2009 Eat Smart! Awards recognizes local food establishments commitment to healthy options and food safety

WHITBY, ON October 14, 2009 - Durham Regional Council recognized 60 area restaurants and school and workplace cafeterias during the 2009 Eat Smart! Awards presentation. The awards were presented to recipients during today’s Council meeting.

“All recipients of this award have demonstrated their commitment to meeting exceptional standards in nutrition and food safety,” said Dr. Robert Kyle, Durham Region Medical Officer of Health. “Although we have learned that the restaurant program has been discontinued, local establishments should be proud of their contribution to the community in providing healthy alternatives and we hope that they will continue these efforts.”

Over the past few years, there has been a gradual decline in participation across the province by health departments and food service providers in the restaurant program, while there has been an increase in the workplace and school cafeteria programs. Based on current participation rates and the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion’s strategic initiatives, the restaurant program will be discontinued and attention will be refocused on the cafeteria programs.

Recognized throughout Ontario, the Eat Smart! Award is given to establishments offering more options in vegetables and fruit, grain products, and entrees and desserts with less fat. Customers can also ask for healthy substitutions such as salad instead of fries, or order milk or 100 per cent fruit juice with a child’s meal as an alternative to soft drinks.

The food safety component of the program requires restaurants to show compliance with Ontario’s Food Premises Regulations and have at least one staff member per shift certified in safe food handling. In addition the Eat Smart! Smoke-Free Standard requires that all establishments receiving an Eat Smart! Award must comply with the Smoke-Free Ontario Act.

This year’s Eat Smart! Award winners are as follows:

Ajax

Chartwells School Dining Services – Ajax High School
J. Clarke Richardson Collegiate/Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School
OLG Slots at Ajax Downs

Brock

Chartwells School Dining Services – Brock High School
Fair Glen Serving Kitchen
Fair Havens Riverside Dining Room

Clarington

Aramark Foods
- Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School – Courtice
- St. Stephen’s Catholic Secondary School – Bowmanville
Chartwells School Dining Services
- Bowmanville High School
- Clarington Central Secondary School – Bowmanville
- Clarke High School – Newcastle
- Courtice Secondary School – Courtice
Espresso Legato Coffee House – Bowmanville
Sodexo Corporate Services – Ontario Power Generation, Darlington (Bowmanville)
The Pita Pit – Bowmanville

Oshawa

Chartwells School Dining Services
- Dr. F.J. Donevan Collegiate Institute
- Eastdale Collegiate & Vocational Institute
- Monsignor John Pereyma Catholic Secondary School
- Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School
- O’Neill Collegiate & Vocational Institute
- R. S. McLaughlin Collegiate & Vocational Institute
Chartwells College and University Dining
- Durham College/UOIT South Village Residence Dining Hall
Compass Group
- General Motors Administration Building
- Minacs
Druxy’s Famous Deli Sandwiches
Haynes & Associates at the YMCA
Kingsway College
Oshawa Central Collegiate

Pickering

Burb’s Bistro & Bar
Chartwells School Dining Services
- Dunbarton High School
- St. Mary’s Catholic Secondary School
Claremont Field Centre
Herongate Barn Theatre
Sodexo Corporate Services – Ontario Power Generation, Pickering

Scugog

Chartwells School Dining Services – Port Perry High School
Greenbank Restaurant – Greenbank
The Piano Cafe and Catering – Port Perry

Uxbridge

Don on Main
Markham Stouffville Hospital Cafeteria (Uxbridge Site)
Tin Mill
Uxbridge Secondary School

Whitby

3 Steps Up Coffee House
Aramark Foods
- Trafalgar Castle School
Boston Pizza, Whitby North
Brothers’ Ristorante
Brown’s Fine Food Services – Garden Street Café – Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters
Chartwells School Dining Services
- All Saints Catholic Secondary School
- Anderson Collegiate & Vocational Institute
- Donald A. Wilson Secondary School
- Father Leo J. Austin Catholic Secondary School
- Henry Street High School
- Sinclair Secondary School
Chartwells College and University Dining – Durham College
Dana Hospitality – BMW Group Canada
Domco Food Services – McGraw Hill Ryerson Ltd.
Hot Rocks Creative Diner
Lakeview Marketplace at Ontario Shores
Nice Bistro
Remember When – Brooklin
Williams Coffee Pub

Coordinated by Durham Region Health Department, the goal of the Eat Smart! program is to contribute to the reduction of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer, as well as illness due to improper food handling. For more information about the Eat Smart! program, please call Durham Health Connection Line at 905-666-6241 or 1-800-841-2729.

Media inquiries:
REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM
Glendene Collins - Health Department 905-668-7711, ext. 2999