Calling all #Instagram #Foodies: Chance to Win $50 Gift Card

The Second Annual Eat Smart Restaurant Week in Putnam County kicks off Sept. 27 and runs through Oct. 11.

This year the county Department of Health has added Instagram to the promotional mix, giving ESRW participants a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to the “Eat Smart” restaurant of their choice.

The rules are simple and no purchase is required. Simply snap a photo on your phone and post it to Instagram. Make sure to hash tag it with #EatSmartRestaurantWeek to be entered in the raffle. Your photo can be of your Eat Smart Restaurant Week menu selection, the friends and family who are joining you, or of the ESRW eatery you are visiting.

If you are not on Instagram, that is okay too. You can also enter by filling out an Eat Smart Restaurant Week survey available at the ESRW participating eatery or online at the PCDOH website. Complete survey details are available online at www.putnamcountyny.gov/lhp/esrw/

“The notion that delicious and healthy can go hand-in-hand is what this program is all about,” says Health Commissioner Allen Beals, MD. “Moderate portion sizes, an emphasis on fresh vegetables, and limited sodium and oils, even healthy ones, are the cornerstones.”

Eat Smart Restaurant Week represents a collaboration between the health department and participating Putnam restaurants. Last year 97 percent of customers surveyed said they would visit an ESRW eatery again this year. More than 35 Putnam County eateries participated and this year nearly all are returning, plus a few new popular locales have expressed interest.

Dine-in restaurants are not the only participants. The event is open to all food establishments in Putnam who were willing to offer healthier selections. There are a few delicatessens, a chain “fast food” restaurant, and even the Putnam County Office for Senior Resources offers a healthier option for seniors who visit for lunch.

A complete, up-to-date list of participating restaurants is online at the health department website and the Eat Smart Restaurant Week page.