Better Choice Programs

As the old adage goes, “You are what you eat.”  The Clinton County Health Department is working to make the better choices the easier choices.  Better choices can lead to better health.

Better Choice Retailer

If you find getting to supermarkets difficult, you are not alone. In rural areas, large supermarkets, with a wide variety of healthy choices may not be located nearby. This is inconvenient for everyone and creates a particular challenge for those without reliable transportation. The Better Choice Retailer program helps to bridge this gap by bringing healthier options closer to home. The program encourages locally-owned convenience and small grocery stores to offer a wider selection of healthy food options. 

Better Choice options include:

• fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables with no added salt, fat or sugar;
• low fat dairy products;
• lean protein (such as beans, peanut butter, or eggs);
• 100% whole grain products (such as 100% whole grain bread, brown rice, oats);
• zero-calorie beverages; and
• healthy snacks.

Better Choice Eatery

More meals are being eaten away from home than ever before, making it hard to eat healthfully. Meals eaten out of the home are known to be higher in calories, fat, and sodium. The Better Choice Eatery program (formerly known as Healthy Plates) wants to “feed” consumers the information needed to make better choices. This program identifies better choice options on restaurant’s menus, asks owners to select additional healthy changes that affect customers and ensures compliance with environmental health standards when they apply and annually, thereafter.  Program guidelines for entrees are based on the 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, written by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Better Choice Entrees contain:

• < 750 calories;
• < 35% total fat;
• 0 grams of trans fat;
• < 10% saturated fat;
• at least 1 lean protein; and
• at least 1 serving of fruit or vegetable.

The Better Choice Retailer program is supported by funding from the New York State Health Foundation’s Healthy Neighborhoods Fund Initiative (Clinton County) and the New York State Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Schools and Communities grant (Clinton, Essex, and Franklin Counties).

 The Better Choice Eatery program is a service of the Clinton County Health Department.