It should be required by federal law...

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Replies

  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 992 Member
    The premise of this thread is sad really as it is indicative of people who have taken calorie counting (MFP) and nutritional values to the extreme.

    It is meant as a tool to keep you on track to help you live a longer, healthier and hopefully happier life, but people seem so committed to the concept that everything has to have a nutritional/calorie value applied to, labeled and stamped on it.

    Seriously are people so insecure about their adherence that they can no longer enjoy a meal at a restaurant, a friend's house or cake at a birthday, living in the moment and just enjoying themselves.

    Is self-imposed moderation and a fragment of common sense beyond people nowadays.

    A night out enjoying yourself and *gasp* even going over your calorie goal or not hitting your macros is not going to undo all the work you have put in.

    This is meant as a tool to develop a healthy relationship with food and your body but the level of obsession displayed in this thread denotes a different relationship altogether.

    Time to reassess your eating habits for some people and I am not talking about nutritional values...

    ...each to their own of course! Me I shall enjoy the company of my friends and family whilst out eating while others can stress about finding a franchise that caters to their fanaticism and insecurities about food values.

    So much this.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Already got my nose buried in it, and will be branching out. Bogged down already because there are different forms of copper. You didn't have to get cute about the chem trails, though. If something isn't in a peer reviewed abstract, I don't chase it, unless I was skimming and picked a bad source or I'm just bored and having fun with popular conspiracy theories.

    Well, good luck to you (seriously). May you come out the wiser and not overly worried about the minor stuff. Knowing stuff and then knowing to let it go is also a process and that is why I was "being cute" about that stuff.

    I edited the post you quoted, a secondary point is we already have rules and laws that cover a lot of this for chains, asking smaller restaurants to provide equivalent info has a culinary, economic and quality cost, if enforced. Or one can recognize that the calorie info published at most places will be a fantasy.

    Thanks, I learn what I can. I'm not a believer in keeping information from us 'regular' people for fear we'll misunderstand and misuse it, that justification has been used too many times by the powerful to keep the rest of us in line. But I don't pretend I have the education background I need to jump right on any piece of information and get it right the first time. I just do the best I can. Also, I could use a few less things to worry about! But never out of ignorance. Ignorance is only bliss until it gets you killed.

    Meanwhile, I don't advocate forcing smaller, less profitable businesses to label their calories at a high cost to them. Just the big, profitable chains. Although a tax break on small businesses willing to voluntarily do so could sweeten the deal enough to make it worthwhile to them. I could go for that.

    Well, that's all ready in place in many states and there already is an FDA level law since 2010 but the implementation is still full of issues.

    http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm248732.htm

    Again there is NO further legislation need, just the execution of current rules. And again, there are real reasons why it makes sense to exclude them for non-large chain restaurants if you want them to be tested and valid.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    I just like BWW more and more. Great wings and a good selection of beers. And, if you're eating there for the salads then you're doing it wrong.

    Yep, swung in for lunch Saturday. Kid loves all the sports options on the TV's, kids meals are good sized for the price, I have no idea how many calories I had....still don't care.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    I just like BWW more and more. Great wings and a good selection of beers. And, if you're eating there for the salads then you're doing it wrong.

    I like their chili cheese dip. It's delicious AND healthy.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    Sounds like a first world problem to me.

    And many/most of us are in the first world nations . . . your point would be?

    the point is if you are so spoiled to require this you wouldn't need it if you lived an ate like a 3rd world citizen. Wouldn't need to lose weight either.
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.


    So, people by their own free will decide to drink beer, eat wings and indulge in a bunch of fried food. BWW makes money serving these people who, by their own choice, are patrons of the restaurant. That money goes to providing jobs to employees, jobs to suppliers (who then in turn provide jobs to employees), taxes for all this regulation everyone wants and so one, and so forth.

    BWW posted the calorie counts and their sales dropped. So, to protect their margins (and those jobs, and all that tax money you want), they reversed the order.

