Calorie Information on the menus.... What do you think?

[leebee]

Just wondering is there any proof that this actually lets people make better choices? Like I said the city I live in already requires this by law and I can honestly say it has done 0 to change habits. Now people just know what they are eating is bad for them and they ignore it. I'm not judging anyone for that because I fall into that category. It is great for people who already care about what they put in their bodies but it isn't going to suddenly make those who don't care and change their habits.

As someone who has struggled with eating disorders for a few years now, I personally hate the idea...I find it hard enough to try and relax my mind and not stress about calories and let it ruin my vacation as I find it one of the few times where I am able to try and ignore it. I know, however that it was there written right in front of me then I would find it way harder than I already do to enjoy a few treats now and again and I'm sure there would be others like me who would find this particularly challenging. However, I do think it should be available for those who wish to seek it out.

I agree with both of these statements. I am pretty sure that people who are conscious about calories/nutrition already pay attention to what's in a food. On the flip side, those who choose to eat poorly all the time know that they do- and are going to choose to do so regardless of what's listed on the menu. In this instance, having calorie counts on the menu makes no difference at all!

Then there are those who will find it a buzz-kill; we know what we "should" do but when on vacation, we like to splurge a little. Vacation gives us an opportunity to be "bad" about diet sometimes, and if confronted with the reality of calorie content, it IS going to take some of the fun out of vacation. This would be me... I'd either choose the healthier option and regret not eating what I wanted to, or I'd eat what I want and then spend the next few hours feeling guilty. Great fun on vacation.

However, what I worry about most is those with eating disorders. I have watched a family member struggle with this for years; putting any food at all into her body is a challenge, because she doesn't want to get fat (and she's not, but all her relatives on both sides of the family are, so she's paranoid about gaining weight). When confronted with calorie counts on menus, she'll just have salad, maybe with a broth-y soup, or just not eat at all; she'll wait until she gets home and will have a lean cuisine or something similar. Confronting her with calorie counts just exacerbates her eating disorder- and it makes it infinitely less fun for all of us to go out to dinner together.

 

[Fielin]

I agree with both of these statements. I am pretty sure that people who are conscious about calories/nutrition already pay attention to what's in a food. On the flip side, those who choose to eat poorly all the time know that they do- and are going to choose to do so regardless of what's listed on the menu. In this instance, having calorie counts on the menu makes no difference at all!

.

I am One of those people who already pay attention. But I had no idea how many calories there were in a turkey leg before I read it on this board, after eating a few during my vacations. If I had known, I would have shared, or tried to balance this with other choices during the days I enjoyed them.

Information is very important for me.

I don't know if knowing how many calories are in a dish influence everyone's choices, but it definitely helps me - and certainly a quite a few others - make smarter choices.

How can I and other people who "are conscious about calories/nutrition" as you state it guess what is in a dish without knowing how it is cooked, and how large the portion will be ? A turkey leg is just meat (when you choose it on a menu, from a picture), so a lot of proteins. Chicken and turkey are among the leanest meats you can eat - in theory. How do you guess how fat and how big it will be before ordering it ?

Only one answer : I will know if it is written on the menu.

 

[keahgirl8]

. . and I'm interested more in fat and sugar numbers, so to keep us all happy things could get really dicey.
I like the way Cheesecake Factory does it - they have a separate book you can ask for, that has *all* the numbers in it. Reading it is strictly optional, and what that one basically tells me is that I would be better off eating somewhere else altogether!

I was thinking about that before I saw your comment. A lot of restaurants do that, and it's nice to have. I do Weight Watchers, so ideally, I like to have all of the nutritional information.

I am One of those people who already pay attention. But I had no idea how many calories there were in a turkey leg before I read it on this board, after eating a few during my vacations. If I had known, I would have shared, or tried to balance this with other choices during the days I enjoyed them.

Information is very important for me.

I don't know if knowing how many calories are in a dish influence everyone's choices, but it definitely helps me - and certainly a quite a few others - make smarter choices.

How can I and other people who "are conscious about calories/nutrition" as you state it guess what is in a dish without knowing how it is cooked, and how large the portion will be ? A turkey leg is just meat (when you choose it on a menu, from a picture), so a lot of proteins. Chicken and turkey are among the leanest meats you can eat - in theory. How do you guess how fat and how big it will be before ordering it ?

Only one answer : I will know if it is written on the menu.

Totally agree! Sure, I like to indulge a little when I'm on vacation, but that doesn't mean I just want to walk around having no idea what is in my food. If it doesn't affect someone else's choices, then they can ignore it.

 

[Srbright]

I mean this all in good spirit, so please I know it's good for the health conscious people.

However, when you go to Disney I feel an escape from the world, and now having my favorite treats remind me that they're so bad for me kind of takes me out of it.

Alas it's GOOD and BAD...what say you guys?

I say it's great. I have some issues that thankfully are 100% curable once I finish losing my weight. Being on vacation doesn't mean I want to negate all the hard work I've put in. For me it will make the vacation less stressful.

Stacy

 

[Srbright]

However, what I worry about most is those with eating disorders. I have watched a family member struggle with this for years; putting any food at all into her body is a challenge, because she doesn't want to get fat (and she's not, but all her relatives on both sides of the family are, so she's paranoid about gaining weight). When confronted with calorie counts on menus, she'll just have salad, maybe with a broth-y soup, or just not eat at all; she'll wait until she gets home and will have a lean cuisine or something similar. Confronting her with calorie counts just exacerbates her eating disorder- and it makes it infinitely less fun for all of us to go out to dinner together.

And here is where businesses (including Disney) and the govt have to make decisions. The previous poster was correct about the 68% of Americans being overweight or obese. Yet only 6% of Americans suffer from eating disorders.

So they have to make the decision; do we try to help the 68% or the 6%? It's a bad choice from your side because it doesn't help her. Humans by nature want to help those closest. A corporation has to step back and look at it objectively to ensure the greatest good

That doesn't keep me from thinkinf this is something good over all just because it helps me.

Stacy


https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-facts-eating-disorders

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-in...tics/Pages/overweight-obesity-statistics.aspx