About us
The BDA Food Services Specialist Group raises awareness of the vital role played by appropriate and enjoyable food and beverage services in all sectors.
The group’s growing membership includes clinical dietitians, dietitians working closely with catering colleagues, and dietitians employed within the food industry.
We foster a pragmatic approach to successfully catering for wide-ranging nutritional and cultural needs within the complex operational and budgetary constraints and political demands typical in today’s public sector settings.
Our significant teamwork is demonstrated by Food Counts’ 2012 publication of the peer-reviewed BDA best practice document, ‘The Nutrition and Hydration Digest: improving outcomes through food and beverage services’ (The Digest)
Our aims and objectives
- Develop and promote the specialism of food services within dietetics
- Build a sustainable workforce by developing guidance (‘The Digest’), tools (compliance checklist, menu capacity etc) and communication resources that will support our members working in food and beverage services
- Grow our membership community by developing new courses and materials to entice students, newly graduated and more experienced dietitians interested in our specialist area to develop their knowledge and skills in food services
- Increase our voice and visibility by representing our membership and the BDA, advising Government, other agencies and professional bodies about good nutrition and hydration and appropriate food and drink provision (e.g. Food Strategy white paper, NHS E/I Hospital Food Review sub groups, Healthcare Food and Drink Standards, HCA, Universities)
- Harness innovation and development by producing, promoting, and advancing the science and practice of food service dietetics through The Nutrition & Hydration Digest and the development of other guidance as required