    Are you actually suggesting that BWW should do things that have been proven to hurt their sales simply because some people are too lazy to Google information? Or too stupid to know that beer, wings and french fries are fattening? C'mon.

    Edited to add: I love BWW. I drink beer, I eat wings and I have a great 'ol time. I know that this is a high calorie endeavor. Being personally responsible for myself, I go for a run before the shenanigans and then get right back to my good habits after. It's not hard.
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
    No? That's part of being conscious of what you put into your body. I'm not saying that you look at the nutrition facts and say "no i can never have that" or "This is what I have to eat every time I come here" but I am saying that if you know what you are eating then you can plan the rest of the meals during your day to line up with what you are eating at that particular meal. Because after all, the thing that all of us are doing here (on this site) is trying to keep up with calories.

    Last time I looked the site was called "myfitnesspal" not "my'weigthlosspal"......not everyone here wants to lose weight

    If you can't occasionally go out and enjoy a meal based solely on the quality of the food, the service / presentation and the ambiance of the restaurant you're overthinking it.......

    Looks like the main feature of this site is calorie counting. I guess a lot of people are mainly here to troll the forums, though. If you think it's OK to eat an extra 3000 calories every time you go out to eat you're under-thinking it.
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    I shared a desert at Chili's with a friend recently. After dinner I learned that that desert was 1,400 calories. I think it would be great to have a break down of calories, fat, protein and carbs. I would have made a better choice. I feel more strongly about providing real food and eliminating processed stuff.

    You didn't make a better choice because you didn't bother to look. More info would definitely have helped you there . . .lol

    Not eating at Chili's would've been a better choice . . . . . . ..
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I shared a desert at Chili's with a friend recently. After dinner I learned that that desert was 1,400 calories. I think it would be great to have a break down of calories, fat, protein and carbs. I would have made a better choice. I feel more strongly about providing real food and eliminating processed stuff.

    You didn't make a better choice because you didn't bother to look. More info would definitely have helped you there . . .lol

    Not eating at Chili's would've been a better choice . . . . . . ..
    But he eats at Chili's because he wants "real, unprocessed food."
  • RivenV
    RivenV Posts: 1,667 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.


    So, people by their own free will decide to drink beer, eat wings and indulge in a bunch of fried food. BWW makes money serving these people who, by their own choice, are patrons of the restaurant. That money goes to providing jobs to employees, jobs to suppliers (who then in turn provide jobs to employees), taxes for all this regulation everyone wants and so one, and so forth.

    BWW posted the calorie counts and their sales dropped. So, to protect their margins (and those jobs, and all that tax money you want), they reversed the order.

    Are you actually suggesting that BWW should do things that have been proven to hurt their sales simply because some people are too lazy to Google information? Or too stupid to know that beer, wings and french fries are fattening? C'mon.

    But, but, but... People can't be bothered to be held responsible for their food choices!! That's heinous and unreasonable. Besides, everyone knows that business only make money--they never stop making money. Ever.

    (/sarc, in case there's any doubt)
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I shared a desert at Chili's with a friend recently. After dinner I learned that that desert was 1,400 calories. I think it would be great to have a break down of calories, fat, protein and carbs. I would have made a better choice. I feel more strongly about providing real food and eliminating processed stuff.

    You didn't make a better choice because you didn't bother to look. More info would definitely have helped you there . . .lol

    Not eating at Chili's would've been a better choice . . . . . . ..

    But but but......

    El Nino is such a delicious cocktail
    ac2ea14f1e661978ca54e0968270d5a3.jpg
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)
  • KseRz
    KseRz Posts: 980 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)

    Should I be going there for their wheat grass and sushi?

    I_so_confused.jpg
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member

    Wings are delicious !!!


    I know there were a bunch of other words above and below this, but I didn't read them. I just saw the bolded part and now I want wings. Mango Habanero, please.
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)

    You sure do seem to be an expert on how people should do ........ everything.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)

    Should I be going there for their wheat grass and sushi?

