SINGAPORE: Singapore residents love to dine out. On any given evening, restaurants across the city are packed with eaters searching for the next tasty meal. For Tanya Kim, a Singapore citizen, she wants healthier food on the menu, and isn’t afraid of paying extra for it. “I believe that searching for those restaurants and cafes that have more healthy options is better and we should be giving them business no matter what, even if it is a few extra dollars,” she told that She isn't alone in Singapore, as a recent study showed that a growing number of Singaporeans are also wanting healthy food options, and are willing to pay a little extra for the dishes. A recent survey conducted by Unilever Food Solutions said that more than half of the 200 participants interviewed for the survey said that they “actively look for healthier alternatives when they are dining out.” More than 80 percent also indicated that they would order the healthier alternative if the option was presented to them, and 63 percent said that they would be willing to pay slightly more for the healthier menu option. It was part of Unilever’s third survey as part of its World Menu Report conducted across 10 countries on eating habits and dining preferences. The report supported the notion already believed in Singapore that the majority of diners “will seek the healthier option on a menu, even if they don’t end up choosing it.” Not surprising, nearly two-thirds of all respondents hoped that restaurants they regularly head to would make small changes to their favorite dishes to make them healthier instead of changing their choice at the restaurant.“More than half also said that they believe the healthier option tends to be more expensive, while 45 percent said that healthy food isn’t filling,” the report said. “A worrying four out of 10 said that the healthier option usually sounds less appetizing – which shows that one of the main barriers to diners choosing a healthy option is the unappealing way it is described,” the report added. But with the rise in the global vegan and vegetarian community, there are an increasing number of options for eaters that are less expensive and healthier than their meat counterparts. For Tanya, it is all about doing a bit of research before heading out. “I have found some really great restaurants in my city that are healthy and just as good, or better, than the places I used to go, so this is just laziness on people’s part.”Source: Bikyamasr, Image: flickr.com
