Sheri’s Place and AHA team up for healthier kid’s meals

The American Heart Association (AHA) is looking to make restaurant meals for kids in Vermont healthier. In order to show that it is possible, they have been working with seven family-style restaurants around the state. One of those restaurants is Sheri’s Place in Springfield.

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2016-09-21 / Front Page Sheri’s Place and AHA team up for healthier kid’s meals By NEIL P. ALLEN At Soups ‘N Greens in Barre, Chef Doug Doenges created a very berry vegetable stir fry for their kids menu. A young patron can be seen enjoying it at the event in Barre on Sept. 13. — COURTESY At Soups ‘N Greens in Barre, Chef Doug Doenges created a very berry vegetable stir fry for their kids menu. A young patron can be seen enjoying it at the event in Barre on Sept. 13. — COURTESY The American Heart Association (AHA) is looking to make restaurant meals for kids in Vermont healthier. In order to show that it is possible, they have been working with seven family-style restaurants around the state. One of those restaurants is Sheri’s Place in Springfield. On Monday, Sept. 26, from 5 to 7 p.m., children are able to get a free kid’s meal at Sheri’s Place, located at 30 Main Street in Springfield. The offer is good for the first 50 children. They will also be raffling off a restaurant gift certificate. No reservations are necessary. “We’re trying to make healthy choice easier for parents,” said Tina Zuk, government relations director for AHA. “Before, when families went out it was for a special occasion. Americans now spend more of their food budget on foods prepared away from home than on foods at home. Kids get double the calories when eating out. “We want to make the nutrition standards higher. We can’t keep doing the same things and expect anything to change,” she continued. “Before we can bring it to legislation, we need to prove it is healthier and that it can be done.” The legislation would require restaurants that sells a children’s menu to have the meals on that menu meet a certain standard, according to Zuk. This would include water, nonfat or one percent milk or 100 percent juice for the drink; less than 600 calories; less than 770 milligrams of sodium; lower calories from fat and sugars; half a cup of fruit or vegetables; a whole grain product; and lean protein food. “Before we can enact the legislation we need to educate the families and the restaurants,” Zuk said. For the challenge, the seven restaurants would have to make two meals that meet the standard. “We want to show that It can be done, and it isn’t very hard,” said Zuk. Sheri Keefe, who has been the owner of Sheri’s Place for six years, was happy to participate. “We do whatever we can to help,” she said. “Serving good lunches to kids is a great thing to do.” She said the restaurant just changed so it was less like a bar and catered more to kids. “We’re really happy to do it, this is right up our alley,” Keefe said. “We’re learning, too.” In addition to helping their younger patrons, Keefe wanted to work with the AHA because of her mother who died from heart problems just before she opened the restaurant. “Anything to do with the Heart Association gets to me,” Keefe said. “I do anything I can to help them.” Keefe, who plans on overhauling all the meals on the kid’s menu, says she’ll be keeping them in place after the event. After the challenge is over, the AHA is going to be gathering the recipes that were used to share with other restaurants and interviewing the chefs to create a video that can be a resource. For more information about the free dinners at Sheri’s Place, please call (802) 233-0275.