Calories and Restaurants in the News

Summary-

New Yorkers have been in the throes of sticker shock since this spring when the Big Apple became the first city in the country to implement a law forcing chain restaurants to post the calorie count of each food in the same size and font as the price.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25464987/

I found this article incredibly amusing, and I pray that other cities do the same.

This may not sound fair, but IMO the small mom and pop places should have to do it too.  They already have to pay for other things and comply with other laws.  It should be part of the start up costs.

Awesome article! Awesome idea!!! I wish they had that where I live... I'm constantly trying to figure out calories at restaurants (I just finished emailing a chain restaurant suggesting that they put their stinking nutrition information on their website! arggghhh)  I don't eat out often, but when I do, I certainly want the option to make good choices.

 

Original Post by beckabooey:

Ahahaha!  That article is great!

Lord, I wish this were the "norm" and not just NYC.  It's so difficult to make healthy choices when eating out, and in a society that socializes over food, I sometimes don't have a choice about when/where I eat out.  I have no problem ordering a 1500 calorie dinner, but tell me up front so I only eat half of it, ya know?

When I first started CC-ing, I was shocked at how many sit-down chains downright refuse to post nutritional info.

 I too wish this would be adapted by my local governments (I live in Wisconsin..). 

I tend to research if I know i"m going out - so I can plan - but you're right - most restaurants don't post the nutritional information on their websites (if they even have a website).  However, I have noticed that most restaurant chains I've been too offer a "weight watchers" menu.  I still would prefer to see what my options are and how healthy they are... 

Gi-Jane :  "Cigarettes come with health warnings for fairly good reasons.  But to treat good food the same way is totally overreacting. "

I agree with santonacci where this is concerned.  Some people were not taught to enjoy "everything in moderation".  I've seen small children sit down at McDonalds with over 2000 calories worth of heart stopping junk.  Meanwhile, their parents are cramming just as much of that heart-attack-in-a-sack food down their throats too.  This is our future here... 

My big problem is that - for the life of me - I do not recall getting the notes on nutrition in school.  In fact, the only thing I recall from my health classes is "don't smoke" and "here's how to use a condom". I don't remember learning about calories and nutrition.

It wasn't until my friend suggested I try a food journal that I realized what I was doing to myself and that my weight problem was indeed my fault!

I bet anything that if the rest of America were to see calorie counts on their muffins, bagels and donuts - they'd think twice too!

Also - I'd like to see a more detailed education program for our children in all schools - from daycare to public schools to private schools.  They schoolboards can offer a somewhat healthy menu all they want - but the kids are the ones who are putting the food in their mouth - not the schoolboard.

One highschool I attended offered the healthy stuff - but right next to that, it had a pretzle stand, a candy vending machine and 3 soda machines.  3 guesses what kids went for first...

 

We love Big Brother don't we? No way this should be a requirement by law... So silly. Educate yourself, don't depend on a restaurant... 

systemp-Its a little hard to educate yourself when you have no idea what they are adding to this food, or the quantity of things like butter they are adding. When your calorie counting, even a small difference can change whether your over or under for they day. How am I supposed to know how many calories are in their food if I'm not preparing it? Granted I understand a burger and fries is going to be loaded with calories but there are some choices that may shock you how many calories are in them and would definitely shock someone who wasn't an avid calorie counter to begin with.

Original Post by systemp:

We love Big Brother don't we? No way this should be a requirement by law... So silly. Educate yourself, don't depend on a restaurant... 

Wow, isn't this just a slippery slope argument. 

How are we supposed to know what is in the food when you cannot taste some things, such as sodium?  Guess what, you cannot taste the sodium.  It doesn't necessarily taste salty.  If you cannot taste it and the restaurant refuses to give the information, then how are you supposed to know what is in there?

Another thing-lactose.  Again, you cannot taste it, yet so many foods have it.   If you cannot taste it and the restaurant refuses to give the information, then how are you supposed to know what is in there?

I'm supposed to go to California Pizza Kitchen today and I can't find much nutritional information so I will probably ditch CPK for something else. It makes me sad because I LOVE CPK!

