Arcadia Farms offers food, new menu based on Blue Zones longevity pursuit
Staff Reports | Digital Free Press
Arcadia Farms Café, 7025 E. 1st Ave. in Old Town Scottsdale is the first recognized Blue Zones Project restaurant in Scottsdale.
Arcadia Farms Café was founded in 1990 and has been a mainstay in the community for 35 years, Blue Zones Project officials tell the Digital Free Press.
The culinary team at Arcadia Farms Café worked with Blue Zones Project Scottsdale to bring their Blue Zones approval to fruition. The process of becoming a Blue Zones Project Approved Restaurant entailed updating Arcadia Farms Café menus with an array of plant-slant dishes that meet Blue Zones Healthy Dish Guidelines, according to a press release.
Standout selections on the newly rolled-out menu include the Mezze Brunch Board, Grilled Vegetable Sandwich, and Smoked Salmon Club Sandwich, the release states.
The program “Blue Zones Activate” is a three-phase program based on principles identified during a 20-year worldwide longevity study commissioned by National Geographic and detailed in the New York Times bestseller “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest and The Blue Zones Solution” by Dan Buettner.
“Initially, our introduction to Blue Zones was made through HonorHealth. Their affiliation to the project piqued our interest and after creating a Blue Zones catering menu for one of their events we knew we wanted to be involved and support this project in our community,” Ms. Ellis said in a prepared statement.
“Since its inception, Arcadia Farms Café [strives] to offer the best ingredients available from our local farmers and vendors. We are always searching for better ways to serve our customers and we think that continuing to provide a better and healthier way of eating is our underlying purpose which aligns perfectly with Blue Zones Project Scottsdale.”
Changes implemented by Arcadia Farms Café to ensure they reached Blue Zones status included pricing plant-slant entrees lower than their meat counterparts, removing salt shakers on tables to help reduce sodium intake, incorporating even more vegetable and whole grain selections, and sourcing fresh ingredients from local producers.
Additionally, Arcadia Farms has sourced wines from one of the original Blue Zones, Sardinia, Italy.
“Arcadia Farms Café has made the Blue Zones approval process seamless,” said Terra Meyer, Blue Zones organization well-being coordinator.
“Their 35 years of experience offering top-tier quality and locally sourced options shone through as they adopted menu changes, toting a newly printed menu with 15-plus Blue Zones-inspired items. As the first approved restaurant in Scottsdale, Arcadia Farms Café is a trailblazer for well-being and health in the community.”
