Bid to boost nutrition for families on low income

Smartcards, healthy snacks and increased payments are to be introduced to help low income families with children buy nutritious food.

The measures are contained in a Scottish Government consultation on how to take forward new food welfare powers.

Ministers want to shake up the current Uk-wide Healthy Start Scheme, which provides pregnant women and families on low incomes with vouchers to buy affordable nutritious food.

Under the plans, the weekly payment would increase from £3.10 to £4.25 to cover the value of providing fruit, vegetables and milk.

The range of foods available under Scotland’s new Best Start Foods payment will be expanded with pre-loaded smartcards introduced to cut stigma and make the system as easy to use as possible.

Ministers are also considering including a daily healthy snack in an extension of the UK nursery milk scheme, which entitles all children under five to receive free milk while at nursery.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said: “Central to our aim of improving Scotland’s health and tackling inequality is ensuring everyone can have a healthy diet, especially families with young children.

“There is strong evidence that diet impacts on children’s health, their ability to learn and their life chances as they grow up.

“For too many families, poverty and deprivation are daily barriers to eating healthily.

“Our plans set out how we can further support families to make healthier choices, ensure the system is as easy as possible to use, while reducing stigma and increasing take-up.”

Rosie Dodds, independent nutritionist at First Steps Nutrition Trust, welcomed the plans to increase the value of the voucher.

She said: “Far too many parents with young children experience food insecurity and skip meals to feed their children. I hope there will be many contributions to the consultation as well as work to ensure that all eligible families receive this help to buy healthy foods.”