Welcome Sandwich Me In

Sandwich Me In is the newest restaurant to join the Healthy Fare for Kids family.  Welcome!

Sandwich Me In is a quick-service sandwich shop using local meats and fresh produce with an emphasis on sustainability (recycle, reuse, reduce) and the education of their guests as to how their food travels from farm to plate.

Chef Justin Vrany cooks up some fabulous sandwich scenarios.  All of their delicious food is made in house from scratch and sourced from local farms such as Gunthorp farms, Quarter Circle Seven Ranch, and Local Folks farm, which means all meat is raised without the use of antibiotics.

They have a dynamite pulled pork sandwich that is smoked for 13 hours and lathered in their homemade BBQ and placed on a fresh baked black strap molasses wheat roll. Another delight is their Vegan black bean and brown rice burger with whole grain mustard. And all of their drinks are made in house.

All of the waste at Sandwich Me In is composted or recycled. Throughout the season the raw vegetable and fruit compost are given to Bryant Family Farms to feed their chickens who lay eggs for the restaurant. Their electrical energy is completely powered by wind and all of their used-oil is recycled in bio-diesel engines. All of the furniture and equipment in the restaurant is either used or refurbished.

Congratulations Chef Justin Vrany!  We are thrilled to have you participating in Healthy Fare for Kids.

Chef Justin’s Healthy Fare for Kids selection is:

HALF HAM AND TURKEY SANDWICH WITH CARROTS AND SMOOTHIE

(Ham and turkey meat is raised without the use of antibiotics and smoothie is made with 100% fruit)

Sandwich Me In is at 3037 N. Clark Street in Chicago or visit their website here.

Chicago Sun Times Features Healthy Fare for Kids

The Chicago Sun Times ran a feature story on Friday, May 3 about Chicago restaurants that are revamping menus to offer healthier meals for kids.  Healthy Fare for Kids was the centerpiece of the article with many of their certified restaurants in the center of the plate.

Read here and visit our locations today!

Chicago Leaders Endorse Healthy Fare for Kids

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and George Chavel, President of Sodexo, North America have offered their endorsements of Healthy Fare for Kids.  These leaders support the good work Healthy Fare for Kids has done through the partnership with the Shedd Aquarium and its food service supplier, Sodexo.

Please read the news release which includes the endorsements and all the information about Healthy Fare for Kids launching at the Shedd Aquarium.

Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium Launches Healthy Fare for Kids

 

 

Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium has kicked off a partnership with Healthy Fare for Kids and Sodexo, the aquarium’s food service provider, bringing healthy and delicious children’s menu options to their food concessions.  The Shedd Aquarium is the first cultural venue to align with Healthy Fare for Kids, as well as Sodexo’s first site.

The Shedd Aquarium is visited by over 2.5 million people each year, almost one million of those are children.  The perfect target for Healthy Fare for Kid’s. 

Both the Shedd and Sodexo embraced the concept of bringing HFFK into the Shedd and have been very supportive and generous in getting our program and it’s food created and launched.  Find our logo in the Bubblenet on a grab and go, or on the menu boards offering antibiotic-free chicken sliders or low-fat baked cheese quesadillas. Or order off the Soundings Cafe menu a griddled organic peanut-butter-and-banana pressed sandwich or an antibiotic-free Turkey Joe.  All Healthy Fare for Kids’ items come witha choice of an organic milk box or water bottle.

Visit the Shedd Aquarium today, the most popular aquarium in the country.  It’s a fantastic destination for families and, now, a delicious and healthy one for kids.

Check out the websites to the Shedd Aquarium and Sodexo today!  And stay tuned.

 

Congratulations to Paul Virant and Vie Restaurant

Healthy Fare for Kid’s participating chef, Paul Virant of Chicago’s Vie Restaurant and Perennial Virant, has been nominated for a 2013 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef, Great Lakes.

Congratulations to a fabulous chef and great food advocate who’s made a significant contribution to the good food movement in Chicago and beyond.

 

Eat to Defeat Cancer

I found a great website today. You must visit eattodefeatcancer.org and read through the fascinating information on the link about anti-angiogenenic food and its properties. Also,  go to this link on YouTube where Dr. Li is giving a Ted lecture called, “Can we eat to starve cancer?” It’s only 18 minutes in length.

The science is extraordinary behind this concept which has everything to do with best ways to feed your kids and you!

A happy, healthy and delicious holiday to you all!

It’s been a fabulous first year for Healthy Fare for Kids and we have you to thank.

Healthy Fare for Kids has almost thirty restaurants participating currently. That’s thirty restaurants where parents are assured of getting a healthy and delicious meal for their kids in the Chicago area. And, we have another 25 restaurants working to get certified.

This winter, Healthy Fare for Kids will be launched at Midway Airport where over 9 million passengers each year, many with children, will have an array of healthy, delicious food available. We are thrilled about working with MAC One Midway and look forward to a thriving relationship. Also, we are soon announcing the name of another Chicago landmark and popular tourist destination where Healthy Fare for Kids is expected to launch in February. Stay tuned and keep your eyes out for our logo.

Together we can make kids healthier by offering healthy food choices when they eat outside the home while striving for local produce, meat and milk that are free of antibiotics and hormones, and sustainable seafood.  Kids will learn to choose good food because they’ll know what healthy and delicious food tastes like.

Thank you for stepping up for Healthy Fare for Kids.  Keep visiting our website and drop us a line if you have a restaurant or food venue you would like to involve in our initiative.   Our sincere wishes for a happy holiday and delicious new year.

Sincerely,

 Diane Schmidt, Founder

Sarah Stegner, Founding member

Carol Wagner, Founding member

Listen to HFFK on Voice of America

Listen up!  Diane Schmidt, Founder of Healthy Fare for Kids, appeared on the Voice of America’s “Cool Kids Cook” show hosted by 12-year old celebrity chef, Chef Eliana Monday, November 19 .

Chef Eliana was named one of the “Top 10 Most Famous Kid Critics and Cooks” in the world by The Daily Meal and Fox News, Kid Chef Eliana is a 12 year old on the move. She is a 2012 Winner of New Orleans’ Gambit Weekly’s “40 Under 40” award, which recognizes movers and shakers in this community.

Listen to their conversation at this link!

Welcome Convito Cafe and Market!

When I think of authentic and delicious Italian food, Convito Cafe and Market springs to mind.  Granted I worked at Convito during my waitressing years, loving every piece of food that came out of the kitchen.  Convito is that type of eatery that transports you to the streets of many an Italian city or village.

Convito has now launched their Fall menu with Healthy Fare for Kids items gracing it’s pages.  From their white bean vegetable soup or multi-grain penne with tomato sauce and meatballs or grilled pan fried chicken breast with roasted potatoes & broccoli, healthy and delicious food is now an order away.

Congratulations Convito Cafe and Market for stepping up to help kids know what healthy and delicious food tastes like.

Visit Convito Cafe and Market’s web site.

Chicago Tribune features Healthy Fare for Kids

“Healthy Fare for Kids advocates better options”  is a headline in today’s edition of the Chicago Tribune, Dining Section, page one.  Nancy Maes, reporter,  did a great job in telling the story about Healthy Fare for Kids and the chefs and restauranteurs who are stepping up to make Chicago kids healthier.  Chris Sweda and Joel Wintermantle, Tribune photographers have beautiful photographs of some of the healthy dishes being served at HFFK restaurants.

But read for yourself at http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/ct-dining-0906-healthy-fare-20120906,0,3357240.story