MELBOURNE’S Telstra Dome has become the first AFL venue to open a food outlet serving National Heart Foundation Tick approved meals.

The outlet, run by the Dome’s catering partner Delaware North, will offer a variety of healthier meal choices, including fresh fruit and yoghurt, Tick approved meat pies, two Tick approved salads and three Tick approved sandwiches.

With an average of 2.5 million patrons attending Telstra Dome events each year, the Heart Foundation believes the opening of the new outlet is an important step as it gives sports healthier choices.

“Tick approved salads and sandwiches are tested to ensure they provide a serve of vegetables or the fibre equivalent, as well as meeting our strict standards for serve size, saturated and trans fats and salt,” said Tick Foodservice brand manager, Tony Kemp.

“And for those who like to enjoy a pie at the footy, the Tick approved meat pie offered has half the saturated fat and salt and almost a third of the kilojoules compared to regular pies.”

Chief executive of Telstra Dome, Ian Collins AM said that the dome has always been an innovative venue and was continuing that tradition with the opening of the healthier food outlet.

“We believe that the demand for healthier food options will continue to grow so it’s time to start introducing healthier options,” he said.

The outlet will be opened at all AFL, A-League and NRL fixtures plus other major events staged at Telstra Dome. In addition to the outlet, healthier Tick approved options will also be available at other retail outlets around the ground.