EAT FIT at GROUND PAT’I

There is no question that food is a big part of Louisiana culture, not just because of the abundance of seafood and Cajun cuisine, but also because of the way families and friends gather around food to enjoy each other’s company. Rather it be to visit with family members, friends, or coworkers, restaurants are a big part of the southern food culture. Established in 2013, the Ochsner Eat Fit program was created to give restaurant goers who wanted to eat healthier, more options at their favorite restaurants in the Louisiana area.

The Eat Fit program allows people who frequent certain restaurants to relish in a good meal, without the guilt. The program explains, “In our culture, food is more than nutrition – it’s an obsession. Five minutes after lunch, we’re talking about dinner. And fortunately, Eat Fit makes it easy to indulge without the guilt.”

Although Eat Fit got its start working with restaurants in the New Orleans area, it expanded to other regions around Louisiana, including the Houma area, in its Eat Fit Bayou extension. One of the participants in our area is Ground Pat’I

“It’s a fantastic program. People want to eat healthy,” says Linda Avers, owner of Ground Pat’i for eight years. “They want clean food, but they want to eat something that tastes good as well.”

The Ochsner Eat Fit program was designed to work with chefs to offer items on their menu that cater to those who might be dieting, or who struggle with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other ailments. Linda and her staff, who already had a “Lighten Up” menu before they joined Eat Fit, were able to create even healthier meal options.

Linda Ayers, owner of Ground Pari, shows off a popular entree from the Eat Fit Menu.

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