Health and well-being company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) will showcase its largest ever list of healthy food items through its signature Humana Healthier Choices program at Taste of Chicago 2016, the world’s largest food festival.

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The Humana Healthier Choices – selected by a panel of physicians and nutrition experts based on calories, saturated fat, sodium and ingredients – allow Taste-goers to indulge in the foods they love without stressing over their health and well-being. This year’s Humana Healthier Choices list features 75 healthy food options – the most in the program’s nine-year history – from 29 Chicago restaurants, which represent 40 percent of the total restaurants participating at the year’s festival.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in its 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines, states that everybody – including companies and organizations – has a role in creating and supporting healthy eating patterns for the communities they serve. For the second year, the Humana Healthier Choices list will include 49 vegetarian options – nearly two-thirds of the list – to cater to a larger sampling of health-conscious attendees. The program will once again promote six gluten-free options from Dia De Los Tamales.

“Taste of Chicago is both a local and national institution, and it is important for Humana to provide attendees the opportunity to eat healthy while still enjoying themselves,” said Neal Fischer, M.D., Humana Regional Medical Director. “Great things are ahead of you when your health is ready for them. The Humana Healthier Choices program shows Taste-goers and the local Chicago community that there are easy ways to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle.”

The Humana Healthier Choices food items will be identified with a new logo for 2016 – a green “H” with a circular arrow around it – that can be found on the menu boards at participating restaurant booths. The Humana Healthier Choices list will be handed out at the Humana tent, located on Columbus Drive between Jackson Boulevard and the Buckingham Fountain. The list can also be downloaded at the Taste of Chicago website, via facebook.com/TheTasteOfChicago and through the newly established Taste of Chicago app.

The personal story of John Falduto, owner and partner of Carbón Live Fire, shows the effect that the Humana Healthier Choices program and its emphasis on healthy living can have on individuals. Carbón will have menu items included in the program for the sixth consecutive year. While participating in a Humana-hosted event at the 2015 Taste of Chicago, Falduto, whose job makes it important for him to continually sample and eat various foods, was inspired by others’ stories of rejuvenated health and weight loss.

“Since I work in the food business, I tend to get very busy, which makes it difficult to prioritize exercise and healthy living,” Falduto said. “I’ve made it a priority over the last year to eat healthier, get to the gym frequently and start hiking again, which has helped me to lose 25 pounds and feel better. The stories of health and well-being at last year’s Taste of Chicago and Humana’s healthy living message have motivated my progress over the past 12 months.”

All restaurants participating in the 2016 Taste of Chicago were invited to submit their menu items for consideration for the Humana Healthier Choices program. For an item to be considered, restaurants must submit nutritional details, including calories, sodium content, saturated fat and the list of ingredients.

Humana Healthier Choices for Taste of Chicago 2016 (vegetarian options noted by a V):

Appetizers/Starters – Less than 320 calories, 300 mg sodium and 2 g saturated fat

  • Taste Portion of Seaweed Salad (V) – Arami
  • Taste Portion of Buta Hara – Arami
  • Taste Portion of Veggie Burger (V) – Beat Kitchen
  • Taste Portion of Mustard Fried Catfish – BJ’s Market
  • Taste Portion of Grilled Chicken Taco – Carbón Live Fire Mexican Grill
  • Taste Portion of Chicken Sambussa – Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
  • Taste Portion of Vegetarian Messob Misir Wat and Tikle Gomen (V) – Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
  • Taste Portion of Donër Box – Donër Men
  • Chili Lime Watermelon (V) – Farmer’s Fridge
  • Taste Portion of Chili Lime Watermelon (V) – Farmer’s Fridge
  • Taste Portion of Avocado Toast (V) – Farmer’s Fridge
  • Taste Portion of Chicken Sandwich (without cheese) – Gino’s Steaks Truck
  • Ginger Garlic Wings – Iyanze
  • Taste Portion of Chap Chae (V) – Jin Ju
  • Taste Portion of Chicken Tacos – La Cocinita
  • Taste Portion of Malnati Salad (V) – Lou Malnati’s
  • Taste Portion of Cauliflower Salad (V) – nana
  • Taste Portion of Avocado Fries (V) – nana
  • Celtic Corn on the Cob (V) – O’Brien’s Restaurant
  • Sweet Potato Potato Salad (V) – Pork & Mindy’s
  • Taste Portion of Bao to the Pork – Pork & Mindy’s
  • Taste Portion of Pulled Chicken Slider – Pork chop
  • Taste Portion of Reverse Coney (V) – Taco in a Bag

