TOTALLY GEEKED!

ed11563 · Guru

How Many Calories? Look at the Menu!

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I think it's ridiculous.

The FDA needs to worry more about regulating medicine prices than printing calories on menus.

ed11563 · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
I think it's ridiculous.

The FDA needs to worry more about regulating medicine prices than printing calories on menus.

One thing I've learned is that people can only make good decisions when they have enough data.

Two menu items could be equally tempting, but one has 2000 more calories than the other. I would like to know that before ordering.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

A lot of people think they are eating healthy when they get a salad. Lots of times the salad has over 1,000 calories. I think it's a good idea

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

If I am eating out, it is usually a treat.

Honeys_Mom · Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

I love having calories and fat content included on menus, but that's just me.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I would love to have sodium content. But I have to actually think about what I get and ask questions.

I just think there are more important things for the FDA to worry about.

tlc · Regular

I think it's a good idea also. It would motivate me to choose something lower calorie, because sometimes it is deceptive when you eat out and think you are eating something pretty healthy, but the calories can be sky-high.

ed11563 · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
I would love to have sodium content. But I have to actually think about what I get and ask questions.

I just think there are more important things for the FDA to worry about.

Sure, what do you have in mind?

karl271 · Guru

This seems to be ridiculous to me, too. Does the government have to tell us everything to do and what to eat and how many calories. How about a little self control and taking responsibility for our own lives.... Pheeshhhh....

Honeys_Mom · Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

For me, I'm thankful for the information - it's up to me what to do with it. Now if they start labeling the menu items with "Government Recommended", then things have gone too far. smile

wild_blue · Newbie

karl271 wrote:
This seems to be ridiculous to me, too. Does the government have to tell us everything to do and what to eat and how many calories. How about a little self control and taking responsibility for our own lives.... Pheeshhhh....

But how are you supposed to take responsibility if you don't have all the information? As others mentioned, "healthy" options can be deceiving. I am glad to see this change.

karl271 · Guru

Well, if they are going to list all the information, in addition to calories they should tell about sodium content, saturated or non-saturated fat, etc. There is no end. I am just saying a person should be able to figure out the difference between a salad drenched in ranch dressing vs one with a little oil and vinegar. Or a steak with fries, onion rings, etc., vs breast of chicken.... Just saying...

Bonny22Pye · Guru

karl271 wrote:
Well, if they are going to list all the information, in addition to calories they should tell about sodium content, saturated or non-saturated fat, etc. There is no end. I am just saying a person should be able to figure out the difference between a salad drenched in ranch dressing vs one with a little oil and vinegar. Or a steak with fries, onion rings, etc., vs breast of chicken.... Just saying...

I agree with Karl

ed11563 · Guru

http://www.newsday.com/business/fda-rule-will-put-calorie-counts-on-menus-1.9653215 Reprints

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FDA rule will put calorie counts on menus

November 25, 2014 by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this July 18, 2008 file photo, calories

Whether they want to or not, consumers will soon know how many calories they are eating when ordering off the menu at chain restaurants, picking up prepared foods at supermarkets and even eating a tub of popcorn at the movie theater.

The Food and Drug Administration announced long-delayed calorie labeling rules Tuesday, requiring establishments that sell prepared foods and have 20 or more locations to post the calorie content of food "clearly and conspicuously" on their menus, menu boards and displays. Companies will have until November 2015 to comply.

The regulations will also apply to convenience stores, bakeries, coffee shops, pizza delivery, amusement parks and vending machines.

The idea is that people may pass on that bacon double cheeseburger if they know it has hundreds of calories — and, in turn, restaurants may make their foods healthier to keep calorie counts down. Beverages are included in the rules, and alcohol will be labeled if drinks are listed on the menu.

"Americans eat and drink about one-third of their calories away from home and people today expect clear information about the products they consume," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said. The effort is just one way Americans can combat obesity, she added.

The menus and menu boards will tell diners that a 2,000-calorie diet is used as the basis for daily nutrition, noting that individual calorie needs may vary. Additional nutritional information beyond calories, including sodium, fats, sugar and other items, must be available upon request.

The rules deal a blow to the grocery and convenience store industries, which have lobbied hard to be left out since the menu labels became law in 2010 as a part of the health care overhaul. Even before the new rules were announced, some Republicans in Congress had expressed concern that they would be too burdensome for businesses.

