Creating partnership with the food industry in the Stockholm cancer prevention program

To facilitate the supply of healthful foods in institutional kitchens and restaurants, the Stockholm Cancer Prevention Program (SCPP) produced a cookbook in collaboration with the food industry and the SCPP. Fifty different organizations participated in this work. The development of the cookbook was made in several steps and started with a recipe contest to engage chefs and employees in restaurants and institutional kitchens. Criteria for the recipes were that they should present low-fat/high-fiber meals. Complementary recipes were received from the food industry. All recipes were tested in 20 restaurants and institutional kitchens and 11,000 lunch guests assessed the palatability of the dishes. The cookbook was presented in conjunction with a food fair in 1989 and has until now been sold in about 4,000 copies. Production of a cookbook can thus be a focal point for involving food industry, restaurants and institutional kitchens in a community intervention program aiming at a change of dietary habits.