Anyhoo... I hope this law catches on, but I do think people should have the option to ask for the nutritional info. I guess that would defeat the purpose of the law though considering the info wouldn't reach the target population.

I have to think of the normally weighted person who hasn't ever had to think about what they eat (hate um j/k). How will this affect their choices? Will they now focus and obsess about food? Will it change what they eat or their already (assumingly) fabulous metabolism?

IF ONLY... all restaurants were like Jimmy John's. At their website you can pick a sandwich and the nutritional info comes up. They you can subtract items, like mayo, and it recalculates the nutritional info. Awesome!!

I'm going with the minority opinion here and will say that I don't think it's something lawmakers should be spending time and energy on.  There are all sorts of excuses being given about why "uneducated people" make poor choices.  However, nutritional information on menus only addresses just a tiny part of the problem.  Education starts in the home and in the schools. 

It's not that I disagree that restaurants should post their information.  They should.  But they are still businesses and should have the choice to do so.  I felt the same way about smoking bans. 

I disagree that eating out is somehow cheaper.  I can make a batch of beans in 20 minutes that last about 4 days for $3.  I could do it cheaper with dry beans and bigger batches.  I can make a tuna sandwich for about $1, using good tuna and whole grain bread.  I cut my Starbucks down to maybe once a week and my daily cup of coffee has been replaced with water.  I can make a fancy Thai recipe for 2 people for about $5. 

I'm sorry but I disagree that the people who eat mindlessly at expensive chain restaurants are poor and uneducated.  I see people who make about the same and usually more money than my family.  They are college grads (or equivalent) who have good jobs and resources to pay attention to current events.  If people spent as much time reading about nutrition as they with celebrity gossip, politics and fad diets, this nation would be in better shape. 

If the government needs to get involved, it should be in education.  There are already promotions like "mypyramid.gov" and all the PSAs on children's television.  The public knows what it needs to be healthier.  I don't the Big Brother comment is off at all.  The gov't is stepping into the private sector where it doesn't belong. 

Go here - http://www.phord.com/cc/

That will give you a good estimate of your BMR and RMR.  Try to eat at least as much as your BMR and see if that doesn't even out your rapid loss.  I would suspect that you were a soda drinker before.  That's probably where your big calorie deficit is coming from.

Original Post by mrsdagle:

If the government needs to get involved, it should be in education.  There are already promotions like "mypyramid.gov" and all the PSAs on children's television.  The public knows what it needs to be healthier.  I don't the Big Brother comment is off at all.  The gov't is stepping into the private sector where it doesn't belong. 

I do agree with the first part of your point Mrsdagle.  Maybe they could pay for the nutrition teacher's salary with all that money that comes from the junk food vending machines ;)

But in all seriousness, we need nutrition education starting at a young age and continued through adulthood.  The restaurants should be required to publish their information somewhere that everyone can find it.

We should be involved about health issues at a younger age.  :)

A few things to disagree on. That food is cheaper in restaurants then stores is actually a fact now. More then a few studies have been done on it. Mabye not your extra economical cooking with beans and tuna, but for those peopel that dont eat beans and tuna, along with other cheap variations. And even cooking a good healthy meal, is not something that most people today know or even care to do anymore. A large majority of people dont even COOK anymore (which i find sad). You can't just look at the minority that know how to shop right and cook healthy. You have to take into consideration those people that don't live like that, which is a large majority. People want to have easy meals, and in the generation we are at right now, easy meals are more important then shopping economically. And even if you counter saying something like, "They can learn", you NEED to take the times into consideration. People here at CC WANT to learn, but we are the vast minority. Most people don't care enough to be educated, and they don't want to learn. But then if ONLY 2/3s of all Americans die from obesity who cares, they could have learned about it. Its their fault. Dont be selfish.

I could be wrong, but the government should actually care about the majority of their country. Btw, this is not to be rude, just blunt. :)

People that eat at chain restaurants mindless ARE uneducated (not nessasarily poot). You are saying over 2/3s of fat adults in the US are glady chomping 5000 calories a meal? I highly doubt it. The news is not equal. People DONT spend the time to learn about nutrition even if its there. Why? The media doesn't put it to the forefront for people to really learn about it. The country as a whole is having issues with obesity. If thats not a call for the government to get involved then what is? Yea, you can try to educate people as children, but what about the adults that are going to school to learn about it? 