The law came together when the restaurant industry agreed to the labeling in an effort to dodge a growing patchwork of city and state rules. But supermarkets, convenience stores and many other retailers that sell prepared food said they wanted no part of it. The restaurant industry pushed to include those outlets, as they increasingly have offered restaurant-like service.

The FDA issued proposed rules in 2011 that included supermarkets and convenience stores but excluded movie theaters. The final rules being released Tuesday include all of them.

Representatives for the supermarket industry have said it could cost them up to a billion dollars to put the labels in place — costs that would be passed on to consumers. They said the rules could cover thousands of items in each store, unlike restaurants, which typically have fewer items.

To assuage some of their concerns, FDA excluded prepared foods that are typically intended for more than one person to eat and require more preparation, like deli meats, cheeses or bulk deli salads.

But a sandwich for sale at the same counter would have to have a calorie label nearby, and many prepared foods in the grocery store will have to be labeled — from the salad bar to the hot food bar to individual cookies and slices of cake in the bakery. In some cases foods will have to be labeled in one area but not in another — cut fruit would be labeled on a salad bar, for example, but not in a container for sale, because that is generally meant to take home and eat over a period of time.

Leslie G. Sarasin, president and CEO of the Food Marketing Institute, said the group is extremely disappointed in the rules, which she said will affect stores' offerings of "fresh, minimally processed, locally produced items" such as cut cantaloupe, mixed salads, or steamed seafood.

Hamburg acknowledged that the regulations seem complicated but said standards are necessary as supermarkets are selling more restaurant foods. The FDA says the idea is to label calories of foods that are meant to be eaten in the store, as a customer is walking away or soon after they arrive at another location.

"The grocery store questions are some of the hardest ones, but it is very clear that the grocery store of today is different than it was 10, 20 years ago," Hamburg said.

The pizza industry, led by delivery giant Domino's, has also vigorously fought the rules, saying there are millions of ingredient combinations possible. The FDA attempted to mollify some of their concerns by allowing pizza restaurants to label pizza calories by the slice, as they had requested, but would still force the labeling on menu boards in takeout restaurants.

The delivery pizza industry had asked to post information online instead, saying only a small percentage of customers walk into their stores and about half order online.

As in the proposed rules, the final version still exempts airplanes, trains, food trucks and other food served on forms of transportation.

The point of menu labeling is to make sure that customers process the calorie information as they are figuring out what to eat. Many restaurants currently post nutritional information in a hallway, on wrappers or on their website. The new law will make calories immediately available for most items.

New York City was the first in the country to put a calorie posting law in place, and other cities and states have followed since then. Several restaurant chains such as McDonald's are already putting calorie labels on menus and menu boards nationwide.

< back to article

Momala · Great cook-happy wife-superb fisherman

And how are they (FDA) going to monitor the accuracy of the information posted? Greasy George may say their hamburger has 500 calories (not accurate) while Healthy Harry may say their hamburger has 600 (accurate). How do you make a decision then?

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

karl271 wrote:
Well, if they are going to list all the information, in addition to calories they should tell about sodium content, saturated or non-saturated fat, etc. There is no end. I am just saying a person should be able to figure out the difference between a salad drenched in ranch dressing vs one with a little oil and vinegar. Or a steak with fries, onion rings, etc., vs breast of chicken.... Just saying...

Actually, you would be surprised how many people don't have a clue. To me, it seems pretty logical and obvious.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Southern_Belle wrote:
A lot of people think they are eating healthy when they get a salad. Lots of times the salad has over 1,000 calories. I think it's a good idea

It's often not the salad that is the problem but slathering on the dressings.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

ed11563 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
I think it's ridiculous.

The FDA needs to worry more about regulating medicine prices than printing calories on menus.
One thing I've learned is that people can only make good decisions when they have enough data.
Two menu items could be equally tempting, but one has 2000 more calories than the other. I would like to know that before ordering.

I like having an idea. And, once you do study calories on things, you then get a very good idea across the board. However, what it comes down to is most people are simply eating too much quantity. Like one serving for a piece of meat is generally the size of credit card, etc but we eat big slabs. So, you can easily temper your diet with some education and thought.

Ilumine · Regular

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
lilyofcourse wrote:
I think it's ridiculous.

The FDA needs to worry more about regulating medicine prices than printing calories on menus.
One thing I've learned is that people can only make good decisions when they have enough data.
Two menu items could be equally tempting, but one has 2000 more calories than the other. I would like to know that before ordering.

