Favorite Restaurant says NO to calories on the menu...

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McKayMachina
McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Jut got this email back from one of my new favorite spots...

***

McKay,

Congratulations on your weight loss and your goal to be healthy!

I applaud your efforts and your approach with calorie counting. It seems like it's working well for you.

Determining accurate calorie count in dishes is a difficult and expensive endeavor for a small restaurant, and most food establishments that do list them are often horribly inaccurate. Our approach to food does not take calories into consideration as our philosophy supports whole food. We believe if you are eating food which is good for you, the calories essentially don't play as much of a part, and your body will find it's healthy weight on its own. Therefore, even before opening, we decided that calories were not something we were going to add to the menu.

We love taking our dogs out with us, too!

Good luck with your journey to health! See you soon!

***

Well, that stinks. :frown: I wished they would have at least considered it. :/

Also, this part scares me now, tremendously:

"and most food establishments that do list them are often horribly inaccurate"

:noway:
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Replies

  • TexasNurseMom78
    TexasNurseMom78 Posts: 897 Member
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    What restaurant is this from?
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    What restaurant is this from?

    Nourish in Scottsdale, Arizona. They have indicators for lactose-free, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, etc. for all menu items. I thought they would at least give it some thought. :(
  • mslh84
    mslh84 Posts: 180
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    That sounds really ridiculous...

    I think they are at least required to make the food nutrition information available..
  • DesertSunsetRain
    DesertSunsetRain Posts: 194
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    Random, you're in Scottsdale? I am in Mesa!

    Also, that really stinks. It seems like they should have at least made some kind of effort. Isn't that some kind of regulation? Restaurants have to know calorie and nutrition info?
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    That sounds really ridiculous...

    I think they are at least required to make the food nutrition information available..

    I didn't think it was a requirement at all. Someone earlier said restaurants with 5 or more locations are required to. I found this:

    http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/health/2011/04/fda_wants_restaurants_to_provi.html

    but I don't know if there have been any developments. Most one-off restaurants in AZ don't provide nutrition info so at least Nourish is a step ahead with all the ___-free indicators.
  • Leslietheriot
    Leslietheriot Posts: 303 Member
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    They are right about alot of places nutrition info being inaccurate.
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
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    There's also a good chance they know their #s will be super high, like most sit-down restaurants in the 1000-2000 calorie dish range.
  • RNMDFF
    RNMDFF Posts: 153 Member
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    I'm terrified to eat out now. It truly scares me.
    They probably are off. The cook may add more sauce and cheese to the pasta, or more fries to the plate. etc.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    Random, you're in Scottsdale? I am in Mesa!

    Also, that really stinks. It seems like they should have at least made some kind of effort. Isn't that some kind of regulation? Restaurants have to know calorie and nutrition info?

    You should definitely try Nourish out sometime! Their food is simple enough that it's less of a hassle to estimate than most other places. Their chicken pizza and tea+chocolate for dessert is amazing. :D

    Oh and the lemon artichoke hummus with the saffron quinoa is incredible!

    But yeah, I don't think there's a requirement to provide it. Which is why I appreciate it so much when restaurants do! But now this girl is saying the other places are way off, so I don't know what to think! Waa!
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    I'm terrified to eat out now. It truly scares me.

    you deleted me :(

    Oh noez! I only delete people if they stop logging in. Did you take a break? Re-add me! <3
  • chuckyp
    chuckyp Posts: 693 Member
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    There's no requirement that I've ever heard of. As they said in the email, having all their menu items tested by a lab for caloric and nutritional content is prohibitively expensive for an independent restaurant. That's why you normally only see it done for large chain restaurants. I don't think I've even been in a mom and pop restaurant that posted nutrition information. I suppose they could come up with a ball park figure by just adding up each ingredient similar to how we enter recipes here on MFP.
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    There's also a good chance they know their #s will be super high, like most sit-down restaurants in the 1000-2000 calorie dish range.

    Could be but I'd be surprised! They have super simple, healthful ingredients. But I've been surprised before!
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    There's no requirement that I've ever heard of. As they said in the email, having all their menu items tested by a lab for caloric and nutritional content is prohibitively expensive for an independent restaurant. That's why you normally only see it done for large chain restaurants. I don't think I've even been in a mom and pop restaurant that posted nutrition information. I suppose they could come up with a ball park figure by just adding up each ingredient similar to how we enter recipes here on MFP.

    That's what I was thinking. I could oversee it for them and have it done in a day or two. No problem.
  • mslh84
    mslh84 Posts: 180
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    That sounds really ridiculous...

    I think they are at least required to make the food nutrition information available..

    I didn't think it was a requirement at all. Someone earlier said restaurants with 5 or more locations are required to. I found this:

    http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/health/2011/04/fda_wants_restaurants_to_provi.html

    but I don't know if there have been any developments. Most one-off restaurants in AZ don't provide nutrition info so at least Nourish is a step ahead with all the ___-free indicators.

    Actually I checked the FDA's website, and its for restaurants that have 20 or more locations.

    http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/ucm217762.htm
  • mslh84
    mslh84 Posts: 180
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    There's no requirement that I've ever heard of. As they said in the email, having all their menu items tested by a lab for caloric and nutritional content is prohibitively expensive for an independent restaurant. That's why you normally only see it done for large chain restaurants. I don't think I've even been in a mom and pop restaurant that posted nutrition information. I suppose they could come up with a ball park figure by just adding up each ingredient similar to how we enter recipes here on MFP.

    Actually like I previously quoted, there is a requirement for restaurants that have 20 or more locations.

    On March 23, 2010, the President signed the health care reform legislation into law. Section 4205 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires restaurants and similar retail food establishments with 20 or more locations to list calorie content information for standard menu items on restaurant menus and menu boards, including drive-through menu boards. Other nutrient information – total calories, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, sugars, fiber and total protein – would have to be made available in writing upon request. The Act also requires vending machine operators who own or operate 20 or more vending machines to disclose calorie content for certain items.

    The FDA has issued a Federal Register notice that explains how restaurants and similar retail food establishments with fewer than 20 locations and vending machine operators with fewer than 20 vending machines can voluntarily register to become subject to new federal menu labeling requirements. Anyone needing assistance with filling out this form call 240-402-2371.

    Quoting the FDA website...again the link is http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/ucm217762.htm
  • McKayMachina
    McKayMachina Posts: 2,670 Member
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    Actually I checked the FDA's website, and its for restaurants that have 20 or more locations.

    http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/ucm217762.htm

    That's awesome. Thanks very much for the link. Good to know. :drinker:
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    Gilbert, AZ checking in!

    when i eat out i usually do not go by their nutrition estimates because they are so inaccurate and i can understand a small restaurant not wanting to print the info. i usually ballpark the calories based on the ingredients and round up a lot.


    speaking of Scottsdale have any of you been to Iruna for tapas? fantastic place.
  • mslh84
    mslh84 Posts: 180
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    Actually I checked the FDA's website, and its for restaurants that have 20 or more locations.

    http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/ucm217762.htm

    That's awesome. Thanks very much for the link. Good to know. :drinker:

    NP...but now I'm reporting cookout because they have way more than 20 locations, and have never had a Food nutrition menu available...and personally I try to pick out what I'm going to eat, before I go out to eat! Makes it easier! Sorry if I sounded like a butt!
  • lsilly15
    lsilly15 Posts: 137 Member
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    me too! i did terrible tonight and added like 800 calories NOT needed. I cut everything in half too!
  • 99Tinkerbell
    99Tinkerbell Posts: 384
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    That sounds like they are trying to hide something. That's disappointing!

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