New Orleans is a city known for many cultural quirks: drinking, partying, and of course, food. Southern food is a staple down here, but delicious “Nawlins” cooking doesn’t always meet our health goals. That’s why local nutritionist, Molly Kimball, created Eat Fit NOLA.
Since its launch in 2012, Eat Fit NOLA has helped the people of New Orleans make more informed choices when eating out. With Eat Fit NOLA, “Consumerists have peace of mind when they order food. They know that sodium, salt, white carbs, etc. are kept in line or not in there at all. It gives them a seal of approval,” says Kimball.
At restaurants across the city, the Eat Fit NOLA seal designates that a specific menu item meets specific nutritional criteria. Some of this criteria includes: entrees under 600 calories, less than 800 milligrams of sodium, and 0 grams of transfat. For more information about the criteria, check out the Eat Fit NOLA website. To bring Eat Fit NOLA with you wherever you go, keep your eye open for the Fit NOLA app. The app, available to download the first week of October, will not only include the restaurants that offer Eat Fit NOLA, but also the exact dishes and nutritional facts.
Eat Fit NOLA has made a difference in local restaurants, but now it’s making an appearance in one of the most famous places in New Orleans: the Superdome. Eat Fit NOLA now offers approved options in all of the concession stands. Worried that your game day food will be replaced by spinach and green juice? Don’t be. “Our goal was to keep the taste and game day food the same, but just make it healthier,” says Kimball. Classic New Orleans shrimp and grits is given added nutrition by using cauliflower to make the grits. Other options include spinach and artichoke dip made with greek yogurt, chicken sliders prepared with lean chicken, and a high-protein chocolate mousse made with a plant-based, no calorie sweetener.
With Eat Fit NOLA options at the Superdome, the goal is to make healthy eating easily accessible wherever the consumers go. “It’s more of a long-term approach. It’s not just available when going out to eat, but now it’s also part of people’s lifestyle,” says Kimball. The push towards a healthy lifestyle will continue with Eat Fit NOLA’s plans to bring nutritious menu items to the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium, and the airport.
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*All photos by Amanda Arbeit*