The list of restaurant chains offering healthier kids meals is growing, but there’s still a lot of work to be done, according to Pam Smith, a registered dietitian and founder of Shaping America’s Health in Orlando, Fla.
Smith, a panelist during Sunday’s session “The New Kids Meals: Kid Tested, Nutritionist Approved,” pointed toward such chains as Legal Sea Foods and Red Lobster as moving in the right direction where child nutrition is concerned.
“The list [of chains offering healthier kids meals] is definitely growing,” she said. “There are a lot more restaurants that are looking at it and trying … , but I don’t think there’s a single one out there that would say they’ve got it [exactly] right.”
Smith cited Legal Sea Foods’ baked cod fingers and vegetables and Red Lobster’s kids’ crab meal served with a bib and junior seafood fork as two winning programs.
She noted, however, that she is pleased to see that restaurants are making more progress on the kid nutrition front, and remains optimistic about the future.
“I can see that a lot more of them are working towards trying not only to be innovative, but also do the right thing,” she said. “It’s right for business and key for them to do.”
Asked what she hopes to see within five years, Smith said she’d like to see healthy options available to kids on all menus across the country. -- Elissa Elan --
