Four Restaurants Added to the State’s Smart Meal Seal Program
March
13, 2008—Denver—Thanks to a creative apprentice program
at Metropolitan State
College of Denver, the Colorado Physical Activity and
Nutrition program
at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
welcomes
four Colorado restaurants to its Smart Meal Seal program:
Qdoba,
Rosalinda’s Mexican, Imperial Chinese and Queen of Sheba.
According to Shana Patterson, registered dietitian and
nutrition
coordinator at the department, “Restaurants participating in
the Smart
Meal Seal program showcase entrees that are lower in fat and
saturated
fat and include components such as beans, whole grains,
fruits and
vegetables. We are particularly pleased to announce the
added
restaurants during National Nutrition Month in March.” The
Metropolitan State College of Denver Alumni Association and
Office
of Alumni Relations spearheaded an educational twist to a
favorite
reality TV show, with their own “The Apprentice Challenge @
Metro
State.” Two teams of Metro State juniors are getting a
hands-on
opportunity to work with successful business and nonprofit
leaders on
projects that impact the local community. One class project
was for the
teams to recruit restaurants to begin participating in the
Smart Meal
program. The winning student from the challenge class will
receive a
paid internship and a full tuition scholarship for his or
her senior
year at Metro State.
During March, the Colorado Physical Activity and
Nutrition program also
has teamed with the Colorado Dietetic Association, to launch
“Nutrition: It’s a Matter of Fact” as its theme for this
year’s Nutrition Month. “We want to highlight Colorado
restaurants that are giving customers
the facts about healthier menu choices,” said Patterson. “We
would
like to see the Smart Meal Seal program expand to
restaurants across the
state. When restaurants identify menu items that contain
higher amounts
of nutrient-dense foods, their customers are equipped to
make healthier
food choices.” Other restaurants already participating are
seven statewide locations
of Beau Jo’s Pizza, Café at Woody’s in Greeley, Coyote’s
Southwestern Grill in Greeley, four Denver metro locations
of The
Delectable Egg, two Denver locations of Great Harvest, the
Greeley
Country Club, Kate’s at 35th Avenue, Masalaa Indian
Restaurant and all
Denver metro locations of McDonald’s.
In addition to recommending Smart Meal choices when
eating out, the
nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association also
recommend
balancing physical activity with a healthy diet as the best
recipe for
managing weight and promoting overall health and fitness.
“Eating
right doesn’t have to be complicated,” said Patterson.
Patterson recommended other important nutritional tips:
· Do not fall prey to food myths and misinformation that may
harm
your health.
- Read the food labels when grocery shopping
to get nutrition
facts.
- Keep your saturated fats, trans fats and
cholesterol low by
choosing polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.
This
year, the Colorado Dietetic Association also will be
training
dietitians to promote the Smart Meal Seal throughout
Colorado. You can
visit the association’s Web site for more information at
www.eatright.org. You also can visit
www.mypyramid.gov to
develop a
personalized plan for lifelong health. For more
information about National Nutrition Month or the Smart Meal
program, contact Shana Patterson at 303-692-2572 or by
e-mail at
Shana.Patterson@state.co.us. --30-- |