    I_so_confused.jpg
    No, no. You should be getting your wings elsewhere!

    I grew up in new York state and lived in Buffalo. I've even had the original wings, though a lot of people prefer Duff's to Anchor Bar. There's a bar around the corner from my house even here in Florida that has wings to rival the best Buffalo has. In fact, had I not gone vegetarian, my proximity to that bar would probably have resulted in me gaining 300 pounds just from the wings ...

    Chain restaurant wings? NO!
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    Seriously? You are attacking THIS of all things? The government regulates MANY things, including spending a half a trillion dollars on welfare and PROMOTING it through advertisement, and you are attacking my suggestion to mandate that all food have nutrition facts listed on it? alright then...
    If your not part of the solution then its part of the problem. We do not need more government regulations, since the government can not regulate anything successfully.
    Moving right along. When food is packaged and distributed it has to be lab tested for nutritional value. When it is a matter of assembling a meal out of items that have been lab tested for nutritional value you do not have to re-test them, you just have to add them up.

    So really what you need to do is bring a food scale with you.
    4oz of salmon is going to be 4oz of salmon,
    and 1/2 cup of veggies will be half a cup of veggies..
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)

    Doesn't eat meat but has strong opinions on wings . . . It's okay, I have strong opinions about tofu
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    But someday I might, and if that happens, yes, I would like profitable businesses to provide me with nutrition information, and in my opinion it's reasonable to make them do so.

    8868791.gif

    1. Who is going to determine which business are profitable and so should be providing said information?
    2. Who is going to pay for the person who is going to run this kind of analysis?
    3. Are you willing to pay higher prices for the additional expenses that businesses, especially small businesses, will incur as a result of this mandate?
    4. What is reasonable? If a business has a profit margin of 1% and your need for nutritional information makes them unprofitable, is that reasonable?

    And....

    Here is the kicker....

    5. Why can't you assume some personal responsibility and do some research for yourself to make your own choices? Are you that busy? Is it that hard? If you order a cheeseburger with french fries and dessert, you can pretty much assume it's going to have a high calorie count. If you order a salad will a number of high calorie items on it, guess what? High calorie count.

    Good lord.

    If the nutrition info is available online, I'm willing to see it as a reasonable compromise. If it isn't available anywhere, I can't take proper personal responsibility for myself if I don't have the correct information, except of course to avoid any place that doesn't provide it. There goes the power luncheon I had planned to participate in. Darn, was so looking forward to it. Guess I could sip ice water while my future colleagues stuff their faces?

    If it's not a huge burden for food companies to put nutritional info on the packaging it shouldn't be for restaurants, either. But silly me! I haven't asked you: Would you agree that forcing anyone to label their food with ingredients and calorie counts is just big government overstepping their bounds? Should we put a stop to that as well? After all, it costs money to regulate, enforce, and carry out.

    Next you'll want cooks to weigh your food as they prepare it. Lol.

    It isn't that there isn't info out there, it is that mandating more info isn't necessarily more valuable and has many costs.

    I posted about this awhile back. Food manufactures have a huge leeway of %20 in their package estimations, so no, the cook shouldn't have to go nuts weighing and measuring. A decent estimate for %90 or so of available dishes would be fine, thus even excluding dishes that change regularly from day to day or week to week. And only for large and profitable companies, exclude the mom and pops, what few remain.

    Actually there are more small restaurants than you think. I spent a week in California eating exclusively in restaurants (my father liked taking me out) and we only ate at small places - from the local bagel shop to the sushi place to the fancy pants French restaurant.

