Time to Get REAL

Much like the building industry did years ago with its LEED program, the United States Healthful Food Council is creating a nutrition certification program for the entire foodservice industry. The program is an effort to cut down on obesity and diet-related diseases.

The Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) program will be based on an index system in which restaurants are rewarded points for best practices. For example, a restaurant would get points for not cooking in trans fat, for monitoring the number of calories in each dish, and for providing multiple portion sizes. The program will also give credit for sustainability practices, as well as for humane treatment of animals in the supply chain.

“What we are trying to do is much more of a market approach, where we are trying to make healthful food more affordable and more profitable,” says Lawrence Williams, director of the United States Healthful Food Council and creator of the REAL program.

The program will offer silver, gold, and platinum levels based on weighted criteria developed by a panel of experts. It will also build relationships with credentialed dietitians and nutritionists around the country to help with the program. It will not involve random inspections of sites, but will have
stipulations within participation agreements that allow for audits to occur.

http://www.qsrmagazine.com/health/time-get-real