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25 Aug 2014

‘Breakfast pies’ all the rage in Dundee, says baker

A fry-up in a pie being served in a hospital canteen in Scotland for £1.50 has caused national outrage – but you can already get them in most bakeries in Dundee, one pie producer says.

'Fry up' pie

The £1.50 “fry-up” pie is crammed with sausage, bacon, black pudding and beans and is topped with a fried egg.

It is available from a takeaway counter at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee and its presence on the menu at a medical establishment has caused something of a stir, with nutrition advisors describing it as “a heart attack on a plate”.

But “breakfast pies”, as they are known in Dundee, are all the rage in the city, according to one baker.

FJ Esposito bakes food on site at Ninewells hospital, but they say the particular fry-up pie pictured is not their version, even though they do make and supply a similar snack. General Manager Frank Mudie told Channel 4 News: “The hospital’s trying to find out who is supplying it. It’s not us. Ours costs £1 and has no black pudding in it. 800 calories is off the wall. Ours is probably 200 calories.”

Breakfast pies first appeared in bakeries in the city at the start of last year. Bakers in the city can’t agree who came up with the idea first, but almost all now sell them.

“We started selling them at the start of the year,” said Mudie. “We do maybe six a day. I don’t know why they’re so popular. Someone came up with the idea and now everyone’s copied it.

I don’t know why they’re so popular. Baker Frank Mudie, one of many in Dundee who makes ‘breakfast pies’

“We sell fruit, banana toasties and porridge as well. It’s a choice. There’s healthy options too.”

But Professor Mike Lean, a former government advisor and chair of human nutrition at Glasgow University said it was a “shocking” example of a meal.

“It should never be anywhere near a hospital,” he said. “It is laden with fat, salt and without a vegetable in sight. There should be strict guidelines for all food sold in hospitals.”

National Obesity Forum spokesman Tam Fry added: “What we have here is a heart attack on a plate. It should be absolute obligatory for the NHS to have wholesome food whether it is from a takeaway shop within hospitals or on menus.”

Healthy choices?

In 2012, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt set out basic principles of what patients can expect from good hospital food. The guidelines say “hospitals should promote healthy diets to staff and visitors” and “nutritious and appetising hospital food is essential”.

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside admitted the pies are on sale at one of their takeaway outlets – but insisted that healthy food is available too.

She said: “There are a wide range of meals, snacks and drinks available for the public and staff to choose from including healthy breakfast options such as cereals, fresh orange juice, low fat yogurts and fresh fruit.

“These are provided by NHS Tayside dining rooms as well as third-party providers on the concourse of the hospital. All 11 NHS Tayside dining areas that are accessed by staff and public hold the national Healthyliving Award Plus, which recognises a greater commitment to supporting healthier eating. We now require third-party providers who we contract with to achieve the Healthyliving Award.”

The Scottish government estimates the total cost of obesity to NHS Scotland in 2007/8 was in excess of £175 million.

In 2013, three in five hospital bosses rated the food they served as 5/5, but an independent survey found half of patients were dissatisfied with hospital food.

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