Almost 20 years ago, my best friend and I launched the Environmental Club at our high school. We sold Earth Day T-shirts to raise money for the Amazon rainforest and started the recycling program in our school. Since then, I’ve become increasingly moved by Earth Day. Because of our early high school activism, I was inspired to launch a business that was founded upon environmental values.

Two years ago, before my restaurant opened, we had the chance to serve our Amanda’s Organic Apple “Fries” to students at UC Berkeley. Last year we had a celebration at my restaurant. And this year, Earth Day feels more special than Christmas or Passover to me. Since it is the 40th Earth Day, there is a lot going on:
* Berkeley’s Ecology Center is celebrating their 40th anniversary
* My restaurant, Amanda’s Feel Good Fresh Food, is holding a panel today from from 5-6pm on “Sustainable Sourcing for Fast Food” where we continue to improve our committment to the environment
* The City of Berkeley is celebrating Earth Day with a Festival on Saturday from 12-5pm in Downtown Berkeley’s Civic Center Park.

Finally, my high school best friend is having her second baby boy today, an Earth Baby!

It’s hard to eat healthily today when going out. Large portion sizes, trans fat, and  high sodium content of foods served in restaurant chains only make it harder for time-strapped customers to make healthy choices. Luckily, there has been a trend among restaurants, such as Amanda’s, to serve fresh, healthy foods. Even large chains like McDonald’s have been offering healthier alternatives to the usual calorie-laden fare.

Health Magazine has compiled a list of the 10 Healthiest Fast Food Chains in America. They surveyed a list of the 100 largest fast food chains in the country, scored the chains on such factors as the use of healthy fats and preparations, healthy sodium counts in entrees, availability of nutritional information, and the use of organic produce to arrive at their top 10.

• Panera: This bakery-cafe boasts a comprehensive menu of healthy choices for every meal. With the great variety offered in Panera, customers will find it easier to eat healthily.
• Jason’s Deli: This eatery is big on organics. Their creative salads and fresh produce make them a good choice for a quick meal on the go.
• Au Bon Pain: This restaurant serves up sandwiches, soups, salads, and hot entrées made with whole grains, veggies, and hormone-free chicken. They even have a 14-item small plates menu!
• Noodles and Company: It’s Asian, Mediterranean, and American noodles sans grease! The restaurant packs their noodle bowls full of fresh vegetables, so customers aren’t just noshing on carbs.
• Corner Bakery: This bakery-cafe has a breakfast menu that’s a cut above the rest. They also offer a menu full of healthy salads, soups, and sandwiches served in great portions!
• Chipotle: This restaurant chain gives its customer the freedom to create their own burrito, taco, or salad and offers fresh, local veggies and hormone free meat as their options.
• Atlanta Bread: This Atlanta based bakery serves up great whole-grain bread, fresh sandwiches and paninis, and hearty, healthy soups and salads.
• McDonald’s: A surprise on the list, but this mega-chain offers healthy options, like apple dippers in place of fries and low fat milk instead of soda in happy meals. Customers should still be mindful of their portions, however.
• Einstein Bros. Bagels: This bagel joint boasts a menu packed with healthier alternatives like reduced-fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter. They also offer menu items in half sizes! 
• Taco Del Mar: This Baja style Mexican restaurant uses fresh ingredients and lean fish and chicken in their menu items. They also bake their fish and taco shells instead of frying and have banned lard in their beans.

In an effort to curb the obesity epidemic in California, the state senate passed Senate Bill 1420 in 2008. The Bill requires chain restaurants in California to provide nutritional information including the total number of calories, grams of saturated fat, grams of trans fat, and milligrams of sodium, on their menus and menu boards. Furthermore, it defines a chain restaurant as a food facility with “at least 14 other food facilities with the same name in the state that offer for sale substantially the same menu items.”

Phase I of SB 1420 has been in effect since this July, but will it truly make a difference? A study conducted by New York University and Yale says otherwise. The study monitored McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in neighborhoods with high rates of obesity in New York City before and after New York menu labeling laws took effect in July 2008. They found that only half of customers noticed the menu labeling, and of those who noticed, only 28% said it influenced their ordering. Even more surprising, the receipts before and after the law took effect showed that people actually ordered more after menu boards displayed total calories. 

The researchers that lead the study believe that there are multiple reasons why menu labeling has not been seen to work in these neighborhoods. They believe that the primary roadblock to healthy eating is money. At McDonald’s, customers can order two cheeseburgers that pack a whopping 600 calories total for only $2. Another possible reason is that in these neighborhoods with high rates of obesity, those who are already obese have already given up on trying to lose weight. Yet another reason is that it’s just plain hard to change behavior. 

