Healthy food options are a new feature at Ford Arts, Beats & Eats
(Farmington Hills, Mich. - September 1, 2011)
Priority Health is working with Ford Arts, Beats & Eats, presented by Citizens Bank – Oakland County’s summer festival celebrating art, music, cuisine and humanity – to recognize and promote healthy food choices for families at this year’s festival. Participants will have several, easily identifiable, healthy menu items to choose from. Priority Health is also collaborating with restaurants to showcase their healthiest food options while recognizing the best dishes with a “Best of Heart Healthy Options” taste testing competition.
“As a company focused on improving the health of our community, we see the opportunity to partner with Ford Arts, Beats & Eats and local restaurants to offer families healthy options as a win-win,” said Joan Budden, chief marketing officer, Priority Health. “We are so excited to see what restaurants are putting together and we know families will enjoy the delicious and healthy menu options that are going to be offered.”
Restaurants will have their healthy food options tasted by Priority Health Wellness Expert, Catherine McKenzie, throughout the festival. The food will be rated on healthy ingredients, taste, presentation, originality and best use of vegetables.
Guidelines for the heart healthy food options include:
- Food items that are baked, not fried
- Lean meats
- Flavor-packed with herbs and seasoning, not cream or butter
- Tomato-based soups or sauces, not cream-based
- Vegetables, without calorie-laden sauces
- Whole grains
Restaurants who earn the “Best of Heart Healthy Options” tasting competition will be recognized at a press conference following Ford Arts, Beats & Eats and receive an award for display in their restaurants.
Healthy menu items and eating tips are also available on Arts, Beats & Eats website and Facebook page and on Priority Health’s Facebook page . Also, watch for videos on Priority Health’s social media networks of festival patrons testing the food and the announcement of the winners.
Priority Health is a major wellness sponsor for the 2011 Arts, Beats & Eats event. In addition to the healthy heart menu options, the company is hosting the Prority Health Arts in Motion 5k presented by DMC Sports Medicine to benefit arts education in Michigan schools, and offering free health screenings in the Priority Health Wellness Tent throughout the festival.
About Priority Health:
Priority Health is an award-winning health plan nationally recognized for creating innovative solutions that impact health care costs while maximizing customer experience. It offers a broad portfolio of products for employer groups and individuals including Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. As a nonprofit company, Priority Health serves more than 600,000 people and continues to be rated among the best health plans in the nation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
