Victorian First - Meat Hub serve up healthy fare

Published on 27 May 2016

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The Aussie Barbeque is a mainstay of our modern culture. We hold barbeques in our homes, in our parks, in our schools and at our sporting events.  Weekends just wouldn’t be the same without the smell of a sausage sizzle at the hardware store.

However, what we cook on the barbeques can often be very unhealthy, high in saturated fat and salt. The good news is barbeques are about to get a whole lot healthier, thanks to the hard work of Nutrition Australia and The Meat Hub.

In a state first, The Meat Hub has had a range of items assessed by Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Advisory Service. Each item assessed and approved has officially been given a traffic light classification of green (best choice) or amber (choose carefully).

Increasing access to healthier options forms part of phase two of the Healthy BBQ Kit, developed and launched by Healthy Together Mildura in 2014.

Items with the traffic light classification include barbeque favourites such as sausages and beef burgers, as well as offering such as seasoned steaks, chicken burgers and shashliks. The Meat Hub developed this range in consultation with Healthy Together Mildura, working together to ensure a healthier option, while maintaining the flavour.

Meat Hub owner Jason Hawkes said the decision to work with Healthy Together Mildura and Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Advisory Service was an easy one.

“We are seeing a greater demand from our customers for healthier options. We’re committed to supplying quality products and ensuring what we produce meets customer and nutritional standards,”  Mr Hawkes said.

“It’s been a lot of work, but we have learned a lot. It’s even helped our staff change the way they think about healthy food. We’re very proud to have developed a range of options that have been reviewed by Nutrition Australia and to be contributing to the improved health of our community.”

Community Wellbeing and Services Portfolio Councillor Sharyon Peart praised The Meat Hub for their commitment to a healthier community.

“It is wonderful to see yet another Mildura business taking the lead to make our community a healthier place. It really shows a growing understanding that we all have role to play in community health and wellbeing,” Cr Peart said.

The first step to healthy eating changes, is to show it can be easy, making healthier options easy AND more accessible has the potential to be a real game changer.”

The work undertaken by The Meat Hub, Healthy Together Mildura and Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Advisory Service will pave the way for other butchers to follow.

Margaret Rozman of Nutrition Australia said supporting butchers to develop healthier options was a natural extension to the work being undertaken across the state.

“The Healthy Eating Advisory Service has been successfully working with sectors of the food industry, food outlets, caterers and suppliers towards improving availability and promotion of healthy food and drinks,” Ms Rozman said.

“Working with Healthy Together Mildura to provide clear advice for butchers, based on the Healthy Choices food and drink guidelines has fulfilled an identified local need and this information can also be shared on our website to be used across the state.”

The new range of healthy barbeque options is available now from The Meat Hub, 848 Fifteenth Street, Mildura.

The Healthy BBQ Kit, which includes the full list of assessed items as well as providing tools and tips for making small BBQ changes for events, workplaces and families, can be downloaded from the Healthy Together Mildura website www.healthytogethermildura.com.au.

Healthy Together Mildura is funded by the Victorian Government and is a partnership between Mildura Rural City Council, Sunraysia Community Health Services and Northern Mallee Community Partnership.

 

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Media enquiries:
Angela Umback
(03) 5018 8689
angela.umback@mildura.vic.gov.au

 

Photo – Jason Hawkes from The Meat Hub, Cr Sharyon Peart from Mildura Rural City Council and Jane McCracken from Sunraysia Community Health.

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