Local Restaurants, County Team Up to Master Recipe for Good Health
Six Clark County restaurants have discovered that good health is good business, and they want to invite you to celebrate with them.
Dragonfly Café, Farrar’s Bistro, Mighty Bowl, Mill Creek Pub, Mint Tea and Morelia’s Mexican Grill earned recognition from Clark County Public Health this fall as Healthy Neighborhood Restaurants. They did so by promoting healthier side dishes, kids’ meals and beverages, and adding smaller portions of some regular menu items.
The menu changes are part of the Healthy Neighborhood Restaurant Program launched by Public Health to help local, non-chain restaurants meet the health needs of consumers.
“While Americans spend almost half their food budget on meals prepared outside the home, they’re also increasingly aware that obesity and high sodium diets contribute to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke,” said Melissa Martin, community health specialist. She cited a 2013 survey by AlixPartners, a Michigan consulting firm, that reports concerns about healthful eating have eclipsed financial concerns as the primary reason consumers choose not to dine out.
The Healthy Neighborhood Restaurant Program began in 2012 with grants from Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interested local restaurant owners formed a program advisory committee, which developed eligibility criteria and menu guidelines for participating restaurants.
For their commitment to healthier menus, restaurants receive public recognition from Clark County, marketing materials to promote healthy options, advice on menu modifications and access to research and information. Chefs receive free training about how to reduce sodium and calories without sacrificing flavor.
“These restaurants are positioning themselves to meet a growing consumer demand for healthy places to eat,” said Martin, who plans to expand the program to more restaurants and worksites this year.
Contributed by Clark County Public Health.
