I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of the National Restaurant Association. I attended a live event and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.
When the opportunity to attend the National Restaurant Associate show at McCormick Place on behalf of Kids LiveWell, I jumped at the chance. Not just to preview this new program and app, but also to check out what else restaurant and food companies had to offer. I was pleasantly surprised to find an ICEE station there and put me in the perfect mood the rest of the evening!
The Kids LiveWell program was born in July 2011 when the National Restaurant Association wanted to help restaurants highlight healthful meal choices and help parents find restaurants that offer healthier choices for their kids. Healthy Dining (a collaborator with the program) provides third-party verification and consultation with registered dietitians to help restaurants build a menu that works nutritionally well to fit the Kids LiveWell standards. These children’s meals are under 600 calories and each meal must have two sources of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein or low-fat dairy.
We also had the opportunity to meet Chef Marc Murphy of Food Network fame. In this shot, he’s talking a bit about the winning recipes and beginning to introduce the Kids LiveWell program.
The Kids’ Recipe Challenge awards were given out at the NRA show as well. Winning menu items include things like Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Squash and Lil’ Pulled Pork Naked Burrito from Q’doba. We had an opportunity to sample them and my personal favorite had to be the Chix-n-Cheddar Snappy Jalapeño Wrap from Chartwells School Dining Services.
Our personal favorite kids’ meals come from places like Chili’s, Outback Steakhouse, and Corner Bakery Cafe. Offering additional nutritious options like steamed vegetables & fresh fruit, these recipes and meals are the perfect way to feed your kids and also enjoy an evening out. The healthy choice no longer needs to be the least tasty or most difficult to make. While you’re out, look for the special apple logo next to the menu item to see if it meets Kids LiveWell standards.
Looking for a restaurant to check out this weekend that would follow within the Kids LiveWell guidelines? Check out their ever-growing restaurant list. You can also keep up-to-date on the newest restaurants added on their Facebook page. On the go and need meal options quickly, you can also snag an iTunes app or one for the Android version.
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