of foods that children love Carrie Ruxton Dietician

A range of meat companies, along with Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), have been involved in developing the low fat and low salt products.

QMS chairman Donald Biggar said: "First and foremost, what we want to do is encourage more children to stay in the school canteen at lunchtimes, to enjoy a tasty and nutritious meal.

"Independent research carried out at the start of the project suggests good quality meat products could provide a popular hook to bring youngsters back to the dining table and help reduce purchases of less healthy food outside of school during break-times.

"Our Scottish meat companies responded wonderfully well to their challenge - in fact one is now planning to switch their entire production range to a lower salt product."

Dietician, Dr Carrie Ruxton, added: "This project is exciting because it combines healthy eating with the types of foods that children love.

"There is no reason why red meat products can't be a healthy choice if they are prepared with high quality produce and cooked to minimise added fat and salt.

"Also, by encouraging children to stay in school to eat, we can make sure they are offered fresh fruit and vegetables which they generally don't eat when they buy from fast food outlets."