Consumers in Edinburgh are the first to be offered the chance to buy a new range of ready meals formulated to meet the five-a-day target for fruit and vegetables in a single sitting. Researchers from Queen Margaret University have worked with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland to produce DONE meals - a specialist range of pre-prepared dinners which contain all five recommended portions of fruit or vegetables. The five-a-day campaign was adopted by the UK Government back in 1994 and is one of the best known public health slogans.
It can include fresh, frozen, tinned and dried fruit and vegetables, as well as fruit juices and smoothies. However, according to the Scottish Health Survey, just 22% of adults in Scotland consume at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each and the average intake is just three portions. The DONE initiative was developed with the support of FDF Scotland's Healthier Product Innovation Fund, which covered the cost of initial prototyping and scale up assistance, plus partnership with Interface - an organisation designed to bring together Scotland’s business and academic communities.
The meals are currently available to order online via donefood.co.uk for shipping to addresses within EH post code area.
New delivery areas are expected to be added weekly. Dishes currently available to order are: Vietnamese Ragu Ga; Smoked Chipotle Chilli, in both a beef and a vegan version; a vegan Moroccan Tagine; Tortiglioni Bolgnese; Brisket Beef Bourg.
