Scott and White Health Plan and the Frank W. Mayborn Civic & Convention Center have joined forces to bring healthier options to convention center guests.

Starting Tuesday, February 5, the Mayborn Convention Center will add a menu featuring dining options with leaner meat, fewer calories and more fruits and vegetables. The Temple Parks Volunteer Recognition Dinner held on February 5 at 5:30 p.m. will be the first opportunity to highlight the new addition.

“Scott and White Health Plan is excited to partner with Mayborn Convention Center to offer healthier meal options in the community,” said Allan Einboden, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Scott and White Health Plan. “We want to change the way our community thinks about health because we believe knowledge is power to live a healthier life.”

“The Mayborn Convention Center is excited about this new partnership,” said Nancy Glover, Director of the Convention Center. “We have added new healthy menu options to many different areas of our operation – including the concession stand. Working with Scott and White Health Plan has helped us to understand the importance of meal preparation. The way you cook a meal is as important as the ingredients you choose.”

The healthier menu option is a complement to meals already offered through the convention center food service, so meeting planners have a choice of menus. Einboden notes all meals can be made healthier by following a few basics:
•Include two servings of fruits and vegetables.
•Eat moderate meat portions.
•Consider reducing the calorie count by skipping the roll and butter.

“We think this general rule of thumb makes it easy for other organizations and leaders in the community to follow in our footsteps as we strive to make our service area the healthiest in Texas,” said Einboden.

As part of a community-wide initiative to reduce obesity and improve health, the Health Plan approached the City to partner with Mayborn Convention Center in offering healthier meal options in the community. Other healthy community efforts initiated by Scott and White Health Plan include a walking program, an exercise module designed for weight control, medically guided weight loss programs administered in the Health Plan retail pharmacies, and cooking classes designed to provide the tools and knowledge for healthy meal preparation.

For more information on the Scott and White Health Plan programs, please visit www.swhp.org. For more information on the new healthy eating options at the Mayborn Convention Center, please call 254.298.5720.