'Breakfast pies' all the rage in Dundee, says baker

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.

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.

"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."

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

Sounds lovely, but I don't think my body would like the cholesterol. Maybe, once in a while it might be OK?

How the Hell can they do that for £1.50?

I wouldn't give that unhealthy looking pie to the dog. Sorry but it looks awful.
Having said that, on the whole, you can find some very good restaurants in Scotland that serve up good traditional meals reasonably priced. When we went to Leven in fife there is a great eating place in the town with two course meals for under a fiver.