How to apply for Food for Life Served Here

How to apply for the award

The Food for Life Scotland team is here to support public sector caterers to achieve the Food for Life Served Here award for their meals service. From buying list analysis, menu development, and free staff training, to pre-inspection support and marketing materials to publicise your new award, we are here to help at every stage. And because the scheme is funded by Scottish Government, there is no cost to:

• local authorities in Scotland interested in gaining the award for their school meals service

• public sector sites in Glasgow

 Pre-Application Support

The first step towards gaining a Food for Life Served Here award for your catering service is a benchmarking exercise. The Food for Life Scotland team will work with your Catering and Procurement staff to assess what requirements of the award you are already meeting, and identify areas that do not currently meet Food for Life Served Here standards.

After completing the benchmarking, we will support you in developing an action plan to make any changes required to meet Food for Life Served Here standards. This could involve help with menu conversion, supply chain troubleshooting, or training sessions for frontline catering staff.

Application & Inspection

The Food for Life Scotland team will assist you in completing the application and compiling your online evidence folder. The Food for Life Served Here award is assessed with an annual inspection and renewed accordingly.

How long does the process take?

The time it takes to achieve a Food for Life Served Here award is different for every catering team, but, on average, the journey from gap analysis to inspection usually takes between six to twelve months.

Your Food for Life Served Here award

Once you’ve achieved the Food for Life Served Here award, we’ll help you celebrate with targeted marketing and press support to publicise your achievement. All award holders will have access to ongoing support from the Food for Life Scotland team. Local authorities who achieve the award for their school meals service will have access to advice and support from a network of peers via the Award-Holder Working Group.

• Ready to start your Food for Life journey?

  The Food for Life Scotland team is here to help. Our team can support you with menu development ideas, procurement advice, strategic engagement, data analysis, and communications. Sarah Gowanlock, Food for Life Scotland Project Officer, is on hand to provide initial advice and support. Contact her today for an informal chat about Food for Life in your local authority.

  Email Sarah