Mandatory Calorie Counts

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Recovering_for_cupcakes
Recovering_for_cupcakes Posts: 57 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So one of the new(ish) pieces of legislation from the FDA is on calorie disclosure. The short version of the law (as I, in my limited knowledge, understand it) is that all restaurants or chain food establishments with more than 20 locations must provide full calorie disclosure on their products/menus. For example if you go to McDonalds the drive up window must have all the calorie counts for each product or if you go to gas station/convenience store chain they must have all the information posted as well. This has already been enacted in NY State but I believe is a nationwide change in the laws as it is a piece of the legislation on ObamaCare.

So the purpose of this post is not to stir up vitriol etc about Obamacare. I know we all have drastically differing opinions and if this were about politics then I'd have posted it elsewhere. What I'm interested in are people's opinions on this law. Is this a good thing? Bad thing? Is it helpful? Hurtful? Why or why not?
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Replies

  • aljeca
    aljeca Posts: 83
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    I'm not American but I would love to see that happening here in Canada. I think it really could impact decisions people make about the types of food to eat. For example I LOVE Thai express but if it was staring me in the face that each "Serving" of pad thai has over 1000 calories when I went to order, I may reconsider!!
  • Wyiauta
    Wyiauta Posts: 14
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    I think it's great. I'd love to have the nutritional info on the foods I eat when I eat out.
  • 5stringjeff
    5stringjeff Posts: 790 Member
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    Personally, I think it's an unnecessary increased burden on businesses, and I would like to see this law repealed. However, I will be glad to get more accurate nutritional info.
  • CharlieBarleyMom
    CharlieBarleyMom Posts: 727 Member
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    I believe that it will be helpful for those of us who are already in the mindset of counting calories. That way we can make a better choice based on knowledge. For those people who don't care, it won't make a difference.

    My other thought is "just calories"? There is sometimes a difference in what I eat based on the other nutrients, not just calories... but I won't eat at a fast food restaurant if I can help it anymore.
  • CricketWhiskers
    CricketWhiskers Posts: 64 Member
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    I think its a wonderful idea! I try to avoid eating out as much as possible but sometimes I have to grab something on the run and I can't tell you how many times I've had to guess on calorie content and how many restaurants don't know the calorie content of ANYTHING they serve
  • cecyvaquero
    cecyvaquero Posts: 154 Member
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    I love going to a food chain and seeing the calories on everything. It makes me change my mind and pick something healthier to eat. Great idea!!
  • Erienneb
    Erienneb Posts: 592 Member
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    I think it hurts business and as we are a capitalist consumer driven economy it could be bad. While I agree that you should be able to access information about nutrition and calorie counts for chains, I think it unnecessary to post such places as drive through windows. If you want the info, then do the legwork tog et it ahead of time.
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
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    Mcdonald's has had their calories listed for years, the entire time I worked there as an undergraduate they had the counts listed. Dunkin Donuts has them all on their website, same with BK and with Wendy'. Mcdonald's even lists calorie counts on their menu now.
    I don't think it hurts business as much as people think it does. A lot of people don't know or care about calories who go to Mcdonald's. Or they do but they're treating themselves. No one goes to Mcdonald's ordering a Big Mac thinking they're getting a healthy meal
  • pipeman1012
    pipeman1012 Posts: 9
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    I think it's an unnecessary increased burden on businesses, and I would like to see this law repealed.

    I would have to agree with Jeff. That being said, the information is good to have, and most times I choose where to eat based on if the nutritional information is readily available or not.
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
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    For those who are technologically comfortable then going ot your cell and looking up info is a piece of cake, but let me give you a good example of why public posting (yes I know an initial expense but it's for those with more than 20 locations) would help. My hubby would do the drive through since he is on the road a lot. I started asking him what he had then looking it up and telling him what he ate. Huge eye opener for him. I think that folks on MFP are going to scoff at this but they are already tech savvy. MFP'ers re not in the majority and this might help many folks make at least marginally better choices since folks are not going to stop going to drive ins and large restaurants.
  • cb83580
    cb83580 Posts: 136 Member
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    I think it's great! If places are worried about losing business over their ridiculously high-calorie foods, this may actually encourage them to do something to make things a little healthier. Foods don't *have* to be slathered in butter and fried to taste good!
  • DoingitWell
    DoingitWell Posts: 560 Member
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    For those who are technologically comfortable then going ot your cell and looking up info is a piece of cake, but let me give you a good example of why public posting (yes I know an initial expense but it's for those with more than 20 locations) would help. My hubby would do the drive through since he is on the road a lot. I started asking him what he had then looking it up and telling him what he ate. Huge eye opener for him. I think that folks on MFP are going to scoff at this but they are already tech savvy. MFP'ers re not in the majority and this might help many folks make at least marginally better choices since folks are not going to stop going to drive ins and large restaurants.

    I agree. And even though I am savvy with technology, It is so much better to just look to the right and see the calories and make a better decision. Healthcare is a business too, so hopefully it will hurt the healthcare business by creating less sick people.
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    It would be a huge eye opener for people. I went to Hard Rock in Las Vegas a few years ago for lunch and they had the calorie counts on the menu and boy was it a HUGE eye opener. My favorite salad had more calories in it than a burger! The least caloric items on the menu that we ended up getting were quesadillas and wings and we split them.

