California-based Healthy Dining, in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association, has launched the web site Healthydiningfinder.com – which is not the best of tools yet, but it is pretty good for right now. The reality is that all these restaurants should provide nutritional information to its customers based on menus or at the very least upon request. But they don’t.  And the Restaurant Association is pushing hard, lobbying, trying to make sure that restaurants do not have to do this.

Take a look at my academic paper on the topic which goes into detail about restaurant labeling.   What does Healthydiningfinder.com  do? Basically it features the “better for you” choices at a wide range of restaurants,  based on criteria developed by Healthy Dining. . So I did a search for a few zip codes, and it seems like the same chain restaurants come up. Hooters, Burger King, Chili’s, Panda Express, Arby’s, Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, etc.. Not exactly what I would consider “healthy” restaurants. To me this is a good idea, and may become better as the site develops over time with more restaurants. You can read the Healthy Dining’s press release below:

Mar 14, 2007 11:00 ET    Groundbreaking New Program and Web site Help Americans Dine Out Healthfully

HealthyDiningFinder.com and Restaurant Industry Partners to Provide New Resource for Consumers Seeking Healthier Restaurant Options

WASHINGTON, March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- California-based Healthy Dining and the National Restaurant Association today unveiled http://www.healthydiningfinder.com/, a resource to help Americans more easily identify nutritious choices served at nearly 30,000 popular restaurant locations in all 50 states, including P.F. Chang's, Buca di Beppo, Chili's, Au Bon Pain and Burger King. Restaurants nationwide have been increasing their healthy menu options, and now HealthyDiningFinder.com is helping consumers find these options.

Due to the important public health implications of this program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided partial funding for the development of HealthyDiningFinder.com. "By making healthier food choices, Americans can help reduce the risk of obesity, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, which are all major health concerns," said Michele Reyes, Ph.D., M.S., an epidemiologist with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "HealthyDiningFinder.com provides Americans with a tool to identify healthier restaurant menu choices."

Restaurant industry sales are expected to reach a record $537 billion in 2007, a 5.0 percent increase over 2006 sales.(1) "Our research shows that nearly three out of four Americans say they are trying to eat more healthfully in restaurants than they did two years ago," said Sheila Weiss, R.D., director of Nutrition Policy for the National Restaurant Association. "HealthyDiningFinder.com demonstrates the proactive efforts of the restaurant industry and is a great resource for those looking to make smart choices when dining at their favorite restaurants."

"This Web site makes it even easier for consumers to lead a health- conscious life when dining out," Nicole Quartuccio, R.D., Healthy Dining's director of nutrition, explained. "HealthyDiningFinder.com is an important resource, offering consumers thousands of healthful options available at restaurants across the country, along with corresponding nutrition information."

Every type of restaurant is featured on the site -- from quick-service to fine dining, from independents to the nation's largest chains -- and new restaurants are joining the program every week. The site provides nutrient values, including calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, sugars, protein, fiber, and fruit and vegetable servings, for featured menu items. Trans fat information will also be available in the near future.

When selecting menu items for the Web site, Healthy Dining's team of nutrition professionals look for choices that feature lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Entrees must not exceed 750 calories, 25 grams of fat and 8 grams of saturated fat, while the cut-offs for appetizers, side dishes, and desserts are 250 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3 grams of saturated fat. When available, dishes that are lower in sodium and cholesterol are also featured. (See Frequently Asked Questions for further details.)

In some cases, the Healthy Dining team works with participating chefs to develop "Special Requests," which guide consumers on how to order menu items with healthier modifications. Examples include: "Request no butter," or "request dressing on the side," or "request a side of steamed vegetables instead of fries." These requests lower the calories and fat grams in the meal and may also boost the fiber, vitamin or phytochemical content by substituting more healthful ingredients.

"With the steady increase in both restaurant sales and consumer interest in health, many Americans are searching for guidance to help them make smart choices when dining out," said Anita Jones-Mueller, M.P.H., restaurant nutrition expert and founder of Healthy Dining. "Healthy Dining significantly contributes to this effort by encouraging restaurants nationwide to promote nutritious options that taste great."

How does the Web site work?

After typing in a zip code, visitors may narrow their search by price range (under $10, $11 to $20 or $20 or more), as well as take-out, delivery and catering options. Visitors "submit" and are transported to a list of restaurants that match the selected criteria. Then they can click on any restaurant's logo to view a full page of information about that restaurant, including nutrition profiles for its featured menu options.

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