Business news

Wal-Mart grant to shelter

BANGOR – The Bangor Area Homeless Shelter has received a $600 grant from the Brewer Wal-Mart Supercenter in support of the shelter’s soup kitchen.

The shelter operates a weekday lunchtime soup kitchen to feed those in need in its neighborhood. The shelter relies on community donations, U.S. Commodities food deliveries, and volunteers to provide this community service.

The Wal-Mart grant provides funds to purchase necessary ingredients in order to complete meals based on the basic donations from these other community sources, shelter officials said.

Honored family restaurants

Parents magazine has named the Chicago Uno Grill chain among its top 10 Best Family Restaurants. Parents magazine did polling at more than 50 full-service and buffet-style restaurant chains.

Chicago Uno Grill, which has a restaurant in Bangor, was rated No. 4 in the poll in Parents magazine. Other chains in Bangor in the Top 10 were Chili’s Bar and Grill, No. 5; and Denny’s, No. 9. The survey road-tested the fun factor of chain restaurants nationwide, as well as health elements that are so important to parents.

For kids, Parents quizzed restaurants on their crayon quotient, since pre- and post-dinner coloring can be a fun diversion. Kids also want a variety of fun food on the menu.

For parents, the magazine asked about reservation policies, changing stations, accommodations for children with food allergies and menus with healthier options, as well as being trans-fat free.

“We are pleased to see that restaurant chains are offering healthier options for the whole family, but many can still do better,” said Sally Lee, editor-in-chief of Parents magazine. “In particular, parents are concerned about trans fats, so we made it a point to note which restaurants still have them in at least some of their menu items.”

Uno was the first national casual dining chain to eliminate artificial trans fats from their menu, officials said.

In April, Uno Chicago Grill topped Health magazine’s list of America’s healthiest chain restaurants. Nutrition experts, dietitians and food editors cited the company’s lower-calorie flatbread pizzas, a menu with zero grams artificial trans fat – as well as a gluten-free menu for those with Celiac disease – a wide selection of grilled entrees, multigrain pastas, shade-grown coffees and organic teas.

For more information on Parents’ list of the 10 Best Family Restaurant Chains, visit www.

parents.com. For more information on Uno and its healthy meal options for children, visit www.unos.com.