Advocates of menu labeling laws don’t see these findings as a reason to abandon calorie posting, however. They believe that by making people aware of the nutritional content in their food, they will be able to contemplate making healthier decisions in the long run.

It’s true what they say: time flies when you’re having fun. This past year has been a joyous mix of introducing ourselves to Berkeley, meeting new people, and helping to build a healthy community. We are proud to announce that Amanda’s Feel Good Fresh Food Restaurant will be celebrating our one year anniversary!

As the assistant general manager of Amanda’s for the past year, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in helping Amanda’s Restaurant through our first year. From our incredible team, to our wonderful customers, to the unfailingly supportive Berkeley community, it has truly been a group effort.

On Saturday 25 July, 2009, we will be throwing an all-day party (from noon to 8pm) to commemorate our first year. We will be giving out samples of our delicious food throughout the day. We’ll have several different musicians performing in the front of the restaurant. You could also win prizes to Almare Gelato, the Oakland Zoo, Parrot Cellular, Juice Appeal, Jupiter, Comic Relief, Meridian, Half Price Books, OCSC Sailing, Pegasus Books, Marjorie Majenti Acupuncture, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, YMCA, Aurora Theatre Company, Backyard Food Project, Shotgun Players, Bobby G’s Pizzeria, Hotel Shattuck Plaza, Carsala, and The Bread Project during our raffle. So bring the kids, friends, and family down to Amanda’s Restaurant on 25 July for a day of fun, food, music and prizes! See you then!

For another gift of a free freshly made soda with purchase of a grilled item, bring in a non-perishable food item for our drive for the Alameda County Food Bank.

Look forward to seeing you in a few weeks! - Peter

Help fight AIDS by eating out this Thursday, April 30. Participating restaurants donate at least 25% of dinner sales to local AIDS service organizations.

Feel Good about yourself by treating yourself to a meal at Amanda’s in Berkeley or other participating restaurants in the East Bay or search the Dine Out For Life Site for restaurants in your area.

Join the twitter culture and read the twitters of food writers or restaurateurs. The San Francisco Chronicle recently reported about foodies in the “twitterverse”. You can follow Amanda’s twitters here.

UNICEF’s goal is to increase the number of peope with safe water and basic sanitation. You can help, without writing a big check during World Water Week, March 22-28,2009. Just pay $1 or more for the tap water you usually get for free at restaurants like Amanda’s, Venus, Chez Panisse, and Saul’s Deli in Berkeley, CA. To find a participating restaurant in your area, click here. Or, donate online here.

Berkeley’s Eat Well program is one of the many reasons that I’m proud to have started my restaurant, Amanda’s, in Berkeley. It is an innovative community health program unique to Berkeley, but something that I hope will set an example to cities nation-wide. I’m particularly excited about the program because I have spent years researching healthy eating options in the restaurant industry and my own restaurant is founded upon building a healthy community by offering delicious and affordable, yet wholesome meals which you can read about here.

Eat Well is sponsored by the City of Berkeley and Kaiser Permanente. It is designed to support and promote restaurants that provide healthy food choices. Customers can use the program to identify restaurants that meet the overall criteria including offering a fruit or vegetable side dish and a lean meat option, healthy options for kids, and no trans fats at all. Eat Well also helps you identify specific menu items that meet the calorie and balanced meal guidelines of the program. Some of the Berkeley restaurants who are currently in the Eat Well program include:
* Amanda’s Feel Good Fresh Food restaurant at 2122 Shattuck Avenue (at Center Street)
* Bobby G’s Pizzeria at 2072 University Avenue
* The Bread Workshop at 1398 University Avenue
* Spud’s Pizzeria at 3290 Adeline Street
* And more DBA businesses have registrations in progress.

I promise to post something other than the wonderful press reviews of Amanda’s. But, I thought that you all would be interested in the article about Amanda’s in the Chronicle’s 96-hour section. In a budget economy, Amanda’s is truly a Bargain Bite.

Also, please help support Amanda’s with by casting your vote for us in the Chronicle’s Best of the Bay.

Hello Feel Good Fast Food folks! I’m going to be on View from the Bay Today 3-4pm PT showing how to make a wholesome, balanced, tasty meal at home. This meal is under $20 for 4 and under 450 calories. You can watch it live here today or check it out online later in the show archive.