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| No | 50% | 1156 votes | Total: 2295 votes | |
| Yes | 50% | 1139 votes |
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Add to FavoritesIf every restaurant was required to list calories and fat grams on their menu, I believe that it would cause chaos. A simple guideline to calories and fat content is another thing entirely.
It's all very well to say that restaurants should have a list of calories and fat grams on each item of their menu. For fast food chains, it's not a problem. Restaurants like McDonalds, Burger King and KFC have the same foods day in, day out. It is regulated and these companies can easily put the calorific content on their web sites, or even on their menus without having to think much about it. Personally I feel that it should be entirely at the restaurant's discretion and not a legal requirement.
Saying that, out of interest, I took the time to look at a couple of websites regarding the calories in a cheeseburger from Burger King:
www.burgerking.co.uk states that in a cheeseburger there are 253 calories and 11g of fat per 100g. www.weightlossresour ces.co.uk states that the same burger has 269 calories and 13.4g of fat per 100g. (Bear in mind that the burger itself is approx 150g) This may only seem to be a few calories difference, but when one is counting, every calorie should count, so then why are they different? (24 calories and 3.6g of fat per burger to be precise)
If I go into a restaurant and I am watching my weight, then I am sensible about what I choose. If I am worried about the extra calories that may be added to something I am eating, and it does not state on the menu that a certain item may be cooked in butter instead of extra virgin olive oil,it is also quite easy to ask how the item is cooked and use my common sense as to whether I still want to order that particular item or not. There are many kinds of people that have special dietary requirements which are not listed on an average menu, but if they ask, they will be told whether it is suitable for them or not.
Many restaurants have not only their own seasonal menu, which changes every couple of months, but also a chef that cooks the food to the customer's taste. Sometimes a dash extra of mayonnaise or oil, maybe even an extra pinch of salt or spoonful of cream is required to get the exact taste. Of course you could get the typical amount of calories that should be in your meal, but when you are actually being served the food, will it really be the exact number of calories stated? Quite unlikely.
If it became a legal requirement for chefs to put the amount of calories and the grams of fat on each item of their menu, then there would be no room for change, the chefs would probably not be as adventurous for fear of facing a lawsuit if the fat content was 5g more than they stated.
On the other hand, it could be possible that a 'calorie and grams of fat' guideline could be placed either on the menu, or available for the customer to view should they so desire.
If you are lucky enough to be going to a decent restaurant, then you are going for the experience of the meal, not to be calorie counting.
To me, going to a restaurant is a treat, and not a daily habit. I feel pampered and spoilt for choice by the luxuries on offer. I am there to enjoy the food and I can always run that extra mile tomorrow!
It is a well known fact that chefs use butter, cream, sugar etc to make things taste that bit better. If you are watching your weight, then you will probably know this and already follow these guidelines anyway:
1 Choose steamed vegetables where possible or a salad
2 Sauces contain a lot of calories, stay away from them if possible
3 Fish and Chicken are the leaner option
4 Eat less!
My conclusion is that if you want to count your calories, then go to a restaurant that advertises the fact that they are health conscious, or better still, if you don't want to cook it yourself; buy a lean choice microwaveable ready meal made by robots which states 'exactly' how many calories are in your meal.
Learn more about this author, Eleanor C..
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Yes
Should restaurants be required to list calories and fat grams on their menus? In order to make informed decisions about food choices and in the interest of providing the means in which consumers can enhance their dining out experiences restaurants should list fat grams and calories on their menus.
Restaurants can help consumers make appropriate and healthier food choice by placing a list of calories and fat grams on menus. Diners may appreciate the information provided by the restaurants and use that information to choose food items that are healthier and have lower fat and caloric contents. This allows the consumer to make the choice and not some else.
There are lobbyists in th United State who are in favor of banning certain types of foods like fried chicken and foods cooked in oils that contain high amounts of trans fat from our menus. This violates the right of all Americans to choose. Americans are being robbed of their basic rights by these special interest groups. We, as Americans have the right to make informed choices when it comes to food and its consumption.
Restaurants can thus protect the rights of all Americans by providing fat and caloric content on their menus as this will serve the American citizen as a means of making informed decisions about the food they consume.
Dieters are more like to eat at restaurants where they can have at their fingertips ready access to information that will enable them to make more appropriate food choices. In short it enables diners to decide based on the information provided on the menus to make their own decisions with regards to what items they will order. This takes decisions regarding food choices out of the hands of special interest groups and back into the hands of the consumer where it belongs.
Learn more about this author, Danette M. Scott.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.