  A recent study (from msnbc news) from the FDA, showed restaurants are the main reason for obesity. . i can link countless news articles about obesity and the problems it causes the country. More gas consumption, a worse economy, and a sicker, unhealtheir country for starters. If starting with improving the countries overall health and economy with restaurants is the way to go, then go for it!

I am trying to find the article I read the other day that talked about the benifits to the whole country if everyone lost 10-15 pounds. It was an eye opener for sure.

Oh and just so we are clear (sry for double post)

Three hundred thousand people die each year due to obesity-related causes, making it the second-leading cause of death after smoking. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.

Source-http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15415446/wid/1191 5773?GT1=8618

 

EDIT: Oh and I found the article that asked what would happen is no one in american was overweight.....Take a mintue to read it please

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Insuranc e/Advice/WhatIfNoOneWereFat.aspx?page=1

Trying to stay on topic, which is more about whether eating out is cheaper than eating at home, whether gov't should be spending time, energy and money trying to inform an uninterested public and just how uninformed is the public when Diet, Nutrition and recipes are plastered all over magazines and tv shows. 

A trip to Denny's for a single parent and child is $16 (no dessert, not including tip).  A trip to a Mexican restaurant for 3 (two parents and child) runs about $30.  A trip through the drive-thru for the same 3 people runs about $12-15.  It's been a while since I've visited a Chili's or that type (they are really expensive) but I remember several years ago, they ran $30-40 for dinner for that same 3 people.  Outback can run in the $60-70 range.  If you think poor and uneducated people eat at those places, then perhaps we have a vastly different view of the world. 

I'd like to see how that can possibly be cheaper than fixing food at home.  Is it that  restaurants that are to blame or is it more accurate to say that it's people choosing to go to restaurants too often and eating too much and too much of the wrong thing that is to blame for the obesity epidemic? 

Original Post by systemp:

We love Big Brother don't we? No way this should be a requirement by law... So silly. Educate yourself, don't depend on a restaurant... 

 Now, whether you educate your self or not, you still will not know exactly WHAT those restaurants are putting in the foods they are preparing for you.  The only way to REALLY know what's in your food is to MAKE IT YOURSELF.

I feel like it's a NEED TO KNOW issue - I NEED TO KNOW what they are putting on my plate and what is in it. 

We have made it the responsibility of food manufacturers (kraft, doritos, Coka-cola) to put nutritional labels on their packaging telling consumers the nutritional value (or lack thereof) of the product so that they can make wiser purchases as it suites their needs.  and in that same respect I honestly agree that it would be the restaurants responsibility to do the same by showing the basic nutritional value of the items on their menu.

Original Post by mrsdagle:

I'm going with the minority opinion here and will say that I don't think it's something lawmakers should be spending time and energy on.  There are all sorts of excuses being given about why "uneducated people" make poor choices.  However, nutritional information on menus only addresses just a tiny part of the problem.  Education starts in the home and in the schools. 

It's not that I disagree that restaurants should post their information.  They should.  But they are still businesses and should have the choice to do so.  I felt the same way about smoking bans. 

I disagree that eating out is somehow cheaper.  I can make a batch of beans in 20 minutes that last about 4 days for $3.  I could do it cheaper with dry beans and bigger batches.  I can make a tuna sandwich for about $1, using good tuna and whole grain bread.  I cut my Starbucks down to maybe once a week and my daily cup of coffee has been replaced with water.  I can make a fancy Thai recipe for 2 people for about $5. 

I'm sorry but I disagree that the people who eat mindlessly at expensive chain restaurants are poor and uneducated.  I see people who make about the same and usually more money than my family.  They are college grads (or equivalent) who have good jobs and resources to pay attention to current events.  If people spent as much time reading about nutrition as they with celebrity gossip, politics and fad diets, this nation would be in better shape. 

If the government needs to get involved, it should be in education.  There are already promotions like "mypyramid.gov" and all the PSAs on children's television.  The public knows what it needs to be healthier.  I don't the Big Brother comment is off at all.  The gov't is stepping into the private sector where it doesn't belong. 