    Many people don't know how many calories are in foods at restaurants and think that just because they had a salad or grilled veggies that they're being "healthy". The fact is that the salad is probably 3x bigger than normal and drenched in dressing (I always get mine on the side and fork-dip) and the grilled veggies could have been marinated in something high in calories or coated with butter before they were grilled. I have no issues with calorie counts on menu's because it'll make choosing food easier.

    I really don't think it'll impact the restaurants much as far as their customers because you'll always have the people who just don't really care because they love food and love eating.

    ETA: California Kitchen has regular and half servings of salads and the half serving was about as big as what I'd make at home. I'd hate to see what the regular serving is. And I think they also had the calorie count on the menu which helped me decide what to eat.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
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    It would be a huge eye opener for people. I went to Hard Rock in Las Vegas a few years ago for lunch and they had the calorie counts on the menu and boy was it a HUGE eye opener. My favorite salad had more calories in it than a burger! The least caloric items on the menu that we ended up getting were quesadillas and wings and we split them.

    Many people don't know how many calories are in foods at restaurants and think that just because they had a salad or grilled veggies that they're being "healthy". The fact is that the salad is probably 3x bigger than normal and drenched in dressing (I always get mine on the side and fork-dip) and the grilled veggies could have been marinated in something high in calories or coated with butter before they were grilled. I have no issues with calorie counts on menu's because it'll make choosing food easier.

    I really don't think it'll impact the restaurants much as far as their customers because you'll always have the people who just don't really care because they love food and love eating.

    ETA: California Kitchen has regular and half servings of salads and the half serving was about as big as what I'd make at home. I'd hate to see what the regular serving is. And I think they also had the calorie count on the menu which helped me decide what to eat.


    Exactly!! Some people get salads w/ a bunch of ranch, croutons, bacon bits, and what not -- and it can add up to more than a small hamburger would have!

    I think the law is great. I don't know if we should worry about it effecting children though... would they be more prone to eating disorders? That might be a dumb question.

    I like how Mcdonalds lists their information on the board, I don't even have to try and find the count online. :)
  • BarbCook12
    BarbCook12 Posts: 6
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    Amen! I actually do not eat out anymore unless absolutely necessary. Restaurants produce foods that are so high in calories, sugars, fats etc and the healthy eating menu in most are a joke. It is very hard to find nutritionally balanced meals out there. I have found, on my journey if I want to eat healthy, it is far better to pack my own meals and travel with snacks etc. I'm happy that they are doing this but I really think America is just fat and we need to be much more aware of what we are putting into our bodies.

    I think it's great! If places are worried about losing business over their ridiculously high-calorie foods, this may actually encourage them to do something to make things a little healthier. Foods don't *have* to be slathered in butter and fried to taste good!
  • jonesin_am
    jonesin_am Posts: 404 Member
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    I think it is an increased burden on businesses but at the same time a lot of these food chains are what has helped contribute to the obesity epidemic. They should be help accountable to what they are putting in their food. I also believe that this information should be made available without having to do the "leg work". Packaged foods need to be labeled, why not restaurant foods? Maybe if our country wasn't so unhealthy and overweight as a whole then it wouldn't be such a big deal. But I think having this information available will, at the very least, make more people aware and allow those of us that are trying to eat healthy to make better decisions. Someone who doesn't know a lot about nutrition might choose a salad from McD's instead of a bigmac. But a lot of the salads end up being just as many, if not more, calories. It's hard to deny calorie counts when they are staring you right in the face on the menu.
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    I don't think it's going to change the way most people eat. I don't think people eat the way they eat because of a lack of knowledge, they eat the way they eat because that's what they like. Until you get to realize what all that crap is doing to your body, you kinda live in your own little world. Just because Panera has calories on their menu, doesn't mean people don't order what they like and ignore the information...
  • STrooper
    STrooper Posts: 659 Member
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    I have noticed that McDonald's has already implemented this at many locations I've gone into over the past months in a number of staes other than NY. Not that I frequent McDonald's, but Its posted, just a matter of whether anyone will pay attention. It seems like some others have as well.

    From an "informed consumer" POV it can serve to limit liability of the corporations selling this stuff (see McDonald's experience with "hot coffee").

    Some day when you have some medical situation that insurance companies don't wish to pay for associated with your eating habits, they will be able to say that you were informed. Besides, they have been recording that data for years...every time you walk through their doors, or you go through the drive-through window, and particularly when you use your debit or credit card.
  • NZhellkat
    NZhellkat Posts: 355 Member
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    I think it's a great idea. Especially since that information will most likely be accessible on a restaurants website so that health conscious people can make better choices before they get to there.
  • Shua89
    Shua89 Posts: 144 Member
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    I like it. I don't mind it being a separate brochure you pick up inside (instead of on the drive thru screen) but it should be available somewhere on the premises. I know a lot of the fast food chains already have this and I do use it before ordering.

    As far as the legwork of figuring it out beforehand I don't have a smart phone and sometimes going out to eat somewhere is a last minute decision so looking up the info ahead of time is not possible. It would be nice to be able to look over a brochure before ordering to make the best decision.

    It is very frustrating to order what you THINK is the healthier option only to get home, look it up online and find out that it had 1000 more calories than you thought it did.

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