"Healthy Dining" Site Debuts Today
Today the National Restaurant Association launches the new Healthy Dining web site, which is aimed at helping Americans make healthier restaurant choices. If you watch daytime TV or read a newspaper, you're sure to hear about it because there's a big PR campaign kicking off.
All in all, this is good news. In fact, it's sorta what Quick Serve Kids is doing, in a very niche way. But I want to state something that the body behind Healthy Dining isn't making too clear: Healthy Dining is a paid directory. Restaurants pay a fee to be listed and receive a list of benefits in return, including online links and printable coupons, window decals, and a certificate to hang on the wall. It's sort of like having the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for your restaurant's healthy efforts. (What? You didn't know the GH seal is a paid thing?)
So while the idea is good, be aware that this is a self-selected group.
Now that we've got that out in the open, let's look at what the Healthy Dining finder does.
Americans eat out on average four or five times a week. Through this site, the National Restaurant Association says it's trying to help make those meals healthier. Partially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the site includes nearly 30,000 popular restaurant locations nationwide, and can be a resource for people looking to make more informed food choices when dining at their favorite restaurants.
It's also a place to demonstrate the proactive efforts of the restaurant industry, says the National Restaurant Association. Some current participating restaurants include P.F. Chang's, Buca di Beppo, Au Bon Pain, and Burger King.
Want more info? You can also sign up for free enewsletters from Healthy Dining here.
Does this new site sound helpful for your family? Comment and let me know.
