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Healthy Eating Trends in Restaurant Menus

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Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for CulinarySchools.org. She contacted me to write a guest post and I happily accepted. I asked Bridget to share about healthy eating trends in restaurants drawing from her culinary expertise. Thank you Bridget!!

Restaurant meals aren’t known for being health food. Most restaurant meals are two or three times the proper portion size and are loaded with extra fat, sugar, and salt to make the food taste good and stay fresh. However, with a growing focus on healthier eating, many restaurants have adapted to the demands of the marketplace and are starting to give their menus a healthy makeover.

Here are just a few of the healthy eating trends in restaurant menus you may have already begun to notice:

Lighter Fare Options

Many restaurants have begun to offer their health-conscious consumers more options for lighter fare. This can include smaller portions of popular dishes or lower-fat or lower-calorie versions of those dishes. For example, you might be able to order that pasta alfredo in a half-portion, or simply order a version that’s made with half the fat.

Look for these options under a special section for healthier fare in menus at the restaurants that offer them.

More Natural, Local Ingredients

The local food movement is growing, and the restaurant industry is responding. More and more restaurants are sourcing their ingredients from local farmers, and they are advertising the practice on their menus. There is also a greater focus on using organic ingredients and on eliminating additives and other artificial ingredients from recipes.

Recognition of Food Allergies

Gluten intolerance has gotten a lot of press in the last few years, and more and more restaurants are now either offering more dishes that are gluten-free or are making note of the dishes on the menu that are naturally gluten-free. Other common allergens are beginning to get similar treatment, including allergies or sensitivities to dairy, eggs, shellfish and peanuts.

More “Healthy” Indicators

As many television shows have pointed out again and again, a dish that seems healthy may actually be hiding a lot of calories and fat. There have been countless stories of a popular salad that has more fat and calories than the steak dinner. To help you quickly understand which options are the healthiest on the menu, many restaurants are now including small pictures indicators next to the items, such as a “GF” for gluten-free or a leaf for vegetarian. Other symbols may also denote heart-healthy or low-fat option.

More Nutritional Information

Some restaurants have gone so far as to list the nutritional content right on the menu, including counts for calories, carbohydrates, fat and more. Even fast-food restaurants are getting in on the practice. While it may discourage you from ordering that giant pasta dish or the heaping slice of cheesecake, it will help you to make healthier choices and to only splurge when you intend to (not because you didn’t realize what you were putting into your body).

The healthy trends in restaurant menus are a reflection of a move toward greater health across our society. As we become better informed about the food choices we make and how they affect us, we can start improving our health and the quality of our lives.

What other healthy trends would you like to see reflected on restaurant menus? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Bridget Sandorford is a freelance writer and researcher for Culinaryschools.org, where recently she’s been researching garde mangers. In her spare time, she enjoys biking, painting and working on her first cookbook.

Earnest Eats From Vitacost.com

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Vitacost.com contacted me and asked if I would like to review a few products they recently added to their online catalog. I happily accepted and an honored to share with you my review of the products. I will write a few posts to share my reviews, first up – Earnest Eats!

Disclosure of material connection: Vitacost provided me with free samples of these products to review. All opinions expressed here are completely my own.

I received the hot & fit cereal and baked whole food snack bar:

Earnest Eats Cereal (640x480)

Earnest Eats Bar1(640x480)

Earnest Eats makes a variety of hot cereals, bars, and planks (crunchy bars). I’ve been eager to try this brand, it looks so wholesome, like something you would make at home. The Earnest Eats Hot Cereal is perfect for grabbing and taking to the office or even bringing to the airport. All you need to do is add hot water and you’ve got a hot, wholesome meal ready in a few minutes!

Earnest Eat hot & fit ready to eat! Yummy cranberries and pumpkin seeds jazz up standard oats plus added grains amaranth and quinoa thicken it up and boost the nutritional profile. I love my superfood grains amaranth & quinoa!!

Earnest Eats Cereal Prepared (640x480)

I decided to pump up the protein with my favorite pea protein: Plant Fusion. I had just worked out at the gym so I needed some extra protein for muscle recovery. This was a good grain based breakfast, I like the addition of some dried fruit and nuts to give it a pleasing change in consistency. All you do is add hot water to the cup, stir, and let it stand for a few minutes. You can eat it straight from the cup if you desire, so it’s perfect to grab and take to the office or for traveling.

