Thrive! Grants Support 23 Healthy Eating Projects in Publicly Funded Places

NOTE: A social media version of this release with hi-res downloadable photos is available http://novascotia.ca/news/smr/2013-03-15-Healthy-Eating/ . More elements will be added after the event.

Nova Scotians will have more opportunities to eat healthy food in publicly funded places.

Premier Darrell Dexter announced today, March 15, almost $379,000 in grants to support healthy eating in health-care settings, sport and recreation facilities, post-secondary schools and provincial and municipal government offices.

"We all want to live in a world where we have the opportunity to make healthy eating choices and be physically active," Premier Dexter said. "These Thrive! grants build on our renowned healthy eating policy and standards in our public schools and regulated child-care settings.

"By working with our partners, we are expanding those policies to a wider range of public settings."

The funding will go to 23 projects for healthy eating policy development, menus, training and equipment. Initiatives include improving hospital cafeteria menus and reducing salt, healthy snacks in the workplace, programs to build healthy hearts and minds in colleges and universities, and healthy eating policies in sport and recreation facilities.

"We have been on a journey for a couple of years to improve our choices for healthy eating in our canteen. We now serve hummus and vegetables, salads and yogurt," said Cathy Burgess, general manager of Cole Harbour Place. "This Thrive! grant is helping us take the next step, to improve the choices in our vending machines and expand our healthy eating policy throughout the facility."

Expanding food policies in publicly-funded institutions is a government commitment through Thrive!, a plan for a healthier Nova Scotia. The plan addresses preventable chronic disease through 34 actions focused on healthy eating and physical activity.

The complete list of grant recipients is posted at http://thrive.novascotia.ca.