Lakewood Restaurants Invited To Healthy City Initiative

LAKEWOOD, OH — Restaurant owners in Lakewood have been invited to speak with Mayor Mike Summers about how they can contribute to the city's initiative to become a healthier community.

Lakewood officials have been working on making Lakewood a healthier community through education and discussion between city employees, businesses and residents. Summers is hoping to meet with Lakewood's restaurant owners to chat about how eateries can play a role in the initiative.

In a letter inviting business owners to meet with Summers, the mayor noted that diners will eat out for lunch or dinner nearly five times a week. The mayor then offered several options for supporting a healthier Lakewood. Here are a few of Summers' recommendations, mentioned in the letter:

• Offering half-size portions at lower price points
• Offering at least one entrée that meets healthy eating guidelines and is not a salad
• Sourcing locally/regionally grown fruits and veggies
• Removing salt shakers from the tables
• Offering 100‐calorie "nice bite" dessert items
• Offer fresh, unprocessed whole food or plant‐based options
• Training servers to recommend the special items (offering incentives for sales)

"Other ideas incorporate the other focus areas of "movement" and "connectedness" by encouraging diners to walk or ride their bike to dine and to reach out to someone and connect for a meal. Communal tables are also being incorporated into dining experiences, encouraging those who are dining at a communal table to connect with someone they have never met while breaking bread," Summers wrote.

The entire letter has been shared online. Restaurant owners can sign-up to join the discussion online.