Humana Encourages Healthier Eating at the Taste

Humana Healthier Choices information and the Taste tickets have been provided by Humana

For the seventh year in a row, Humana is offering Taste of Chicago attendees the guidelines to attend the Taste AND eat in a calorie conscious way. The great thing is that the choices aren’t tasteless and seasoning free entrees either. With the Taste (as we Chicagoans call it) only being five days this year, it was pertinent to get down there and try out as many of the healthier choices while walking around downtown Chicago. 

 Humana Healthier Choices provide a listing of healthy appetizers, entrees and desserts available at the Taste! This year boasts the largest listing yet – 52 foods from 29 Chicago restaurants that meet calorie, sodium and saturated fat nutritional criteria, reviewed by a panel of Chicago-area diet and nutrition experts. These healthful choices represent more than 20 percent of the total Taste offerings.

Charity Miles Partnership: New this year, Taste-goers can download the free Charity Miles app from iTunes or Google Play Store and wander the Taste of Chicago while giving back to their favorite charity. A participant’s charity of choice will be given $.25 for each mile biked, walked or ran. Humana’s contribution will be open to anyone who logs into the app in the Chicago metropolitan area starting on July 9 until the close of the 2014 Taste of Chicago on July 13.

This year, I attended without the Houseful of Littles because they are so much mobile than they were this time last year, and because sometimes, it’s just nice to get out by yourself. I set my pedometer to count steps, and I was off. My first stop was The Savoy, where I picked up a Grilled Shrimp Po Boy sandwich with a vinegar based slaw (no mayonnaise – and I LOVE it this way) taste portion. It had a healthy amount of the slaw with two grilled shrimp, on a nice chewy bread. You’ll also notice that there was another Humana Healthier Choice listed on the menu of The Savoy, but I didn’t try it. 

 

Next up was some dessert for me. I stopped at Star of Siam and wanted to order some Mango Ice Cream, but they ran out, so I decided to switch it up and try something outside of my comfort zone, and go with Green Tea instead. I was pleasantly surprised with a cool treat that wasn’t too sweet, but not lacking flavor either. I’d definitely order it if I went into the restaurant. They also had a second Humana Healthier Choices option as well, but I didn’t taste that. 

 

My last stop was at the booth of my favorite grocery store to stop in, Mariano’s. They took the place of another city grocery store that left last year, and included the regular choices of watermelon slices and roasted corn. I was kind of sad that they didn’t offer grapes and cherries, like I’m used to, but change is inevitable, right? The watermelon was a Humana Healthy Choice option as well, and it was SO SWEET! Lovely! 

 

I’m happy to say that having these options around makes it so much easier for those who happen to be foodies, but still be watching their calories a great reason to go the Taste of Chicago. Nothing gives the impression that it is “diet” food, but you know right from the big green apple if the food fits into your food lifestyle. Plus all that walking around helps too! Great food with none of the guilt!