What is the Healthier Food Donation Recommendation?
The “Healthier Food Donation Recommendation” aims to guide charity organisations, voluntary welfare organisations, community organisations as well as individual donor(s) in choosing healthier food products across the main food groups for the donation packs to their beneficiaries.
Any individuals or organisations with questions about the Recommendations or those who fulfil the guidelines set out in the Recommendations and wish to obtain HPB’s healthier choice endorsement for their food donation packs, may write to HPB_Mailbox@hpb.gov.sg.
What are the Healthier Food Donation Recommendation guidelines?
Food donation packs can qualify for HPB’s endorsement if they fulfil all the following criteria:
1a. Contain at least one item in each of the five main food groups1:
A. Staples
B. Oils
C. Meat and Alternative
D. Dairy and Alternative
E. Fruit and Vegetables
1b. Have at least one product with the Healthier Choice Symbol (HCS), HCS-equivalent2 or fresh3 item in each of the five main food groups. They may or may not be endorsed with the HCS logo:
2. Discretionary foods are of poor nutritional value and should be consumed in limited quantities4.If the food donation pack contains such discretionary foods, they will have to comply with the following requirements:
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Discretionary food groups
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Requirements
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F. Beverages
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At least one HCS or HCS-equivalent item.
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G. Snacks
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Recommend to limit
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H. Sauces and condiments
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Recommend to limit
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3. At least one third (1/3) of the items in the food pack to be HCS2, HCS-equivalent2 or fresh3.
What are the main food groups and discretionary food groups?
Click on the accordion items below for more information on the main food groups and the discretionary food groups.
1Eating balanced meals are important for healthy diets. The five food groups are selected to provide a balance of foods from the major food groups. For more information on eating balanced meals, refer to HPB’s My Healthy Plate:
https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/55/my-healthy-plate
2To qualify as HCS Equivalent, products must adhere to the relevant Healthier Choice Symbol Guidelines (updated regularly on the HPB website “www.hpb.gov.sg/food-beverage/healthier-choice-symbol”.
3‘Fresh’ foods are foods that are raw and unprocessed such as: oranges, bananas, apples, tomatoes, brinjal, okra and kai lan
4Discretionary food consumption should be limited as they are high in salt, sugar or fat.