FDA Serves Up Calorie Counts on Menus

Photo Credit: morgueFile

Restaurant dinners come with too many indulgences.

Appetizers. Starters. Sides. Desserts.

What ever happened to simply enjoying an entree and calling it a night?

I don't know about you, but almost every meal I eat outside of the home is higher in calories than what I'd cook for myself. Why? Because it feels OK to splurge when you're out.

Well, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hoping to bring us all back down to reality (and responsible portion sizes) when it comes to those evenings when we don't have to cook dinner ourselves.

A new ruling from the FDA that goes into effect in 2015 states that restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, movie theater snack bars and some convenience/grocery stores with ready-made foods with more than 20 locations must list calorie counts for each prepared food and drink item listed for sale.

In two years, vending machine operators will also have to follow these rules and post calorie counts in a visible area on the machines.

So, in the near future expect to see a calorie count next to items on a salad bar, on your favorite chain restaurant's menu board and on the break room snack machine.

Want to know more details? Read the full FDA report HERE.

So, how do you feel about the new calorie counts on menus?
Will they make dinner less enjoyable because you know how indulgent you're being?
Or, will you make healthier choices since the numbers are right in front of you?

Tell me in the comments below!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

17 Things I've Learned While Using My Fitness Pal

Today is my 16th day of tracking my exercise, meals and snacks using the My Fitness Pal app.

When the hubby mentioned it to me I thought it'd be fun to try. I'm always looking for ways to be healthier and it might be a good thing to learn more about portion control. Well, I've learned about portions and so much more.

Here's 17 insights and thoughts since I started using the app.

1. Spices (such as ground cinnamon and garlic powder) do contain calories and should be logged.
2. Choose portions based on your needs, not what a food package says you should eat.
3. I feel guilty if I go over my daily allotment of calories and try to be better the next day.
4. Having friends to "like" your health achievement updates on the app is wonderful!
5. I've never eaten one portion of pasta in my life. I want a big bowl or none at all.
6. Celery does indeed have calories, contrary to popular dieting myths.
7. Olive oil is a healthy unsaturated fat but it's high in calories. Use it wisely.
8. I don't get enough sodium, potassium, or protein most days. I'm working to improve that.
9. I find myself snacking less since I have to be honest and log it.
10. I make everything I put on my plate count and strive to eat more nutritionally balanced meals.
11. I'm happy to see restaurant food and popular recipes are included in the food search feature.
12. Why is peanut butter and cashew butter so high in calories?
13. I love being able to track my daily vitamin and mineral consumption.
14. I feel proud each time I log exercise or physical activities, like mowing the lawn.
15. I can enjoy cake -- in moderation -- and still meet my daily health goals.
16. Alcoholic beverages and cheese have more calories than I realized.
17. A half cup portion is not very big. I've been eating too much of most foods.

Do you use My Fitness Pal? What feature or information has surprised you most since you started using it? Tell me in the comments below.

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

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