Editor's note: The following column is from Healthy Dining, a company that has been at the forefront of restaurant nutrition since 1990. This series provides restaurant operators with information on industry-related nutrition topics. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Nation's Restaurant News.
The unveiling of the new KIDS LIVEWELL program made big news. This first-of-its-kind restaurant industry initiative traveled from The Today Show, Good Morning America and Fox News to scores of local television news shows nationwide. Print and online publicity included USA Today, The Los Angeles Times and syndication through The Associated Press to hundreds of media outlets across all 50 states. Of course, Nation’s Restaurant News was there, too.
KIDS LIVEWELL is an industry effort in which all types and sizes of restaurants can participate to enhance the health and well-being of America’s children by offering qualifying menu choices. [See examples pictured in the slideshow to the right.]
“KIDS LIVEWELL underscores that restaurants can be part of the solution to ensuring a healthier generation by providing consumer choice in dining options,” Dawn Sweeney, president and chief executive of the National Restaurant Association, said at the official launch event held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on July 13. Watch the announcement video.
Developed by the National Restaurant Association in collaboration with HealthyDiningFinder.com, the overall goals of the KIDS LIVEWELL Program are to:
1. Provide parents and children with a growing selection of healthful menu options – making the healthful choice an easy and tasteful choice at restaurants
2. Provide restaurants with a high quality program that includes a vast array of marketing benefits and expert nutrition guidance with third party verification
3. Offer a measureable demonstration of the restaurant industry’s commitment to contributing to and supporting the health efforts of the American public
The program’s guidelines emphasize choices containing the ingredients that help kids grow and thrive, including fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy. Most restaurants have at least one choice that meets the KIDS LIVEWELL criteria, and that’s all it takes.
Tips for developing KIDS LIVEWELL choices
Many restaurants are in the process of creating new options to entice families looking for healthier cuisine. The following tips will help you to develop choices that please your young guests’ taste buds and elevate your status and appreciation by parents.
1. Get creative with a rainbow of fruits and vegetables: Produce provides fiber and a wide array of nutrients that help kids grow and fight off colds and flus. Most kids can’t get enough of these delicious and colorful treats. The USDA’s new MyPlate education will soon emphasize the slogan, “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.” Kids will be taught this message in school, and your restaurants can build on this theme by enticing them with a medley of produce choices.
2. Think about the full rainbow: Each distinct color provides a unique set of nutrients – so the variety of colorful fruits and vegetables not only adds interest and enticement but also health-enhancing properties. Aim to combine as many of these kids’ favorites as possible:
Red: strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, apples, tomatoes, red bell pepper
Blue and purple: plums, grapes, blueberries, purple cabbage
Yellow: pineapple, bananas, corn, squash
Orange: mango, peaches, nectarines, oranges, tangerines, carrots
Green: snap peas, broccoli, green beans, lettuce
3. Offer nutrient-rich whole grain options: Unlike their white, nutrient-stripped, enriched counterparts, whole grains provide fiber, B vitamins, vitamin E and Iron. Many nutrition-savvy families regularly consume brown rice and whole grain cereals, breads, pasta and pizza crusts at home and will appreciate these options at your restaurant.
4. Provide power-packed protein: Kids need protein for growth, development, strength, energy and to boost immunity. Aim to serve high quality protein that is low in saturated fat. The best kid-friendly sources are lean beef, skinless chicken and turkey breast, egg whites, salmon, shrimp and crab, tilapia and other white fish, and tofu. Beans, legumes, edamame, whole grains, reduced fat cheese, and other low-fat or fat-free dairy sources also contribute protein and are valuable sources, especially when combined together or with lean animal sources.
5. Serve kid-size portions: Children need kid-sized servings. Large servings can overwhelm kids or cause them to overeat. The USDA’s MyPlate provides a great way to remember the appropriate proportions for kids’ meals (as well as adults’). Although daily requirements for children vary according to age, sex and level of physical activity, here are some general guidelines:
Protein: Protein is essential to a child’s growth and development, yet only small amounts are needed in each meal. A two- to four-ounce portion of protein provides about half the full day’s requirement for most children.
Fruits and Vegetables: “Make half the plate fruits and vegetables,” just as MyPlate recommends. About 1 ½ cups each of fruits and vegetables are recommended each day for most children.
Whole grains: Whole grains should be about a quarter of the plate. Kids need an average of 5 ounces of grains per day with 50 percent or more of that amount as whole grains.
Beverages: Serve kid-sized beverages; four to six ounces of low-fat or fat-free milk or 100-percent fruit juice is appropriate for most children.
For specific requirements for age groups, visit the MyPlate website.
6. Watch out for too much: Too much butter, mayo, sauces, syrup and/or cheese that is. These can push calorie, fat, saturated fat, sugar and sodium values over the acceptable limits, so be sure to use sparingly. Breading and frying adds excess calories, fat, saturated fat and sodium.
To find out more about how your restaurant can be promoted through the KIDS LIVEWELL Program, contact Erica@HealthyDiningFinder.com.
About the author: Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH, is president and founder of Healthy Dining. She is a nationally recognized authority who brings to market innovative nutrition-related strategies to help restaurants prosper while educating and empowering Americans to enjoy healthier cuisine. Contact her at anita@healthydiningfinder.com.
