How To Eat Right at Taste of Chicago

By Megan Tempest in Food on Jun 16, 2010 4:40PM

www.chicago.grubstreet.com

2010 Taste of Chicago is set to kick off on June 24th. If you equate the Taste with a day of over-indulgence, heartburn, or an all-around assault to your diet and digestive system, scouting out the Taste's healthier edible options using this handy Healthier Choices Map, courtesy of Humana.

The map was created by a panel of Chicago-area health experts, including Registered Dietitian Meg Christianson, Dr. Annabelle S. Volgman, Associate Professor of Medicine and Medical Director at the Heart Center for Women at Rush University Medical Center, and Dr. Stephen Archer, Chief of the Section of Cardiology at the University of Chicago. To be included in the Healthier Choices Map, every restaurant participating in the Taste was given the opportunity to submit nutritional information for their menu items, including calories, sodium and ingredients. The information was then evaluated by the Humana panel. Every appetizer and dessert that made the cut has approximately 320 calories or less and each entrée 450 calories or less.

According to Meg Christianson, the Healthier Choices Map offers a way to enjoy a whole meal at the Taste without all the guilt. “We wanted to make sure that all of the healthy food options met the appropriate sodium and calorie levels necessary to be considered nutritional and healthy for Taste attendees.” When you’re perusing the Taste this, allow this map to guide your choices, or simply look for a green apple on the menu board to identify healthier menu items.

After the jump, a rundown of some of those healthier items. We're not limited to fruit and corn on the cob here, folks! According to the map, we can still enjoy the likes of BBQ ribs and pizza without wrecking our diet.

Gazpacho -- Grill on the Alley
Whole Wheat Potato Pierogi -- Kasia's Deli
Oven Baked Crab Cake Nuggets -- Polo Cafe and Catering Bridgeport U.S.A.
Grilled Anjou Pear Salad -- Grill on the Alley
Hot & Spicy Jambalaya -- Bobak Sausage Company
Chicken Apple Gouda Sausage -- Bobak Sausage Company
Crawfish Boil -- Lagniappe Creole Cajun Joynt
BBQ Turkey Ribs with sauce on the side -- BJ's Market & Bakery
Cheese Pizza -- Lou Malnati's Pizza
Turkey Sausage Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust -- Reggio's Pizza
Turkey Leg with skin removed -- Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen