Twigs Cafe Keeps Up with Healthy Eating Trend Hitting Food Companies

The Washington Post recently reported that more food companies are improving their pre-packaged lunch meats with healthier options that are devoid of chemicals and artificial flavors. Twigs Cafe offers customers healthy and delicious options.

Food companies are revamping the classic take on prepackaged deli lunch meat by providing more upscale and healthier options to consumers, according to a news story from The Washington Post. More flavors, such as honey, mesquite, Cajun and smoked, are appearing on the deli meat labels to provide customers with more flavorful delicacies. Twigs Cafe Restaurant supports healthy eating options and makes sure to include them on the menu.

In the past, prepackaged meats were sliced pretty thin. Now, the meats are offered in thicker slices, similar to traditional delis, meaning people don't have to pack on as much meat to get a full sandwich. Plus, packages of sliced meats, like soppressata and prosciutto, once found only in delis are making their way onto grocers shelves.

Sodium has also been reduced and artificial flavors removed from many lunch meats at the request of customers wanting more natural products. "There are consumers out there who are interested in products that have ingredients that are more familiar and recognizable," said Heather Buettner, senior director of new product development and innovation at Oscar Mayer, a Kraft Foods-owned meat and cold cut production company.

Twigs Cafe Restaurant carries a variety of healthy lunch meats and other items on its menu. Among those is salmon, brimming with omega-3 fatty acids, which decrease the risk of heart disease, promote joint health and prevent certain forms of cancer. Also, salmon carries sources of protein and vitamins. Salmon can easily be found in most local grocery stores and fish markets.

Folks can even go on the restaurant's website and find healthy recipes, like tilapia with escarole and lemon-pepper oil. The recipe requires a handful of ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes to cook. Plus, the dish only has 465 calories, 30 grams of fat, 590 grams of sodium and 70 milligrams of cholesterol. The recipe is loaded with fiber and protein so customers get a delicious, and more important, nutritious meal.

Lori Bogedin, co-owner of Twigs Cafe Restaurant, said customers can dine on a variety of good-for-you salads, steaks, pastas and other dishes at the quaint eatery.

"At Twigs Cafe, we want to meet our customers' needs and that includes offering fresh, healthy dishes bursting with flavor," she said. "We also want to provide resources to our customers outside of the restaurant. That's why we post recipes and healthy eating tips on our website. We don't want to just serve healthy food - we want to educate the community on the importance of making health-conscious decisions when preparing meals."

ABOUT:

Twigs Cafe Restaurant offers tasty food, peaceful atmosphere and excellent service. The restaurant considers itself a "community matchmaker," bringing food and people together. The Twigs family has been a core part of the Tunkhannock area for many years. To learn more about Twigs Cafe Restaurant, such as catering services, go to www.twigscafe.com.