I like having an idea. And, once you do study calories on things, you then get a very good idea across the board. However, what it comes down to is most people are simply eating too much quantity. Like one serving for a piece of meat is generally the size of credit card, etc but we eat big slabs. So, you can easily temper your diet with some education and thought.

This is the issue. Sure, I have even more than the basic understanding of food and its "contents". HOWEVER, let us be honest here. Even I can't remember the difference between the different cut of steaks, and there are differences. And I can't make an accurate decision on whether to splurge on said steak or the chicken until I SEE the size of the meat on my plate.

And I have never ever ever had a menu give me every single ingredient on a plate. I mean, olive oil is different than vegetable oil that is different than rendering the meal in the bacon fat. That alone can add calories (and a ****ing lot of calories) to a plate that, on paper looks good. Hell in some fast food places, the grilled chicken in many places are grilled ON THE SAME flat tops as the hamburgers. You are gaining some extra hidden calories right there.

I am normally NOT a fan of government intervention. But they are not restricting what one makes, sells or buys. They are just asking you to label it as accurately as possible.

And it is not as if the restaurant has to have the calorie content next to the meal, i.e having to foot a whole new menu. They can create an extra piece of paper that lists the meals and its contents and just leave it on the table. SO while there may be extra costs, it si not as dire as they are making it out to be.

Honeys_Mom · Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

Momala wrote:
And how are they (FDA) going to monitor the accuracy of the information posted? Greasy George may say their hamburger has 500 calories (not accurate) while Healthy Harry may say their hamburger has 600 (accurate). How do you make a decision then?

Greasy Geroge and Healthy Harry are my neighbors! Believe me, they fight ALL the time. How did you know, Momala? biggrin

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

Dieting isn't really that hard. Try this. The closer it is to the way God made it, the better it most likely is for you. Obviously a fresh apple that rots is far better for you than a processed Little Debbie Cake that can sit on the shelf for the next 1000 years. Meat, eat smaller amounts of broiled, baked or sautéed in a pan. Once you coat that little darling and deep fry it, then Duh. Fresh veggies, fruits, great. ONce you slather then with buckets of ranch dressing, not so much.
Pop and liquid drinks are a Dessert. I treat Pepsi like a dessert. I have one now and then. It isn't a beveridge. Milk, dairy , eggs, cheese are OK in moderation. Don't overdo carbs like bread and snack foods that are loaded in carbs like pretzels, crackers, pasta, etc.

ed11563 · Guru

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Dieting isn't really that hard.

Sorry, this statement really made me angry. EASY FOR YOU maybe. You're speaking ONLY for yourself, and if you're NOT a size ONE or less,

I won/t finish that while I'm this angry.

Lawyerlady · On the bright side...... Christmas is coming! (Mod)

ed11563 wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Dieting isn't really that hard.
Sorry, this statement really made me angry. EASY FOR YOU maybe. You're speaking ONLY for yourself, and if you're NOT a size ONE or less,

I won/t finish that while I'm this angry.

You are angry over that? REally? Everyone with half a brain knows exactly how they SHOULD eat - they just don't. Even as I eat a brownie, I know an orange would be a better choice. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limiting fats and processed foods is a no brainer in terms of "dieting". Many people just don't have the willpower or motivation to do it. And that includes ME, so don't be thinking I'm dissing on people.

Knowing how to diet is easy and that's really what Gaga was saying. It's the DOING that's the difficult part.

Lindley · Guru

Ga Ga and LL are right. I have been dieting for the past few months and had to learn portion control and to be careful of what I eat and how much I eat. The fresher the food the better. Process foods I don't eat to much of anymore.

ed11563 · Guru

Lawyerlady wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Dieting isn't really that hard.
Sorry, this statement really made me angry. EASY FOR YOU maybe. You're speaking ONLY for yourself, and if you're NOT a size ONE or less,

I won/t finish that while I'm this angry.
You are angry over that? REally? Everyone with half a brain knows exactly how they SHOULD eat - they just don't. Even as I eat a brownie, I know an orange would be a better choice. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limiting fats and processed foods is a no brainer in terms of "dieting". Many people just don't have the willpower or motivation to do it. And that includes ME, so don't be thinking I'm dissing on people.
Knowing how to diet is easy and that's really what Gaga was saying. It's the DOING that's the difficult part.