Earnest Eats with Pea Protein(640x480)

Earnest Eats snack bar, this one was dark chocolate espresso. All good things in my book! This bar was dense and moist with a rich chocolate flavor and hint of espresso. A great snack, not too light, it’s got some staying power to it. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend for consumption Smile.

Earnest Eats Bar(640x480)

I hope you check out Earnest Eats for delicious whole food eats!

Thank you again Vitacost.com for the delicious Earnest Eats products to try.

Healthy Halloween Treats For Ghosts and Ghouls!

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I love Halloween and trick or treating. Now that I’m a home owner, I get to give out the treats. This year I wanted to give out treats that weren’t full of corn syrup or GMO ingredients. I went to Whole Foods and found a few good options. Yum Earth Organic lollipops are made with Organic and non-GMO sweeteners as well as real fruit and veggies including, black carrots, black currants, apple, carrot, and pumpkin. I tasted one and it was really good, the sweetness was just right! Each pop contains 100% Vitamin C as well, bonus Smile!

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The other treat I chose to give out was Annie’s Homegrown Halloween Bunny Grahams. I love Annie’s Homegrown and thought they were a great little treat, even healthy enough to pack in lunches. The first ingredient is Organic Whole Grain Wheat Flour along with graham and corn flour and organic sweeteners. All ingredients are non-GMO so this one was another winner in my book.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!! Enjoy the holiday safely Smile

healthy trick or treats (640x480)

Childhood Nutrition Day 2012

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The American Culinary Federation sponsors Childhood Nutrition Day every year on October 16. Since 2005, this event has been held at Meadow Park Elementary School at their after care program. The kids helped decorate the room with Food Truck posters for this year’s theme and even made mini food truck floats and cakes that were displayed on the front stage.

Here’s a clip from this fantastic event:

I had the honor of giving the educational presentation to kick-off the event. I shared with the children the idea of eating high performance foods for brain power, better energy, and healthy immune systems. Afterward, they got to try several different high performance foods from the food truck stations, including: healthy burgers, juices and smoothies, bbq, veggies and mexican, fruit and chocolate, and healthy asian cuisine. Each station had one or two professional chefs and student chefs from ACF who prepared and were sharing the food with the children. A wonderful, educational, and delicious event!

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fruit smoothie stationAsian station

Asian station2wrap station

student chefs (640x480)Veggie truck

National Women’s Week: May 13-19, “It’s Your Time” To Prioritize Your Health Now!

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National Women’s Week is May 13-19 and now is the time to begin prioritizing your health ladies! “It’s Your Time” is this year’s theme and women are encouraged to consider their health by eating better, exercising more, reducing stress, and getting checkups and preventative screenings so we can all feel great and be our best.

May 14 is the 10th annual National Women’s Checkup Day, click here to learn more about early detection, disease prevention, and other steps to better health. Take action today to begin improving your health so you can lead a healthy and productive life. Women spend so much time caring for others, but when we take the time to better our own health, we are better able to be there for the ones we love.

There are several local events this month, check out the one in your neighborhood:

Sign up for the free events and in the meantime, take steps to better health by eating better and exercising more. Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet to get essential nutrients that women need, including Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, B12, Folate, and Vitamin E. Potassium, Phosphorus, and Magnesium are also key nutrients for women which help keep up energy levels, reduce stress, and lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Here are a few easy ways to add more produce to your diet:

  • add potassium rich banana or berries to your morning cereal or yogurt
  • stir fresh spinach or grated zucchini into your favorite pasta sauce
  • use spaghetti squash instead of regular pasta noodles
  • roast broccoli, cauliflower, and garlic to serve with grilled chicken or burgers
  • enjoy crunchy carrots with hummus for a satisfying afternoon snack
  • add sliced cucumber, tomato, and sprouts to sandwiches
  • substitute lettuce or steamed collard green leaves for wraps made with flour

Are ready now and believe, “It’s Your Time”, but don’t know where to start? Working with a Health Coach who can customize an eating, exercise, and life plan can give you the support you need to succeed and hold you accountable so you will reach your goals.

Where do you struggle when it comes to prioritizing yourself?