Boston Campaign to Encourage Healthy Eating

Is your city getting fatter? If you live in the US, chances are the answer is yes. And if you want people to change their eating habits, you need to get them where they're eating - namely, in restaurants. Says Boston's Mayor Thomas Menino,

We live in a time when many people are eating outside of their homes more often and healthy options are needed when dining out. If we’re serious about addressing the problem of obesity we need to include restaurants as partners in our efforts to create a healthier Boston.

To that end, the Mayor's office recently kicked off Boston BestBites, a campaign to encourage restaurants to add or highlight healthy, lighter menu options. Participating restaurants work with a nutritionist from Brigham and Woman’s Hospital to identify healthier menu items; if recipes don't meet nutritional guidelines, the nutritionist will alternative ingredients or preparation methods to create a healthier dish.

According to the Mayor's office, 12 restaurants, including Really Natural favorite Haley House Bakery Cafe have signed on to the effort; the City is sending information about the campaign to another 600 restaurants throughout the city.

According to the National Restaurant Association, Americans spend 48% of their food dollars outside the home. By providing restaurant diners with information on what they're eating, Boston BestBites hopes to encourage them to make healthier choices, and to encourage restaurants to offer more of those choices. So next time you're dining out, everything you know about eating healthy doesn't have to go out the window.

Read More in: Food | General News | Health

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