Calling all foodies and Gordon Ramsey wannabes to check out healthy culinary delights during Cheney Restaurant Week.

On Oct. 1 thru 5 Cheney will host its first annual Restaurant Week in which diners will be able to select from specialized lunch and dinner menus.

This event is the first in a launch to promote healthier eating and living. The event is part of the Eat Well Cheney initiative sponsored by Let’s Move, Cheney. Let’s Move, Cheney stemmed from the national campaign, Lets Move!, started by first lady Michelle Obama.

According to the Lets Move! website, childhood obesity rates in the U.S. have tripled over the past three decades. Lets Move!  is working to set children on the path to healthier futures by fostering healthy environments and creating accessible ways to get helpful information.

Let’s Move, Cheney started with Mayor Tom Trulove and the support of individuals throughout the community. From there the initiative got a financial boost from the partnership with Empire Health Foundation.

Featured restaurants include Lenny’s, Rokko’s, Gatto’s Pizza, the Mason Jar and Willow Springs Station Restaurant and Lounge. Students can find Restaurant Week items at the Roost, Baldy’s and Tawanka.

Paul Kile, assistant director of dining services, said, “Restaurant Week will highlight healthy choices that have been available on the menu at EWU.”

EWU will be working on further ways to promote healthy choices they offer throughout the year.

At the participating restaurant, diners will find a specialized menu featuring individual meal options that are each less than 750 calories. Lunch will include two courses for $8 and dinner will come complete with two courses for $13. All participating restaurants received nutritional analysis sponsored by Empire Health Foundation to ensure the calorie standards were met.

Mike Hartman, owner of Willow Springs Station Restaurant and Lounge, discussed their involvement with Restaurant Week and said, “Willow Springs is looking forward to doing this community event and letting diners know they have healthy choices available.”

Some of the items Willow Springs will feature on their dinner menu will be apricot chicken, a portobello steak and salmon with fall squash hash. The lunch menu will highlight different wrap and sandwich options and there are even healthy breakfast options available.

Dane’  Standish, obesity prevention coordinator for the City of Cheney, talked about this being the first step in getting people conscious of the nutritional information on what they are eating.

Standish said, “Most people pay attention to calories opposed to other nutritional information. As the initiative continues we will be working further with restaurants to get full nutritional analysis and help restaurants offer healthy choices.”

Restaurant Week will also give the opportunity to diners to win prizes. Diners who get an item off the Restaurant Week menu will get his or her name entered in a drawing for various prizes.

Let’s Move, Cheney will partner further with EWU by participating in the Neighbor Festival. The Neighbor Festival will be Sept. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Campus Mall. Let’s Move, Cheney will be giving out reusable shopping bags along with other prizes.

For more information on Restaurant Week and other Lets Move, Cheney events visit letsmovecheney.com or find them on Facebook.