Colchester City Council supports the TuckIN Making Food Better programme as part of our commitment to improving public health and helping residents make healthier food choices when eating out or using local catering services.
What is TuckIN
TuckIN is a locally delivered, evidence‑based healthy food initiative that works with food businesses, schools and councils across Essex and neighbouring areas. The programme encourages small, practical changes in how food is prepared, cooked and served to help reduce salt, sugar and saturated fat, while maintaining taste, quality and customer choice.
Why Colchester City Council supports TuckIN
Many meals eaten outside the home contain high levels of fat, salt and sugar. Over time, this can contribute to poor health and increased pressure on health services. By supporting TuckIN, Colchester City Council is helping businesses and communities take positive steps towards healthier diets through simple, achievable changes that benefit everyone.
What does taking part involve?
Food businesses and caterers that join TuckIN make a series of straightforward pledges designed to improve nutritional quality. These include using healthier cooking oils, reducing salt and sugar, offering appropriate portion sizes, providing water and sugar‑free drinks, undertaking free nutrition training, and promoting healthier options to customers.
What this means for customers
Customers can feel confident that participating premises are taking steps to offer healthier food choices. Businesses that have signed up to the scheme display the purple TuckIN window sticker so customers can easily identify where healthier options are available.
How businesses, schools and organisations can join
The TuckIN programme is free to join and is open to eligible food businesses, schools and councils that meet Food Hygiene Rating Scheme requirements. Sign‑up is quick and provides access to online training, guidance and promotional materials to support participation.
To find out more about the scheme or to apply to join, visit the TuckIN website.