    The already proposed requirements aren't just guess and put it out there. There are pretty explicit and heavy...
    A restaurant or similar retail food establishment must provide
    to FDA, within a reasonable period of time upon request, information
    substantiating nutrient values including the method and data used to
    derive these nutrient levels. This information must include the
    following:
    (i) For nutrient databases:
    (A) The identity of the database used.
    (B) The recipe or formula used as a basis for the nutrient
    declarations. The recipe posted on the database must be identical to
    that used by the restaurant or similar retail food establishment to
    prepare the menu item.
    (C) For the specified amounts of each ingredient identified in the
    recipe, a detailed listing (e.g., printout) of the amount of each
    nutrient that that ingredient contributes to the menu item.
    (D) If this information is not available because the nutrition
    information was derived from a computer program, which is designed to
    provide only a final list of nutrient values for the recipe, a
    certificate of validation attesting to the accuracy of the computer
    program.
    (E) A detailed listing (e.g., printout) of the nutrient values
    determined for each menu item.
    (F) If this information is not derived through the aid of a
    computer program

    Page 19236

    which provides a final nutrient analysis for the menu item, worksheets
    used to determine the nutrient values for each of these menu items.
    (G) Any other information pertinent to the final nutrient levels of
    the menu item (e.g., information about what might cause slight
    variations in the nutrient profile such as moisture variations).
    (H) A statement signed by a responsible individual employed by the
    covered establishment that can certify that the information contained
    in the nutrient analysis is complete and accurate and that the recipe
    used to prepare the menu item is identical to that used for the
    nutrient analysis.
    (ii) For published cookbooks that contain nutritional information
    for recipes in the cookbook:
    (A) The name, author and publisher of the cookbook used.
    (B) If available, information provided by the cookbook about how
    the nutrition information for the recipes was obtained.
    (C) A copy of the recipe used to prepare the menu item and a copy
    of the nutrition information for that menu item as provided by the
    cookbook.
    (D) A statement signed by a responsible individual employed by the
    covered establishment certifying that the recipe used to prepare the
    menu item by the restaurant or similar retail food establishment is the
    same recipe provided in the cookbook. (Recipes may be divided as
    necessary to accommodate differences in the portion size derived from
    the recipe and that are served as the menu item but no changes may be
    made to the proportion of ingredients used.)
    (iii) For analyses:
    (A) A copy of the recipe for the menu item used for the nutrient
    analysis.
    (B) The identity of the laboratory performing the analysis.
    (C) Copies of analytical worksheets used to determine and verify
    nutrition information.
    (D) A statement signed by a responsible individual employed by the
    covered establishment that can certify that the information contained
    in the nutrient analysis is complete and accurate and an additional
    signed statement certifying that the recipe used to prepare the menu
    item is identical to that used for the nutrient analysis.
    (iv) For nutrition information provided by other reasonable means:
    (A) A detailed description of the method used to determine the
    nutrition information.
    (B) Documentation of the validity of that method.
    (C) A recipe or formula used as a basis for the nutrient
    determination. The recipe used in determining these nutrient values
    must be the same recipe used by the restaurant and similar retail food
    establishment to prepare the item.
    (D) Any data derived in determining the nutrient values for the
    menu item.
    (E) A statement signed by a responsible individual employed by the
    covered establishment that can certify that the information contained
    in the nutrient analysis is complete and accurate and that the recipe
    used to prepare the menu item is identical to that used for the
    nutrient analysis.

    Again, there is no need for smaller places to do this stuff, and that should be fine.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)

    Doesn't eat meat but has strong opinions on wings . . . It's okay, I have strong opinions about tofu
    Ate meat for 32 years.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    It's a problem because I don't want to stop eating at certain restaurants I like. I don't want to quit eating their food, I want them to provide Nutrition information.

    Bring a food scale and then google what you are eating.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Already got my nose buried in it, and will be branching out. Bogged down already because there are different forms of copper. You didn't have to get cute about the chem trails, though. If something isn't in a peer reviewed abstract, I don't chase it, unless I was skimming and picked a bad source or I'm just bored and having fun with popular conspiracy theories.

    Well, good luck to you (seriously). May you come out the wiser and not overly worried about the minor stuff. Knowing stuff and then knowing to let it go is also a process and that is why I was "being cute" about that stuff.

