Abu Dhabi Mandates Healthy Food Options in Hotels and Tourism-Licensed Restaurants

Abu Dhabi's Department of Tourism and Culture has issued a new law effective October 1, 2026, mandating that hotels and independent food and beverage outlets holding a tourism licence must incorporate healthy food options into their menus. This initiative is part of Abu Dhabi's broader strategy to promote healthier dietary choices among residents and visitors.

Menu Requirements

For adult menus, establishments must provide at least one healthy option within each menu category, such as appetisers, sides, main courses, and desserts. These healthy options must adhere to the nutritional standards defined under the SEHHI classification, which identifies food items lower in fat, sugar, and salt, and higher in nutritional value.

Children's menus are also subject to stringent requirements, with a minimum of 50% of all items needing to be healthy options. To facilitate compliance, suitable healthy adult dishes can be adapted into smaller, child-friendly portions. All SEHHI-compliant items must be clearly marked on menus with the SEHHI logo for easy identification.

Compliance and Exemptions

The authority has outlined several compliance requirements for food and beverage establishments:

• Submit menus to the Department upon request for verification.
• Provide recipes and nutritional information for assessment by the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre.
• Ensure that the minimum number of SEHHI-compliant options is maintained even as menus change, and resubmit any changes to previously approved healthy items for validation.

Certain service models and niche outlets are exempt from these specific menu mandates. Buffets and other service models without a specific menu, along with tasting menus, are excluded. Niche food and beverage outlets offering a limited range of items, not aiming for a full-service meal, are also exempt if they meet specific criteria, including offering no more than three food categories, not providing a written menu beyond signage, or exclusively serving beverages.

This new policy aligns with previous healthy eating initiatives in Abu Dhabi, which include mandates for supermarkets to move junk food away from high-visibility areas by January 1, 2027, and policies for Early Education Institutions to implement comprehensive food and nutrition guidelines. Also, regulations issued by the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, have restricted the outdoor advertising of unhealthy food and drinks since late 2025.