Kids LiveWell from the National Restaurant Association

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending a dinner sponsored by the Kids LiveWell program from the National Restaurant Association.

Those of you who read my blog or follow me on Twitter know that I am pretty lucky when it comes to my children and their eating habits. My two oldest children love to drink water and my youngest drinks milk like crazy. Juices are always 100% juice and my kids just generally stay away from things with a lot of sugar.

All three kids love grilled chicken and vegetables. It is not at all tough for me to get my kids to eat healthy food and while they do appreciate the occasional dessert, they are pretty easy going kids when it comes to food. I am definitely lucky.

Kids LiveWell is a fairly new initiative started just last year by the National Restaurant Association.

ABOUT THE KIDS LIVEWELL PROGRAM

The National Restaurant Association launched the Kids LiveWell program in collaboration with Healthy Dining to help parents and children select healthful menu options when dining out. Restaurants that participate in the voluntary program commit to offering healthful meal items for children, with a particular focus on increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy, and limiting unhealthy fats, sugars and sodium.

The Kids LiveWell program benefits both restaurateurs and guests. Participating restaurants get third-party verification and promotional materials for qualified meals and individual menu items. Parents and caretakers get accurate information to help them make informed decisions about their child's meal.

A KIDS LIVEWELL MEAL

Kids LiveWell Nutrition Criteria for Full Kids' Meals (entrée, side option and beverage):

• 600 calories or less
• ≤ 35% of calories from total fat
• ≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
• < 0.5 grams trans fat (artificial trans fat only)
• ≤ 35% of calories from total sugars (added and naturally occurring)
• ≤ 770 mg of sodium
• 2 or more food groups (see below)

Kids LiveWell Nutrition Criteria for Side Items:

• 200 calories or less
• ≤ 35% of calories from total fat
• ≤ 10% of calories from saturated fat
• < 0.5 grams trans fat (artificial trans fat only)
• ≤ 35% of calories from total sugars (added and naturally occurring)
• ≤ 250 mg of sodium
• 1 food group (see below)

Full meals must include two sources & sides must include one source of the following:

• Fruit: > ½ cup = 1 star (includes 100% juice)
• Vegetable: > ½ cup = 1 star
• Whole grains:  contains whole grains = 1 star
• Lean protein (skinless white meat poultry, fish/seafood, beef, pork, tofu, beans, egg):  > 2 ounces meat, 1 egg or egg equivalent, 1 oz nuts/seeds/dry bean/peas = 1 star (lean as defined by USDA)
• Lower-fat dairy (1% or skim milk and dairy):  > ½ cup = 1 star (while not considered low-fat, 2% milk is allowed if included in the meal and the meal still fits the full meal criteria)

RESTAURANTS PARTICIPATING IN KIDS LIVEWELL

The program started with 19 brands participating. To date, there are over 87 brands with an impressive total of 15,000+ locations.

For the complete list, go here.

GET SOCIAL WITH KIDS LIVEWELL

Follow Kids LiveWell on Twitter

Like Kids LiveWell on Facebook

For more information on the program and participating restaurants, visit restaurant.org/kidslivewell or healthydiningfinder.com.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

This is so incredibly exciting. Now you can download the app the pick the perfect Kids LiveWell participating restaurant.  The free app is available in the Android Market and iTunes app store. To download the app, visit: www.restaurant.org/kidslivewell.

Check out all of the restaurants near me:

Disclosure: I received compensation from the National Restaurant 

Association’s Kids LiveWell program for my time reviewing 

and writing about their program. The opinions expressed are 

solely my own.