Best Start Foods
A new pre-paid card has been launched to help pregnant women and families with children under three buy healthy food. Best Start Foods replaces Healthy Start Vouchers in Scotland.
The card can be used to buy:
- Fresh eggs
- Milk (plain cow's milk and first infant formula)
- Fruit/ vegetables (fresh, frozen, or tinned - those with added salt and sugar are excluded)
- Pulses (eg, peas, lentils and beans - dried, fresh, frozen or tinned).
The payment is £17 every four weeks during pregnancy and for any children aged between one and three. For children under one it increases to £34.
The chip and pin mastercard can be used in supermarkets and local shops.
People living in Scotland receiving certain benefits or tax credits who are either pregnant or the parent/carer of a child can apply for Best Start Foods. The payment is administered by Social Security Scotland. More information is available online.