Media Release

ST ANDREW'S STUDENTS EMBRACE HEALTHY LIVING
The specialist healthcare and education sector of KKS, a business unit of Compass Group SA, South Africa’s leading outsourced contract caterer, has recently launched Eat.Learn.Live, a healthy lifestyle programme, at St Andrews College in Grahamstown.

Eat.Learn.Live is a unique catering and educational programme that uses healthy and innovative recipes and snacks coupled with modern marketing techniques to promote and support healthy eating for students as part of an active lifestyle.

 "Based on advice from our expert dieticians, we educate students to choose 'better for you' options and highlight healthy snacks, beverages and meals on our menus and all of this is done in a fun, non-threatening way that helps to plant the seeds of healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime", says Liza Beukes, Marketing Director of Compass Group SA.

The healthier menu items, which are high fibre, low GI foods, are labelled with a "Bite Me" logo, which enables students to easily identify the good foods, making them aware of the foods they consume. The healthy eating message is communicated to students through a fresh and contemporary educational marketing campaign which includes elements such as "Dude" and "Chick", spunky male and female cartoon characters that are depicted on the menus, marketing materials such as posters and the website (www.eatlearnlive.co.za).

"Learning to eat well requires knowledge of nutrition and the benefits of an active lifestyle", explains Liza. "It also means giving students options for example, twice a week the menu includes 'Cheat Meals', such as regular meals with chips and other fried options. We hope to teach students about the importance of a balanced lifestyle and therefore, balanced choices."

Menu items such as a broccoli and chicken quiche are made from low GI recipes using fresh ingredients that energise on-the-go learners. "Learners need a consistent supply of energy to be able to concentrate longer. Low GI foods keep them energised so they are able to concentrate longer it also provides sustained energy. Our menus also provide a variety of low fat foods and high fibre options", says Claudine Ryan, a Dietician who works for Compass Group SA, who was instrumental in the compilation of the new St Andrews food offering, as well as conveying the healthy eating message.

When the menus were compiled, The Compass Group SA team spent valuable time with catering staff, training them on healthier cooking methods such as grilling, baking and steaming
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The South African Society for Obesity and Metabolism has recently revealed that 20 percent of children under the age of six are considered to be overweight and highly likely to grow into overweight adults. These figures are rapidly increasing year on year, says Liza. Junk food is generally so easily accessible to children of all ages that the challenge is not just reducing the unhealthy offerings but rather using the school and home environment to empower children and educate youngsters on how to make healthier food choices this helps establish a foundation for a long, healthy life.