Healthy Dining Finder (HealthyDiningFinder.com) was a website that helped people find healthier choices when they ate out. California-based Healthy Dining made the site. The company was founded in 1990 and gave nutrition analysis services to restaurants. It started as a printed menu guide program for Southern California restaurants.
In 2004, the CDC gave Healthy Dining a grant to build a national online version. The website launched in March 2007.
How it worked
- A user entered a location and a price range, and could filter for take-out, delivery or catering. The site then listed restaurants nearby.
- Each restaurant page showed up to 10 healthier dishes with nutrition facts, such as calories, fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, sodium, sugar and fiber.
- Registered dietitians reviewed each dish before it went on the site.
- Some dishes had a “Special Request,” a change worked out with the restaurant to cut calories or fat. Examples were less cheese, oil, sauce or dressing.
A main dish or full meal had to include lean protein, fruits or vegetables, or whole grains. It could have no more than 750 calories, 25 grams of fat and 8 grams of saturated fat. Appetizers, sides and desserts had lower limits of 250 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3 grams of saturated fat. Fried foods were left out, and each restaurant could list no more than two red meat dishes. The site also used a “Sodium Savvy” label for lower-sodium choices.
The first phase of the site focused on chain restaurants. Soon after launch, about 50,000 restaurant locations took part. Later reports said the site covered more than 60,000 locations and more than 4,000 menu items. A mobile version came out in 2011, and a GPS-enabled mobile format followed in 2013.
The current status of the site is not clear. In September 2025, Wikipedia marked its link as dead. Menu items and nutrition facts at restaurants change often, so check them with the restaurant.
See more tools in the nutrition resources and the full wellness resources list.