Main Dishes – Less than 500 calories, 500 mg sodium and 4 g saturated fat

  • Veggie Burger (V) – Beat Kitchen
  • Mustard Fried Catfish – BJ’s Market
  • Grilled Steak Taco – Carbón Live Fire Mexican Grill
  • Grilled Chicken Taco – Carbón Live Fire Mexican Grill
  • Taste Portion of Smoked Alligator - Chicago’s Dog House
  • Taste Portion of Smoked Rattlesnake with Rabbit - Chicago’s Dog House
  • Taste Portion of Chicken Sambussa – Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
  • Vegetarian Messob Misir Wat and Tikle Gomen (V) – Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
  • Donër Box – Donër Men
  • Avocado Toast (V) – Farmer’s Fridge
  • Chicken Sandwich (without cheese) – Gino’s Steaks Truck
  • Vegetarian Greens and Plantains (V) – Iyanze
  • Jerk Chicken – Iyanze
  • Chap Chae (V) – Jin Ju
  • Chicken Ke-Bob Curry Rice with Vegetables – Kasia Deli
  • Black Bean & Cheese Arepa with Salsa Verde – La Cocinita
  • Chicken Taco – La Cocinita
  • Malnati Salad (V) – Lou Malnati’s
  • Avocado Fries (V) – nana
  • Cauliflower Salad (V) – nana
  • Pulled Chicken Sandwich – Pork chop
  • Taste Portion of Grilled Chicken Satay – Star of Siam
  • Taste Portion of Pot Stickers – Star of Siam
  • Taste Portion of Pad Thai Noodles – Star of Siam
  • Reverse Coney (V) – Taco in a Bag
  • Taste Portion of Grilled Cheese (V) – The Fat Shallot
  • Taste Portion of Plantain and Jollof (V) - Vee Vee’s African Restaurant

Desserts – Less than 320 calories, 300 mg sodium and 2 g saturated fat

  • Taste Portion of Lemon Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Lemon Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Taste Portion of Blood Orange Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Blood Orange Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Taste Portion of Pineapple Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Pineapple Sorbet (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Taste Portion of Peanut Butter Brownie (V) – Caffe Gelato
  • Dinky Donut (2) (V) – Dinky Donuts
  • Italian Lemon Ice (V) – Franco’s Ristorante
  • Taste Portion of Italian Lemon Ice (V) – Franco’s Ristorante
  • Italian Watermelon Ice (V) – Franco’s Ristorante
  • Taste Portion of Italian Watermelon Ice (V) – Franco’s Ristorante
  • Lemon-Lime Paleta (V) – La Mexicana
  • Mango Paleta (V) – La Mexicana
  • Strawberry Paleta (V) – La Mexicana
  • Taste Portion of Strawberry Paleta (V) - La Mexicana
  • Watermelon Paleta (V) – La Mexicana
  • Taste Portion of Watermelon Paleta (V) - La Mexicana
  • Southern Red Velvet Morsel of Love (V) - Ms. Tittle’s Cupcake
  • Mango Sorbet (V) - Star of Siam
  • Chocolate Dipped Strawberry (V) – The Fudge Pot
  • Frozen Mango Kefir (V) - The Lifeway Kefir Shop
  • Taste Portion of Mango Kefir (V) - The Lifeway Kefir Shop
  • Frozen Original Kefir (V) - The Lifeway Kefir Shop
  • Taste Portion of Original Kefir (V) - The Lifeway Kefir Shop

The following six items from Dia De Los Tamales do not meet the Humana Healthier Choices nutrition criteria but provide options for Taste-goers with gluten-free dietary restrictions:

  • Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Tamale with Cuban Fricase
  • Taste Portion of Slow Roasted Cuban Pork Tamale with Cuban Fricase
  • Spicy Black Bean & Corn Tamale with Salsa Roja (V)
  • Taste Portion of Spicy Black Bean & Corn Tamale with Salsa Roja (V)
  • Buffalo Chicken Tamale with Blue Cheese, Shredded Carrot and Celery
  • Roasted Pepper and Goat Cheese Tamale with Red Pepper Crema (V)

A panel of five top Chicago-area physicians and nutrition experts with expertise in diet and nutrition collaboratively judged each item to assure that nutritional values were met. The panel included: Kathleen Duffy, M.S., R.D., Diabetes Nutrition Educator, Rush Oak Park Hospital Diabetes and Endocrine Care Center; Neal Fischer, M.D., Humana Regional Medical Director, Medicare Operations, Great Lakes Region; Amy Hess-Fischl, M.S., R.D., Advanced Practice Dietitian and Program Coordinator at University of Chicago’s Kovler Diabetes Center; Donna Perisee, M.D., Ph.D., Humana Medical Director, Medicare Great Lakes Region, Health Services Organization; and Donna Prost, MS, RD, LDN, CDE, Adult Diabetes Education Manager, Amita Health Diabetic Education Services.

Humana Healthier Choices Rewards Program

The Humana Healthier Choices Rewards Program will once again provide Taste-goers with incentives to participate in a host of well-being offerings. After receiving a free Humana Healthier Choices tag, which comes with a lanyard for a hands-free and convenient experience, participants can collect stamps by sampling any Humana Healthier Choices food item or participating in healthy activities at the Humana tent.

Once Taste-goers receive six stamps, they can drop off their badge at the Humana tent to be entered into random drawings for prizes donated by Taste of Chicago restaurants. Prize winners will be announced the evening of July 10.

Humana’s HappIEST Hour: Mocktail Challenge for Charity

Humana, along with WXRT-FM, will host Humana’s HappIEST Hour: Mocktail Challenge for Charity. The challenge will pit Catherine De Orio, host of WTTW-TV’s “Check, Please!,” against WXRT DJ Mary Dixon, who will defend her title as the winner of the healthy salsa challenge Humana hosted at the 2015 Taste of Chicago.

The event will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 9 and include recipes filled with ingredients that provide healthier alternatives to common drinks. The panel of guest judges will include WXRT DJ Johnny Mars and Supreme Lobster & Seafood Co.’s Carl Galvan. Following the event, Humana will award a donation to the winner’s charity of choice.

Additional Offerings from Humana

In a nod to many Taste-goers’ desire to take and share pictures of their food, Humana has designed a Snapchat Geofilter that can be used at Taste of Chicago during two of the festival’s busiest days: Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10. To select Geofilters on Snapchat, users can take a picture then swipe to the right until they find a filter that fits their photo preferences. Taste-goers are also encouraged to join the social media conversation and share their favorite Humana Healthier Choices food items throughout the food festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, mentioning @Humana, #TasteofChi and #HealthierChoices.

Attendees are welcome to participate in a number of activities at the Humana tent, which will be located on Columbus Drive between Jackson Boulevard and the Buckingham Fountain. The tent will feature a number of activities that encourage Taste-goers to Start With HealthyTM and get back to basic ways of staying healthy, including jumping rope, hula hooping and dancing. People can once again take advantage of the photo booth and prize wheels at the tent. More information about Humana offerings is available at www.TasteofChicago.us.

The 36th Annual Taste of Chicago is July 6–10 in Grant Park. Hours are 11 a.m.–9 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday, and 10 a.m.–9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the FREE admission festival, call (312) 744-3316 or visit www.TasteofChicago.us.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a leading health and well-being company focused on making it easy for people to achieve their best health with clinical excellence through coordinated care. The company’s strategy integrates care delivery, the member experience, and clinical and consumer insights to encourage engagement, behavior change, proactive clinical outreach and wellness for the millions of people we serve across the country.

More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:

  • Annual reports to stockholders
  • Securities and Exchange Commission filings
  • Most recent investor conference presentations
  • Quarterly earnings news releases
  • Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls
  • Calendar of events
  • Corporate Governance information