New Kids' Menu at Joe's Crab Shack Features Healthy Dining Choices

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Parents traveling with young children this summer have a new tool to help them navigate healthy dining choices at restaurants, and it will direct them to a new kids' menu and registered dietician endorsed choices at Joe's Crab Shack.

The National Restaurant Association and HealthyDiningfinder.com today announced that Joe's Crab Shack is an inaugural leader in its Kids LiveWell program, a national initiative to provide parents with high-quality resources to find restaurants offering healthy kids' food choices. The announcement was made at a National Press Club briefing where members of the Washington Press Corps got to "eat like a kid" -- sampling Kids LiveWell menu items that conform to the program's rigid nutritional guidelines. From Joe's Crab Shack they sampled succulent steamed Snow crab and fresh corn on the cob prepared by the restaurant's culinary director George Atsangbe.

Healthy Dining's team of registered dieticians evaluated the nutritionals of Joe's kids' menu and now  features its Kids LiveWell choices of Joe's entrees and sides, which meet criteria set by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and the School Nutritional Association, at http://hdflive.myfitfund.com/kidslivewell/joescrabshack.  Each food choice is presented with nutritionals, including calories, calories from fat, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and protein.

The new designation isn't all that's new on Joe's kids' menu http://joescrabshack.com/Libraries/Menus/Joe_s_Crab_Shack_Kid_s_Menu.sflb.ashx , according to marketing director Kristen Temple. "We've totally repackaged the way we present our food choices for children with an emphasis on balance between lean protein, vegetables, grains, fruits and low-fat dairy, as well as stressing the importance of youth fitness activities and the availability of gluten-free options on our kids' menu."

Kids LiveWell choices on the Joe's Kid's Menu include:

• Kid's Snow crab – a cluster of Snow Crab, fresh (1/2 ear) corn on the cob, steamed rice and apple Juice -- 400 calories.
• Kid's Simply Grilled Shrimp – Six grilled shrimp (request no seasoned salt) served over steamed rice, fresh (1/2 ear) corn on the cob and orange juice -- 420 calories.
• Kid's side dishes, including fresh (1/2 ear) corn on the cob, 30 calories; and applesauce, 90 calories.

"Joe's has always been a place where friends and families share memorable dining experiences," Temple said. "We hope parents can use the Kids LiveWell tools to ensure that their children have a fun time and great nutrition at Joe's Crab Shack.  Kids are always welcome to join in the dancing in our restaurants. This program is as much about getting moving as it is about making smart food choices," she added.  

Joe's Crab Shack serves buckets of crab and a wide variety of steampots, fish, shrimp, burgers, chicken and festive vacation-style drinks amid a carefree atmosphere. For more information about Joe's Crab Shack or to find a location near you, visit www.joescrabshack.com. Joe's Crab Shack is owned by the Houston-based Ignite Restaurant Group www.igniterestaurantgroup.com.

Contact:
John Dutcher, APR, Dutcher & Associates, L.L.C., 515/334-3464, [email protected] Or, Costatinos Pappas IV, Media Manager, Ignite Restaurant Group, 713/366-7628, [email protected]

FIND US ONLINE AT:
Web site — www.joescrabshack.com
Facebook — www.facebook.com/joescrabshack
Twitter — twitter.com/Joes_Crab_Shack
YouTube – youtube.com/JoeCrabShackOfficial

SOURCE Joe’s Crab Shack