Calories Everywhere
At first, the fast-food restaurant industry mumbled and grumbled about the proposed Menu Labeling Law but recently I've noticed commercials and in-store marketing that promotes nutritional information.
This leads me to believe that marketers and restaurants are starting to catch on: They can use calories to their advantage.
Nutritional information for fast food and chain restaurant meals (those with 20 or more locations nationwide) used to be buried on websites. Sometimes, upon request, a dusty nutritional print-out could be found in the storage room among boxes of cup lids and extra straws. And McDonalds always had that massive, micro-print chart bolted to the wall underneath a piece of plexiglass.
But now these restaurants are placing nutritional info a little more front and center (at least more than they are required to do). What was once highly-guarded information (no one should know that a Premium Grilled Chicken Club contains 570 calories and 21 grams of fat) is now the info that is being used to sell these sandwiches. Check out the placemat on this Burger King tray.
;)
Here are a few questions (feel free to leave responses in the Comments):
Does a meal for under 650 calories sound healthful to you? If you are told that your lunch of a Whopper Jr., a side of onion rings, and a Diet Soda was a healthful lunch choice, how many times would you eat that lunch per week?
Would you ever order one of the combinations listed on this placemat? (take into account the size of the beverages and sandwiches, and notice that all sandwiches do not contain mayo)
How do you feel about this information? Does it influence you? Does it mean anything to you?
Inquiring minds want to know...
;)
;)
Jessie
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Reader Comments (3)
Great post, Jessie.
Definitely wouldn't consider 650 calories 'healthful.' That said, I love having nutritional info in front of me, and it does affect my ordering decisions. For example, every concession stand at the new Yankees stadium lists the number of calories next to each menu item (even beer). I was surprised to learn that a pretzel had more calories than a hot dog (which was what I wanted anyway), and that a small ice cream was one of the most high-calorie items on the menu.
Interesting though, that marketers are only listing calories---fat, protein and sodium are important menu metrics, too.
I eat fast food about once a year...usually when I don't have other options while traveling. Regardless of the more transparent marketing, I'll stick to my no fast food rule.
good point Megan. I, too, wish they went a little further to list more nutritional information. And good for you with the no fast food rule. Once I banned fast food French fries from his diet, Chris no longer had a reason to get any fast food (or at least not any that he tells me about :) -- Jessie
Health is a lifetime assets so if anyone want to earn it for his better life then he have to work for it. So does not need a several hours work out, i think one hour is well enough in a day. As we see that life is becoming so busy and people have no time to take their food so how they will manage this one hour in their life, but they want a good health then they have to pay attention.Those fatty acids some times help full from the health point of view.Anyways keep it up and keep continue with your valuable thoughts.