I'm angry because I've been DOING all that. It's NOT easy, and it's certainly not quick.

Bonny22Pye · Guru

ed11563 wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Dieting isn't really that hard.
Sorry, this statement really made me angry. EASY FOR YOU maybe. You're speaking ONLY for yourself, and if you're NOT a size ONE or less,

I won/t finish that while I'm this angry.
You are angry over that? REally? Everyone with half a brain knows exactly how they SHOULD eat - they just don't. Even as I eat a brownie, I know an orange would be a better choice. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limiting fats and processed foods is a no brainer in terms of "dieting". Many people just don't have the willpower or motivation to do it. And that includes ME, so don't be thinking I'm dissing on people.
Knowing how to diet is easy and that's really what Gaga was saying. It's the DOING that's the difficult part.
I'm angry because I've been DOING all that. It's NOT easy, and it's certainly not quick.

Not easy to know what to do or not easy to follow through?

Bonny22Pye · Guru

Also people should gain or loose more than a pound or two a week. Loosing weight should be a slow process. People who quickly try to take it off usually gain it right back.

cadiver · Senior Member

Southern_Belle wrote:
A lot of people think they are eating healthy when they get a salad. Lots of times the salad has over 1,000 calories. I think it's a good idea

Salads are healthy. Even Bud Light saluted the Taco Salad Inventor

Real Men of Genius
Mr. Giant Taco Salad Inventor
A culinary creation that baffles the human mind
A 12,000 Calorie Salad
Ground Beef
Refried Beans
Guacamole
Cheese
Sour Cream
and if there is any room left a few shreds of lettuce
Some may ask is your taco salad healthy, of course it is, its a salad isn't it.

Southern_Belle · Nothing's Impossible

My hospital makes a lovely taco salad and then the girl assembling puts a HUGE glop of sour cream on top.

Honeys_Mom · Mod & Permanent Board Sweetheart

Southern_Belle wrote:
My hospital makes a lovely taco salad and then the girl assembling puts a HUGE glop of sour cream on top.

LOL - sort of like the proverbial big piece of chocolate cake but with nonfat milk to watch the calories... smile

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

Bonny22Pye wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Dieting isn't really that hard.
Sorry, this statement really made me angry. EASY FOR YOU maybe. You're speaking ONLY for yourself, and if you're NOT a size ONE or less,

I won/t finish that while I'm this angry.
You are angry over that? REally? Everyone with half a brain knows exactly how they SHOULD eat - they just don't. Even as I eat a brownie, I know an orange would be a better choice. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limiting fats and processed foods is a no brainer in terms of "dieting". Many people just don't have the willpower or motivation to do it. And that includes ME, so don't be thinking I'm dissing on people.
Knowing how to diet is easy and that's really what Gaga was saying. It's the DOING that's the difficult part.
I'm angry because I've been DOING all that. It's NOT easy, and it's certainly not quick.
Not easy to know what to do or not easy to follow through?

I firmly believe that our bodies have a weigh limit. A place in which, no matter how much you diet, lose or gain, your body will get back to it and that is your limit.

No I don't believe that is 400lbs nor do I believe that is 98 lbs.

And I have been changing my eating habits for over 7 years. Some times I will lose weight and some times I stay the same for months at a time.

I gave up watching the scales, counting calories and making myself feel bad because I wanted a candy bar.

I can go out to eat, look at a menu and see that the side of steamed veggies is going to be better for me than the baked potato loaded with butter and sour cream.

If I get a salad, loading it down with cheese and croutons and dressing is not going to make it good for me.

Just because it has lettuce doesn't mean it's a salad. If it did, then a cheeseburger would be a salad too.

ed11563 · Guru

lilyofcourse wrote:
Bonny22Pye wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
Lawyerlady wrote:
ed11563 wrote:
Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
Dieting isn't really that hard.
Sorry, this statement really made me angry. EASY FOR YOU maybe. You're speaking ONLY for yourself, and if you're NOT a size ONE or less,

I won/t finish that while I'm this angry.
You are angry over that? REally? Everyone with half a brain knows exactly how they SHOULD eat - they just don't. Even as I eat a brownie, I know an orange would be a better choice. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, and limiting fats and processed foods is a no brainer in terms of "dieting". Many people just don't have the willpower or motivation to do it. And that includes ME, so don't be thinking I'm dissing on people.
Knowing how to diet is easy and that's really what Gaga was saying. It's the DOING that's the difficult part.
I'm angry because I've been DOING all that. It's NOT easy, and it's certainly not quick.
Not easy to know what to do or not easy to follow through?

