Applebee's, Chick-fil-A, Kraft Foods Join Kids LiveWell Initiative

CHICAGOThe National Restaurant Association announced Applebee's and Chick-fil-A joined Kids LiveWell program that helps parents and kids make more healthful menu selections when eating out. Since the initiative launched in July 2011, participation has quadrupled to 96 restaurant brands representing more than 25,000 locations nationwide. Kraft Foods also joined the program as the first foodservice supplier to develop Kids LiveWell-ready recipes for restaurant operators.

The association developed Kids LiveWell in collaboration with Healthy Dining, whose team of registered dietitians works with restaurants to identify and validate the qualifying menu choices. Participating restaurants and their qualifying items can be found on HealthyDiningFinder.com.

"Participation in the 'Kids LiveWell' program has exploded in a short period of time, with restaurant companies from across the industry eager to showcase their healthful choices," said National Restaurant Association President and CEO Dawn Sweeney. "As a result, parents are finding a growing selection of healthful children's menu options of fruit and vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and low-fat dairy products."

The association also unveiled its new Kids LiveWell App that connects on-the-go parents to restaurants offering healthful children's menu items under the Kids LiveWell program. The app is geo-coded so users can find restaurants nearest to them with Kids LiveWell menu items. The free app is available in the Android Market and iTunes app store. To download the app, visit: www.restaurant.org/kidslivewell.