    I edited the post you quoted, a secondary point is we already have rules and laws that cover a lot of this for chains, asking smaller restaurants to provide equivalent info has a culinary, economic and quality cost, if enforced. Or one can recognize that the calorie info published at most places will be a fantasy.

    Thanks, I learn what I can. I'm not a believer in keeping information from us 'regular' people for fear we'll misunderstand and misuse it, that justification has been used too many times by the powerful to keep the rest of us in line. But I don't pretend I have the education background I need to jump right on any piece of information and get it right the first time. I just do the best I can. Also, I could use a few less things to worry about! But never out of ignorance. Ignorance is only bliss until it gets you killed.

    Meanwhile, I don't advocate forcing smaller, less profitable businesses to label their calories at a high cost to them. Just the big, profitable chains. Although a tax break on small businesses willing to voluntarily do so could sweeten the deal enough to make it worthwhile to them. I could go for that.

    Well, that's all ready in place in many states and there already is an FDA level law since 2010 but the implementation is still full of issues.

    http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm248732.htm

    Again there is NO further legislation need, just the execution of current rules. And again, there are real reasons why it makes sense to exclude them for non-large chain restaurants if you want them to be tested and valid.

    Implementation and enforcement do seem to be an issue (this is only for chains with 20 or more stores from what I read, so the mom and pop outfits are perfectly free to list or not list).

    I found an interesting article on it that makes me wonder what is making the grocery stores kick up a fuss. Always more reading leads to more questions.

    http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/256654611.html

    FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg told Congress earlier this month that writing the rules has been "much more challenging than expected." The agency issued proposed rules in 2011 but has faced pressure to revise them to exclude retail outlets like grocery and convenience stores.


    Okay, nevermind, found it:

    The supermarket and convenience store industries were perhaps the most unhappy with the rules that the FDA proposed in 2011. The agency proposed requiring those stores to label calories for prepared foods on menu boards and displays.
  • SunofaBeach14
    SunofaBeach14 Posts: 4,899 Member
    ...To have printed "Nutrition Facts" for every menu item in every restaurant in the country. It should be required to have it available either in print, at the front of the restaurant, or online for anyone to read. Does anyone else get as frustrated as I do when they go out to eat?

    Buffalo Wild Wings did this for a short time.

    What happened? Well they started losing sales to their higher calorie dense foods to items that were healthier options. Either A) People chose a different option or B) They ate less of the things they liked because they were finally given the information they have been needing to make positive choices about what they stuff in their face.

    So what was BW3s response?

    They removed all caloric/nutrition info from all their menus (where it wasnt required by law) so that they could sell more food to unsuspecting people that wont go out of their way to seek that info themselves. Its a shame an establishment like that has to appear deceitful in its business practice. Bottom line is most businesses do it because they are forced to by law. Not because they want to be helpful to its patrons and offer the information freely.

    The biggest problem here is people eating at Buffalo Wild Wings ...

    Wings are delicious !!!

    I used to eat about 18-24 on avg ...... Ive cut that in half since MFP.....because the info was available on MFP, not on their menu or website. I suspect that the nutrition info came from someone in California (where they are required by law to provide that) who entered it into the database ? So I thank them.
    I'm not saying wings aren't delicious (though I gave them up with all meat a long time ago). I'm saying if you're going to BWW for wings, you're doing it wrong. ;-)

    Doesn't eat meat but has strong opinions on wings . . . It's okay, I have strong opinions about tofu
    Ate meat for 32 years.

    Forgive me. You're clearly an expert on all things wings now. Check that. You're clearly an expert on everything everything . . .
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,271 Member
    Seriously? You are attacking THIS of all things? The government regulates MANY things, including spending a half a trillion dollars on welfare and PROMOTING it through advertisement, and you are attacking my suggestion to mandate that all food have nutrition facts listed on it? alright then...
    If your not part of the solution then its part of the problem. We do not need more government regulations, since the government can not regulate anything successfully.
    Moving right along. When food is packaged and distributed it has to be lab tested for nutritional value. When it is a matter of assembling a meal out of items that have been lab tested for nutritional value you do not have to re-test them, you just have to add them up.