I firmly believe that our bodies have a weigh limit. A place in which, no matter how much you diet, lose or gain, your body will get back to it and that is your limit.
No I don't believe that is 400lbs nor do I believe that is 98 lbs.
And I have been changing my eating habits for over 7 years. Some times I will lose weight and some times I stay the same for months at a time.
I gave up watching the scales, counting calories and making myself feel bad because I wanted a candy bar.
I can go out to eat, look at a menu and see that the side of steamed veggies is going to be better for me than the baked potato loaded with butter and sour cream.
If I get a salad, loading it down with cheese and croutons and dressing is not going to make it good for me.
Just because it has lettuce doesn't mean it's a salad. If it did, then a cheeseburger would be a salad too.

"Not easy to know what to do or not easy to follow through? "

Not so easy to lose weight EVEN WHEN FOLLOWING THROUGH.

"I firmly believe that our bodies have a weigh limit. A place in which, no matter how much you diet, lose or gain, your body will get back to it and that is your limit."

Yes Lily, I agree. (The term I would use is "set point".)

By the way, a baked or microwaved potato smothered in one ounce of skim milk and a little salt is still healthy food. I don't use butter or sour cream, although I used to like them.

And to me, a salad with two tablespoons of low calorie fat-free yogurt dressing is still pretty good too.

Add a 5 ounce can of salmon and it's a meal. (Canned tuna feels too dry to me.)

Bonny22Pye · Guru

www.bulletproofexec.com/the-complete-illustrated-one-page-bulletproof-diet/

Bonny22Pye · Guru

I don't agree with the set point. Being overweight is a first world problem. Your either too poor to shop well or just so ingrained with bad choices that moderation isn't possible.

lilyofcourse · My spirit animal is a pink flamingo.

I don't know. I think it is something real.

Just like our other genetic make ups. Some are thin, some are thick. Like I said, I don't think that is 400 pounds.

Lady Gaga Snerd · Guru

I don't know why we think every human being must have the same body type? There are Chihuahuas, great danes, bull dogs, pugs, beagles, and poodles. Why do we think every human being must look the same when we don't of dogs? Are we mad at Sharpeis for their excessive skin? Are we annoyed at basset hounds for their floppy ears? Are we annoyed at bull dogs for their stocky builds? We seem to think that being "overweight" or "portly" or "matronly" is somehow a new thing. When mankind was no longer starving, then you can go back and look at pictures of people BEFORE McDOnalds and the aging process happens to everyone and a lot of them became more stout looking over time. We give a lot of lip service to body acceptance but in reality it doesn't exist.
I have had 3 kids. Sorry, my body doesn't look like it did when I was 20. I eat a pretty healthy diet and I work out at the gym a couple days a week and have a very active life. But, I am not going to spend the rest of my life obsessing that my body isn't quite as taut as my former 20 yr old self.

Bonny22Pye · Guru

Lady Gaga Snerd wrote:
I don't know why we think every human being must have the same body type? There are Chihuahuas, great danes, bull dogs, pugs, beagles, and poodles. Why do we think every human being must look the same when we don't of dogs? Are we mad at Sharpeis for their excessive skin? Are we annoyed at basset hounds for their floppy ears? Are we annoyed at bull dogs for their stocky builds? We seem to think that being "overweight" or "portly" or "matronly" is somehow a new thing. When mankind was no longer starving, then you can go back and look at pictures of people BEFORE McDOnalds and the aging process happens to everyone and a lot of them became more stout looking over time. We give a lot of lip service to body acceptance but in reality it doesn't exist.
I have had 3 kids. Sorry, my body doesn't look like it did when I was 20. I eat a pretty healthy diet and I work out at the gym a couple days a week and have a very active life. But, I am not going to spend the rest of my life obsessing that my body isn't quite as taut as my former 20 yr old self.

What your talking about is a lot different from being significantly overweight. I don't think there's anything wrong with body type variances or being chubby, bigger boned, stocky, etc....

But, if your overweight and want to change that, then making different eating choices will solve a lot of the issues.

TOTALLY GEEKED!

How Many Calories? Look at the Menu!

What’s Covered?

What’s Not Covered?

What Will This Information Look Like?

A Need for Consistency

FDA rule will put calorie counts on menus