 My comment is on the following: Education starts in the home and in the schools. 

If MOm and Dad eat poorly and have bad eating habits they end up teaching those poor diet habits to their children so there's the "home" issue.

and if schools are cutting budgets because the local and federal governments are cutting back on funding for schools then where is that education going to come from???

 If our parents fail us by neglecting to teach us healthy eating habits and the schools fail us by not having the funds to pay a teacher to teach the nutrition classes then who do we blame???

This is not a conspiracy - the government is NOT trying to control what we eat - I see this as a gentle nudge in the right direction.

For me - I want to see that calorie lable on the menu when I sit down.  Because seeing that will remind me that I'm trying to eat healthy and I can use that information to make an EDUCATED DECISION!!!

 

I have to add my two cents here...

There's a reason why this law has been passed in NYC, and it's not just our health-conscious mayor. Walk down Wall Street or Midtown in the 50's at 10pm and you'll lines of black cars waiting to drive home overworked employees. Try taking the subway at rush hour out to the outer boroughs and see how long a commute takes you (mine takes 1.5 hours each way). In New York time is money, and people would rather spend their money on prepared food than their precious time soaking beans. This is one of the major reasons why New Yorkers eat out all of the time, regardless of our wealth.

 

I actually don't think restaurants should be forced to cram their food's calories down the public's throat, I agree that we should be educating ourselves and our children on how to eat right.

However, I also agree that no matter how educated you are, there is no way of knowing if the chicken you're ordering has been smoothered in butter when it was cooking, or olive oil, or how much was used, or how much butter was baked into that muffin, or in that sauce, or how much salt was added, etc...

Yeah, I could refuse to eat out and make everything at home, but where's the fun in that?  I like to eat out about once every other week or so, and I'd like to know how to plan my daily calories accordingly.  Maybe I will get that desert that's 500 calories on it's own, just as long as I know what I'm putting in my body and can plan around it.

So no, it shouldn't be a law to put the calories right out there on display, but I think it's a really good idea to have the nutritional info available to anyone who asks for it, or who wants to look it up online.  I usually try to support restaurants that do just that.

Another side of the coin though (this is just a theory and not nessesarily my opinion): Perhaps the government got the idea to do this because he number of weight related issues in the states has become a drain on the overall economy.  Society has proven that it doesn't have the desire to educated itself, so they decided they needed to step in, even if just to save the drain on tax-payer's money.  Although I guess you guys don't have health care down there, so maybe not.  Dunno, just throwing that out there.

"So no, it shouldn't be a law to put the calories right out there on display, but I think it's a really good idea to have the nutritional info available to anyone who asks for it, or who wants to look it up online.  I usually try to support restaurants that do just that."

 

Yeah, I've almost completely stopped the chain restaurants since I started counting calories.  And I generally order food that I can look up or taste the ingredients enough to figure out what I've eaten.  Yes, I can tell when the food has been smothered in evil and poison. 

I never said the gov't is trying to control what we're eating.  I said that it has more important problems to solve than forcing private business to explain their menus to a disinterested public. 

We all make choices, long commutes and poor eating habits are among some of them. 

The government insists that companies that make stuffed animals put what was stuffed into them (100% new polyester material or perhaps, dog fur, mange and used needles) so that consumers can make an educated decision. I see this no differently. How can consumers make educated choices if the information isn't available to them. It's like asking people to order off a menu without the prices being displayed.

When first heard that NYC was doing this I was excited...finally I could figure out what my options really are.  Yes, I know that grilled chicken with rice is better than fried chicken with french fries, but I know that the rice isn't as simple as what I make at home with rice and water.  Now I can find out how bad it really is for me.

On the other hand I can see why some people might not want to be "forced" to view the calorie information.  Sometimes you might just want to eat a cheeseburger, even if you know it isn't good for you.  So why not come up with a compromise.  At the back of the menu put all of the nutrition information (in the same size font as the rest of the menu) and people can choose to look at that page or not.  The info is always there (the restaurant can't always seem to be out) but it isn't forced on anyone.