HEALTHY HABITS

By Naomi Martinez & Alecia Ledward Health Educators

St. George Area Restaurants Recognized for Menu Options

Cameron Payne always loved making delicious food. “I don’t know what it was, but at a very young age I wanted to open up a restaurant,” he says. “ I decided to go into culinary school, which I did in Oregon, and then I started working in Las Vegas.” After rotating through several renowned restaurants (including Wolfgang Puck’s Spago), he realized something was missing from this delicious food: a long-term commitment to health. Cameron’s experience and his commitment to healthy cooking led him to become the lead chef at a fitness resort. There, he furthered his knowledge with expertise from dietitians and health professionals, designing diets specifically for weight loss and health maintenance. “Working at the fitness resort helped me figure things out,” says Cameron. “How to minimize oils, avoid certain oils, and use lean meats instead of rib-eyes and sirloins - there are things you pick up working there and other places and then you just tie everything together.”

Now, Cameron’s St. George restaurant, The Twisted Noodle Cafe, has again been awarded the “Healthy Habits” Gold Seal of Approval from the Southwest Utah Public Health Department (SWUPHD). Cameron emphasizes that he is continually committed to keeping his menu healthy for Washington County residents and visitors alike. “The Spago style uses lots of oils and French style with butter; we take a lot of that out,” Cameron explains. “We use lean meats. We do a lot of chicken. Veggies are always good - the more veggies, the healthier you’re going to be. I take pride that we don’t use microwaves, we don’t reheat food, we don’t use a lot of processed foods, we don’t buy the “take out of the freezer and fry” food. When you leave our place, you leave feeling good.” In addition to The Twisted Noodle Cafe, eight other restaurants were awarded the 2020 Healthy Habits recognition. They include: GOLD: Twisted Noodle Cafe, Teriyaki Grill, and Gaia’s Garden Cafe SILVER: Viva Chicken, Port of Subs, and Twentyfive Main BRONZE: Chick-fil-A, First Watch Cafe, and Pizzeria Limone In evaluating these restaurants, the health department considered nutritional information being included on the menu, whole grain options, allergy-friendly food, and alternative menu choices. Restaurants reaching the gold level are held to an exceptionally high standard. “The average American dines out 4.5 times a week, many times choosing unhealthy options,” says Alecia Ledward, Health Educator at the SWUPHD. “These Healthy Habits restaurants give residents options so they can make informed dining choices and enjoy the benefit of nutritious eating. We invite residents and visitors to enjoy these and other healthy restaurants in the community.” Healthy Habits restaurants display the SWUPHD seal of approval on their front door, receive free video advertising on the health department website, a page in the Dixie Direct discounts book, and become eligible for Eat Well Utah evaluations. Washington County area restaurants can apply for the 2021 Healthy Habits award by visiting swuhealth.org/healthyhabits or scanning this code:

Xylorhiza Tortifolia Found clumped in various dry habitats including sagebrush steppe and salt desert scrub.