Healthy ... Right!

So I'm reading an article by the Monterey (Calif.) Herald's food editor about a new Web site -- a healthy dining finder.

Cool, I think. Just enter your zip code and you will be given a list of healthy dining options in your area. Fantabulous.

Mike Hale, the Herald writer, then goes on to expose that the site is full of chains that pay a fee to be listed on the Web site. I'm sure he's mistaken. No Web site calling itself the healthydiningfinder.com could seriously be taking money to list restaurants. It defeats the purpose of getting an independent look at the healthy options in your area.

Hale isn't mistaken. I typed in my own zip code and found that the "healthy" restaurants in my area included Chili's, Domino's Pizza, Burger King and Arby's. Seriously. According to the Web site:

Entrees (or full meals) must include at least one (emphasis added) of the following:
fruits and/or vegetables
lean protein, i.e., skinless white meat poultry, fish/seafood (including salmon), tofu, etc., with no more than two red meat dishes per restaurant
100% whole grains

By these standards, I can throw lard on lettuce and call it a healthy meal.

This is a site in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association.

Thanks, but I don't need any help finding my way to Burger King.