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Eating Scottish for a week
30/11/2008
Fresh Scottish produce will be on the menu for Cabinet Secretary John Swinney as he eats only Scottish food for one week from today.
Mr Swinney will be enjoying the best of what Scotland has to offer - from high-quality meat, to fish, vegetables and dairy products, as part of a healthy, balanced and easily prepared diet. The aim is to promote Scottish produce and support local businesses.
Preparing for his week of Eating Scottish, Mr Swinney has stocked up on vegetables grown locally, visiting the Blairgowrie Farm Shop which sells a wide variety of local produce, and Stewart Reid the butchers in Burrelton where Mr Swinney lives.
Mr Swinney said:
"From high-quality meat, fish, vegetables and dairy products, Scotland is blessed with some of the finest local produce anywhere in the world.
"We have an abundance of fantastic local businesses right across the country and supporting these businesses is important to the health of our high streets and communities.
"I buy my meat from the local butcher and my vegetables from the wide range of local producers as often as possible but this week I'll be going a step further using all Scottish ingredients in everything I eat.
"At a time of economic uncertainty, this is a really simple way to support local businesses, and boost the local and national economy. In the week we publish our ambitious Climate Change Bill, it can help our environment too.
"Eating Scottish doesn't have to be complicated - and during the next week I'll be enjoying a wide variety of dishes from a simple Scottish ham sandwich to a succulent Scottish steak."
The Scottish Government is developing its first ever cross-cutting policy on food, taking into account all aspects of government policy from farm gate to plate.
Earlier this year, the First Minister Alex Salmond 'ate Scottish' for a week using only Scottish produce.