Barnstable County Best Bites
The goal of Barnstable County BestBites: Cape Cod Food on the Lighter Side is to offer Barnstable County residents and visitors an easily recognized, reliable branding of appealing and healthy foods at neighborhood restaurants. Barnstable County BestBites is based on nutritional guidelines developed by Boston BestBites, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is endorsed by the American Heart Association.
Why is there a need for Barnstable County BestBites Campaign?
Obesity is now recognized as one of the greatest health challenges facing the United States, with 66% of adults overweight or obese. Many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, are directly associated with excess weight gain. The rapid increase in obesity over the past 20 years is due to multiple changes in our society, which affect both our eating and physical activity patterns.
Making healthy food choices available in restaurants is an important part of reversing these trends. Americans eat about 20% of their meals and spend about 46% of their food dollars away from home. The restaurant industry is recognizing that consumers would like to be able to make informed, healthy choices while eating out – larger chains have begun offering nutritional information and labeling healthier options. Barnstable County BestBites gives neighborhood restaurants the opportunity to join a campaign that promotes these healthier options, benefiting the restaurants while also promoting an important public health message.
Knowing which restaurants are offering healthier selections will allow consumers to select Cape Cod food on the lighter side when eating away from home.
How will Barnstable County and Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce support and promote your restaurant?
Technical Support
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension’s nutritionist will assist the restaurant in choosing menu items for possible inclusion as Barnstable County BestBites selections. Nutritional analysis of these items will be completed by the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and the results of each analysis will be shared with the restaurant owner.
(Please note that Cape Cod Cooperative Extension will use the recipe only for the purposes of nutritional analysis of inclusion in Barnstable County BestBites. The County will sign a memorandum of agreement with participating restaurants agreeing to keep recipes confidential.) For menu items that do not meet the guidelines, a nutritionist is available to assist chefs in recipe modification suggestions. This is voluntary and completely at the discretion of the restaurant.
Cape Cod Cooperative Extension staff can also provide support information regarding the campaign and healthy eating to restaurant staff and customers, if desired.
Promotional Materials for Restaurant Use
Once a restaurant receives approval of one or more items for inclusion as Barnstable County BestBites, the restaurant will receive a promotional package that includes:
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A framed Barnstable County BestBites award certificate
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A selection of branded Barnstable County BestBites materials for in-restaurant promotional use. Materials may include door slicks, coaster, table tents, menu inserts, posters, and flyers.
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Additional materials may be developed in collaboration with participating restaurants.
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Press releases in local community papers and other print media.
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Flyers listing participating restaurants distributed at Cape Cod Chambers of Commerce, local organizations, public community events, health centers, physician’s offices and other venues.
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Additional opportunities for promotion of the restaurant will be identified as the campaign develops.
How your restaurant can join Barnstable County BestBites
A nutritionist is available to visit your restaurant and begin the process of becoming designated as a Barnstable County BestBites restaurant. Call Susan Bourque at Cape Cod Cooperative Extension at 508-375-6693 or email Susan Bourque at sbourque@umext.umass.edu.
Barnstable County BestBites Nutritional Guidelines
Calories
The limit of 650 calories for an adult entrée is based on Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends intake of 2000 calories per day for an average American adult. For many Americans, limiting the total calories to 2000 per day, along with participating in regular physical activity, can prevent weight gain or lead to gradual weight loss. Dividing this moderate daily intake by 3 meals a day gives a calorie limit of 650 calories for each meal. A healthy way to maintain calorie limits is to increase vegetables as part of the entrée. Vegetables are generally low in calories and high in fiber and vitamins for greater health benefits.
Saturated Fats
Compelling evidence from many sources show that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats can reduce heart disease rates. For each type of menu item (appetizer, entrée, dessert), saturated fats are limited to 7% of the overall allowed calories (e.g., for an entrée, 5 grams is equivalent to 7% of 650 calories).
Trans Fats
Trans fats are found in may margarines, vegetable shortenings, fast-food French fries, commercially baked goods, such as packages cookies and crackers, and other products that list “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “vegetable shortening.” Research now shows that calories from trans fats not only raise LDL 9bad) cholesterol but also substantially lower HDL (good) cholesterol. Based on the evidence to date, it is recommended that there be no added trans fats in heart-healthy recipes.
Sodium
Recent recommendations from the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Associations support reduction of sodium (salt) in the diet. Their recommendations are to limit adult sodium intake to a maximum of 2400 milligrams (mg) per day. The 750 mg limit for the entrée, as the main dish for one of three daily meals, is approximately one-third of the recommended total sodium limit for the day.
