You’re asking for healthier menu choices, and restaurants are answering. Those restaurants revolutionizing their offerings with healthier menu choices are now being recognized for their contributions, thanks to the HALO (Healthy Active Lifestyle) Awards.
Food News Media, publisher of restaurant industry publications FSR and QSR magazines, honored nine restaurant brands that are making exceptional strides in health and nutrition at the inaugural HALO Awards ceremony, held in Atlanta on October 14, 2014.
Greg Sanders, group publisher of Food News Media, stated that the purpose of the awards initiative was two-fold: to give chain restaurants that have made health-related contributions the widespread recognition they deserve and to spur further health-related innovations among restaurant chains. Receiving over 120 entries, Sanders said, “It was great to see the passion exhibited not only by the restaurant chains when they accepted their awards, but also the enthusiasm of those in attendance.”
“We’re very encouraged by what the industry has accomplished thus far,” Sanders said, “and we can’t wait to see where we are in the next five years.”
The Awards were presented to restaurants exceling in healthy menu development, emphasizing those that have made great progress in reducing sodium, improving the nutritional content of their offerings and providing Healthy Dining and Kids LiveWell®-approved choices. Honorees were chosen by a panel of restaurant, nutrition, and public health experts, including David Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, director of Yale University’s Prevention Research Center; Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH, founder and president of Healthy Dining; Sam Oches, editor of QSR magazine; Connie Gentry, editor of FSR magazine; and Sanders.
“Restaurants are a key contributor to the typical American diet, and they can influence our overall nutrition for good or for ill with the dishes they serve. The HALO Awards recognize those leading the way toward innovations that put good food and good health on the same menu – and encourages others in the industry to take notice and take similar action. I congratulate the winners and all those that participated this year, and I hope that even more will be in the mix next year!” said Katz.
The nine winning restaurants making outstanding strides in offering healthier menu choices and more were:
- Boston Market
- Chick-fil-A
- LYFE Kitchen Restaurants
- Silver Diner
- Bean Sprouts
- Fresh to Order (F2O)
- Red Mango
- Applebee’s
- Larkburger
Check back in the coming weeks for more on each of these HALO Award-winning restaurants and how they are changing restaurant dining for the better.