    So really what you need to do is bring a food scale with you.
    4oz of salmon is going to be 4oz of salmon,
    and 1/2 cup of veggies will be half a cup of veggies..

    Bingo!!...

    Oh you don't know how much a double whopper with extra cheese is supposed to weigh? ... Well eat something you can weigh something that is quantitative
  • esaucier17
    esaucier17 Posts: 694 Member
    I agree!!
  • mzbek24
    mzbek24 Posts: 436 Member
    The problem is, how do they regulate how accurate it is? I could see smaller, non franchise businesses understating calories and nutrients either directly for strategic reasons, or indirectly because they might forget to account for stuff like cooking oil, seasonings, flavourings etc.
  • CA_Underdog
    CA_Underdog Posts: 733 Member
    {deleted}
  • PRMinx
    PRMinx Posts: 4,585 Member
    Already got my nose buried in it, and will be branching out. Bogged down already because there are different forms of copper. You didn't have to get cute about the chem trails, though. If something isn't in a peer reviewed abstract, I don't chase it, unless I was skimming and picked a bad source or I'm just bored and having fun with popular conspiracy theories.

    Well, good luck to you (seriously). May you come out the wiser and not overly worried about the minor stuff. Knowing stuff and then knowing to let it go is also a process and that is why I was "being cute" about that stuff.

    I edited the post you quoted, a secondary point is we already have rules and laws that cover a lot of this for chains, asking smaller restaurants to provide equivalent info has a culinary, economic and quality cost, if enforced. Or one can recognize that the calorie info published at most places will be a fantasy.

    Thanks, I learn what I can. I'm not a believer in keeping information from us 'regular' people for fear we'll misunderstand and misuse it, that justification has been used too many times by the powerful to keep the rest of us in line. But I don't pretend I have the education background I need to jump right on any piece of information and get it right the first time. I just do the best I can. Also, I could use a few less things to worry about! But never out of ignorance. Ignorance is only bliss until it gets you killed.

    Meanwhile, I don't advocate forcing smaller, less profitable businesses to label their calories at a high cost to them. Just the big, profitable chains. Although a tax break on small businesses willing to voluntarily do so could sweeten the deal enough to make it worthwhile to them. I could go for that.

    Well, that's all ready in place in many states and there already is an FDA level law since 2010 but the implementation is still full of issues.

    http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm248732.htm

    Again there is NO further legislation need, just the execution of current rules. And again, there are real reasons why it makes sense to exclude them for non-large chain restaurants if you want them to be tested and valid.

    Implementation and enforcement do seem to be an issue (this is only for chains with 20 or more stores from what I read, so the mom and pop outfits are perfectly free to list or not list).

    I found an interesting article on it that makes me wonder what is making the grocery stores kick up a fuss. Always more reading leads to more questions.

    http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/256654611.html

    FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg told Congress earlier this month that writing the rules has been "much more challenging than expected." The agency issued proposed rules in 2011 but has faced pressure to revise them to exclude retail outlets like grocery and convenience stores.

    Because grocery stores already operate with some of the tightest margins in business - 1-2%. They started making prepared foods as a way to save the money they were losing on stuff near expiration that they had to throw away. The take off of prepared foods is one of the sole reasons why many grocery store chains haven't buckled - and taken their employees with them.

    If they have to go through the process of providing nutrition counts, their already tight margins will be squeezed and they will have to run an analysis on whether it's even worth it anymore to offer prepared foods. Especially if they change them on a regular basis...
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    Not eating at Chili's would've been a better choice . . . . . . ..
    But he eats at Chili's because he wants "real, unprocessed food."

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