Website Features “Better” Menu Selections at Restaurants
With portion sizes completely out of control at most restaurants, it is more important than ever to know about the nutritional content of the food you are eating. Now you can be armed with the “better for you” choices thanks to healthydiningfinder.com.
healthydiningfinder.com is a website dedicated to informing consumers about the healthy food choices that are available to them at participating restaurants in their communities. The site features the “better” menu choices and provides the nutritional information for those dishes.
The website is a product of Healthy Dining, a private company headquartered in San Diego that has been evaluating the nutrition content of restaurant meals since 1990. The staff at Healthy Dining includes registered dietitians and other health/nutrition professionals who consult with each restaurant to find menu items that meet the following nutrition guidelines:
1. Entrées must include at least one of the following:
- fruits and/or vegetables
- lean protein, i.e., skinless white meat poultry, fish/seafood (including salmon), tofu, etc., with no more than two red meat dishes per restaurant
- 100% whole grains
2. Menu items must meet the following criteria:
- Entrées (or full meals):
750 calories or less
25 grams of fat or less
8 grams of saturated fat or less - Appetizers, side dishes and desserts:
250 calories or less
8 grams of fat or less
3 grams of saturated fat or less - If a menu item exceeds only one of these criteria (fat, saturated fat, or calorie) by a small margin (i.e., 10%), that item may be included on the website.
Diners can use the website to search for restaurants in their area by street address or zip code. The website targets a wide range of restaurants – including fast food joints and fine-dining establishments; independents and large chains; as well as dozens of types of cuisines.
The website is a great tool that is sure to help those people who eat in restaurants frequently and want to make healthier selections. The information is beneficial to anyone trying to lose weight or generally improve their overall health.
Last Updated on April 10th, 2008
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