Imagine for a moment, salads, soups, pastas, sides, fresh fruit and dessert as far as the eye can see. Your favorite greens and salad toppings waiting to be piled high in all their vibrant and nutritious beauty and the smell of freshly baked breads floating through the air. This is what you’ll find at the Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants. Their unique buffets, located in 15 states across the country, are known for their Build Your Own Salad Bar and a variety of made-from-scratch soups that everyone in the family can agree on… even the pickiest of eaters. For those who have a hard time making decisions, there are also several pre-tossed salads. Don’t forget to pair your salad and soup with a piece of buttermilk cornbread or wild blueberry muffin!
Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes are all around family-friendly, from kid-friendly toppings like carrots, corn, hard boiled eggs and beans to the low fat and fat-free dressings available for parents looking for healthier choices. 100% fruit juice is available as a beverage, and the restaurants are spacious with plenty of room for families big and small.
Visit your local Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes often to check out the latest seasonal items. Right now, you’ll find a Three Bean Turkey Chili (170 calories for 1 cup), Southern Dill Potato Salad (low-fat, 120 calories for ½ cup) and Aunt Doris’ Red Pepper Slaw (fat-free, 70 calories for ½ cup), just to name a few. The chefs are always creating delicious new choices for you to enjoy. April is also Lemon Month; don’t miss out on plenty of nutritious choices featuring this bright and flavorful citrus fruit between now and April 30th. Be on the lookout for more Cinco de Mayo inspired choices served up in May.
About the Author:
Lauren Rezende, M.P.H., R.D.
Director of Nutrition
As Director of Nutrition, Lauren conducts and supervises the nutrition analysis of thousands of restaurant meals from the diverse roster of Healthy Dining restaurant partners, as well as oversees allergen and gluten-free projects. Additionally, she plays a key role in leading the validation and verification process for the Kids LiveWell Program, working with Healthy Dining’s culinary nutrition specialists to continually add a wide variety of Kids LiveWell choices that meet strict nutritional criteria.
Lauren is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Los Angeles and a bachelor’s degree in foods and nutrition from San Diego State University. Prior to joining Healthy Dining, Lauren worked in clinical dietetics and held college-level teaching positions at San Diego State University and community colleges, teaching sports nutrition, advanced nutrition and food science courses.
Lauren is the proud mother of two beautiful boys and in her “spare” time, is a devoted Iyengar Yoga practitioner.