Morton Plant Hospital Sponsors Restaurant Week

Hospital Adds Heart Healthy Challenge to Event

CLEARWATER, Fla., (April 18, 2016) --  As a part of its 100th Anniversary celebration, Morton Plant Hospital is sponsoring the 7th Annual Clearwater Beach Taste Fest on Friday, May 6 and Restaurant Week, which runs from May 9-22.

During Restaurant Week, each participating restaurant will offer a prix fixe menu priced from $15 to $35. Some restaurants will offer a prix fixe menu for lunch from $10 to $15.

As the sponsor of this event, Morton Plant Hospital is holding a “Heart Healthy Challenge” in which all participating Restaurant Week Restaurants will create a “Heart Healthy” appetizer for their prix fixe menu.

Criteria for the appetizer recipes are from the American Heart Association Heart-Check Meal Certification Program for restaurants. They are:

• Calories – 300 or less per appetizer
• Total Fat – 3 grams or less per 100 grams
• Saturated Fat – 1 gram or less per 100 grams
• Sodium – 300 milligrams or less

Additionally, no coconut or palm oils can be used in the preparation since they are both considered saturated fats. Seasoning without salt also is recommended. 

“For 100 years, Morton Plant Hospital has been working to improve the health of the community, and the Heart Healthy Challenge gives us the opportunity to remind the community that great tasting food can be good for you,” said Kris Hoce, president of Morton Plant Hospital.

The Taste Fest, featuring a tasting from each participating restaurant, will be from 6 to 9 p.m. along Beach Walk and S. Gulfview Blvd. The evening also includes wine and craft beer, live music, raffle items and fireworks. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for children ages 5 – 12. They may be purchased from the Clearwater Beach Chamber.

Proceeds from the Taste Fest will benefit Morton Plant Hospital’s Cardiovascular programs through the Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation.

Morton Plant Hospital received national recognition for its heart care as a 2016 Truven Health Analytics Top 50 Hospital for cardiovascular care and is the only hospital in the country to receive this designation 14 times.

About Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation
For more than 35 years, Morton Plant Mease Health Care Foundation has provided philanthropic support to the not-for-profit hospitals of Morton Plant Mease Health Care, including Morton Plant, Clearwater; Mease Dunedin; Mease Countryside, Safety Harbor; and Morton Plant North Bay, New Port Richey.

About Morton Plant Hospital
Since 1916, Morton Plant Hospital has been committed to improving the health of all we serve through community-owned health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. Our 687-bed hospital is proud to offer nationally recognized care delivered in more than 50 specialty areas. Morton Plant Hospital offers innovative, accessible, and quality services to provide our community with a lifetime of compassionate, convenient care. Check out information on Morton Plant’s 100th Anniversary at www.MortonPlant100.org. For more information, call (727) 953-6877, or visit us on Facebook or at 300 Pinellas St., Clearwater, Fla.

About BayCare Health System
BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 14 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Our mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care. For more information, visit BayCare on the Web at www.BayCare.org.