Try new healthy options at the taste of buffalo

July 13 and 14 in downtown buffalo

This year’s Taste of Buffalo features reduced fat, cholesterol and sodium taco salad, creole chicken wrap and beef tenderloin napoleon. There will be more than 50 healthy menu items to try from 54 different restaurants, food trucks, and wineries, along with culinary stage competitions, music and more. 

Now entering its seventh year, “The Taste of Buffalo was the first, and remains the only, food festival in the nation in which all participating area restaurants are required to feature healthy menu items,” says Joe Lane, this year’s event Chair. “The Healthy Options program created by Independent Health has been a tremendous success because it offers a healthy alternative as part of the overall experience, and illustrates that food that is good for you can still taste great!”

“Participating restaurants have embraced the Healthy Options program and look forward to offering creative and delicious healthy menu items for people to try,” said Carrie Meyer, executive director, Independent Health Foundation. “It’s often a minor tweak to a recipe that makes it healthier and we’re finding that diners want these options. Eating right can improve your overall health and the Taste offers a great opportunity to try something new that’s healthy and tastes great.”

May Jen Chinese Restaurant owner Sue Leong is one of this year’s participants. Leong works with her chefs to create dishes with less oil, sodium and sugar to help people eat healthier when dining out. May Jen’s healthy option this year is vegetable lo mein. She says, “Offering healthy menu items and encouraging customers to choose these items is our attempt to educate and help people eat healthier. It’s very well received by our customers. It’s what they want and we’re happy to accommodate them.”

Independent Health Foundation has been an integral part of the popular food festival for the past 7 years. This year the top three best-tasting Healthy Options will receive cash prizes of $1,000, $500 and $250 as decided by Taste judges. Presented by Tops Markets, The Taste of Buffalo is the nation’s largest two-day food festival, attracting more than 450,000 people.

The Taste of Buffalo runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 13 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, July 14 on Delaware Avenue and in Niagara Square in Buffalo. There is no admission fee, but food items range in price from $2-$4. Tickets can be purchased in $5 increments, and cash, MasterCard and Visa are accepted at the event. For more information, visit www.tasteofbuffalo.com.

Can’t make it to the Taste but want to try some of these healthier menu items? No problem! Visit healthyoptionsbuffalo.com to view a list of all area restaurants that participate in the Healthy Options program, and the healthy menu items they offer. The program is available in more than 90 Buffalo area restaurants and all items are lower in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium.