4 Okanagan spots on new Top 100 Restaurants with Healthy Bites list

If your resolution for 2024 is to eat healthier, even when eating out, OpenTable has some suggestions on where to go in the Okanagan.

The online restaurant reservation service company, which seems to specialize in top 100 lists, has unveiled its Top 100 Restaurants with Healthy Bites list for 2024.

It’s all formulated by diner reviews from Canadians across the country and it includes four Okanagan restaurants.

According to OpenTable, four spots you might want to book a reservation at if you’re looking for a healthier night out are:

• Old Vines Restaurant at Quails’ Gate Winery (Kelowna)
• BLOCK ONE Restaurant at 50th Parallel Winery (Lake Country)
• Shaughnessy’s Cove (Summerland)
• PeakFine at Sparkling Hill Resort (Vernon)

An OpenTable survey found that 55% of Canadians resolve to eat healthier in the new year, but 62% find it hard to discover healthy restaurants.

In addition, 30% of consumers surveyed find it difficult to choose healthier options when eating out.

What consumers don’t always realize is that wanting to eat better doesn’t mean having to avoid eating out,” explained Abbey Sharp, registered dietitian and food blogger.

“There are some simple practices you can put in place to better navigate a restaurant menu and maintain a balanced diet, including a focus on fiber and having sauces on the side.”

Here are tips from Sharp for people who want to make healthier choices at restaurants:

• Fuel up with fiber: Fiber is a great source of nutrition and can help you feel fuller for longer, so don’t be afraid to start your meal with a broth-based soup loaded with veggies or a grain bowl full of greens and healthy fats, if you please.
• Forget the fried: Diners indulge in delicious deep-fried goodness every now and then, but sometimes simple is better - and just as tasty! So choose grilled, baked, roasted or broiled options over fried, whenever possible.
• Get your sauce on the side: Fact: sauces take your meals to the next level. Consider ordering them on the side next time you dine out so you can be the master of your own destiny-and sauce intake.
• Keep your portions within proportion: Picky eaters rejoice! You can have it all. Instead of ordering a single main, try ordering a protein-based appetizer and a vegetable-based appetizer. This helps with portion control AND allows you to explore more menu options.
• Diner knows best: No food is bad food. Listen to yourself and enjoy everything in moderation.

To see OpenTable’s entire Top 100 Restaurants with Healthy Bites list for 2024, click this link.