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WOG Healthier Catering Policy

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Poor dietary choices (i.e. high intakes of sugar, refined staples such as white rice and noodles, saturated fat) are a significant risk factor for chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. As such, the Singapore government introduced a Whole-of-Government (WOG) Healthier Catering policy which came into effect on 1st April 2017, to encourage healthier eating as a norm outside the home, in our community and workplaces. 

The WOG Healthier Catering policy outlines what Government Procuring Entities (GPEs) must do to provide public sector employees and members of the public with healthy food and drink choices at government-organised functions and events, including trainings, conferences and meetings, where catered food is provided. 

Non-GPEs, e.g. hospitals and government-linked companies, are also strongly encouraged to follow the policy when ordering catered meals. 


Why introduce the WOG Healthier Catering policy?

The policy guidelines will make healthier catering the default in government-organised functions and events, including trainings, conferences and meetings. They aim to encourage higher consumption of whole-grains in place of refined starchy staples, and lower consumption of sugary drinks, saturated fat and high-calorie options.

What are the healthier catering guidelines?

Click on the accordion items below for an outline of the healthier catering guidelines. 
Menu Guidelines
Healthier beverages 
  • Caterer must provide plain water in all menus that include beverage(s).
  • All pre-packaged beverages must meet the nutrient thresholds for Grades A or B under the Nutri-Grade grading system, which are: ≤5 grams of free sugar and ≤1.2 grams of saturated fat per 100 ml of beverage, as prepared.
  • Freshly prepared coffees and teas must be served without pre-adding sugar/syrup/milk/creamer. These ingredients may be served on the side.
  • Apart from coffees and teas, all other freshly prepared beverages must meet the nutrient thresholds for Grades A or B under the Nutri-Grade grading system, which are: ≤5 grams of free sugar and ≤1.2 grams of saturated fat per 100 ml of beverage, as prepared.
  • [New guideline] By 1 Feb 2024, where creamers, evaporated milk and condensed milk are served on the side, they must be lower in saturated fat1.
Healthier ingredients (wholegrains, healthier oils, lower-sodium)
  • Caterer must include wholegrains in all staple dishes (i.e. rice and noodle) dishes2. If there are no rice or noodle dishes, the staple-equivalents (i.e. bun, bread, pizza) must contain whole-grains3.
    • Menus and food labels should reflect that these dishes include wholegrains.
  • Caterer must use healthier cooking oils for all cooking and food preparation.4
  • [New guideline] By 1 Feb 2024, when salt, sauces and seasonings are used or provided, they must be lower in sodium.5
 Fresh fruits
  • Caterer must include fresh fruits as an option for all menus.
    • For menus which do not have the ‘Dessert and Fruits’ category, caterers are required to offer the option to substitute any of the item within the buffet with fresh fruit.
    • For menus with ‘Dessert and Fruits’ category, fresh fruits must be an option offered.
Deep-fried menu items
  • Caterer must limit deep fried items to no more than the following: 
    •  No deep fried item allowed or buffet orders with ≤3 items;
    • 1 item for buffet line with 4-8 items (including dessert, excluding drinks)
    • 2 items for buffet line with ≥9 items (including dessert, excluding drinks); 
  • All deep-fried items must be clearly labelled (e.g. “DF”) on the menu. 

[1] Lower saturated fat creamers, condensed milk and evaporated milk include those that carry the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS), and those that meet the saturated fat criteria under the HCS (i.e., ≤4gof saturated fat /100g of fat, as of Nov 2023).

[2] All rice and noodle dishes must meet the wholegrain criteria under the HCS. These are stated in the declaration form found in Annex A to Section 7. Note: there are different criteria for each food category.

[3] Staple-equivalents (i.e. bun, bread, pizza) must meet the wholegrain criteria under the HCS. These are stated in the declaration form found in Annex A to Section 7.

[4] Healthier oils include oils that carry the HCS and other plant-based oils (e.g. olive, canola, peanut, soybean and sunflower oil) that meet the saturated fat criteria under the HCS (i.e. ≤35g/100g of saturated fat, as of July 2023).

[5] Lower-sodium salt include those that carry the HCS, and those that meet the sodium criteria under the HCS (i.e. ≤300mg/g of sodium, as of Nov 2023). Lower-sodium soy sauce, oyster sauce and seasoning include those that carry the HCS, and those that meet the sodium criteria under the HCS.
Publicity Guidelines
Buffet line
  • Caterer should display the Health Promotion Board’s healthier ingredients visual identifier prominently at the buffet line.  
  • The Health Promotion Board healthier ingredients visual identifier can be downloaded here.

With the WOG adopting healthier catering, we aim to add to the overall demand for healthier food and drinks and to make healthier options more widely available in other settings as well.  
 

How to Order Healthy Catering
Government Procuring Entities (GPEs)

For GPEs, please approach your procurement officer or refer to the Government IM portal for more information.

For caterers that are keen to participate in government procurement, you may download the Healthier Catering Declaration Form here and submit to the procuring government agency upon completion.

Private Sector Buyers

Private sector buyers such as hospitals and government-linked companies are strongly encouraged to comply with the Healthier Catering guidelines as well.

Procuring officers may want to consider stipulating the following requirement in their new tenders and quotations:

“Caterers must comply with Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) Healthier Catering guidelines, when proposing menu options, unless there are valid reasons acceptable to the Authority for not complying. Caterers are to submit a declaration of compliance to the Healthier Catering guidelines to the Authority.”

In addition, procuring officers may request for caterers to submit the Healthier Catering Declaration Form to ensure compliance with the Healthier Catering guidelines.