Reports from the Brooklyn District Public Health Office indicate that “obesity and overweight are common in residents of all ages in Bedford-Stuyvesant and Bushwick. More than 1 in 4 children in Head Start programs and public elementary schools are obese, and more than 4 in 10 are overweight or obese.”
Knowing this, Jamaica Grill, a family-owned and operated restaurant is committed to a healthier community and has undertaken several initiatives to help in the fight for better health. Partnering with Emblem Health, CAMBA and other not-for-profits, Jamaica Grill offers community residents free healthy cooking demos. They have also launched a Healthier Options Menu. This menu is designed to help customers understand what to put on their plate when making a selection for dinner. It also offers diabetic-friendly entrées and side dishes. Owner, Dawn Skeete, believes this is how her restaurant can best contribute to fight obesity. The last in the series of Healthy Cooking Demos is winding down for 2013. These demos focused on teaching community members how to plan and shop for healthier food options.
Jamaica Grill was recently featured on a “Live Healthy/GBHC” Breakfast Hotspot with Dr. Bob Lee during the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 107.5 FM. Chef Skeete noted that “Health is the New Wealth” and Jamaica Grill’s new Healthy Option Menu is the place to find healthy local “take-out.” She pointed out that while many have moved to buying healthier produce, some are making wrong combination choices, preparation methods and still others are unsure of serving portions. Farm Food Group Inc., the parent company of Jamaica Grill, has always been a supportive and community-invested business. Skeete elaborated, “this new menu is part of a larger strategy to address health issues affecting the Brooklyn communities of Bedford Stuyvesant and Bushwick.”
To help you make healthier choices this holiday season, Jamaica Grill is offering holiday meals, featuring some of the dishes from the Healthy Option Menu and the Healthy Cooking Demos. What’s on Jamaica Grill’s table for this Thanksgiving season? Jerk Turkey stuffed with Yellow Yam; Breadfruit Salad and Maple Cinnamon Yams. For the full holiday menu, please visit www.jamaciagrill.com
The restaurant is located at 321 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y., between Lexington Avenue & Quincy Street in Bedford Stuyvesant. TSkeete will launch her new recipe book in a few weeks and has partnered with Demarketplace.com to offer the recipes for Jamaica Grill’s signature Jerk Turkey and Sorrel Cranberry Sauce. Sign up for recipes and other events including a special cultural drink from the Caribbean mixology workshop at www.demarketplace.com.
