Calorie Count on Restaurant Menu?

Sandberm
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Sandberm
Edited Date/Time 12/17/2015 9:14pm
A couple of guys mentioned eating out in the eating cleaner thread and the challenge of not overdoing it and i was curious what everyone thinks about the government REQUIRING restaurants to list an estimated calorie count for each item on their menu.

A-Is this government regulation gone too far and thus a financial burden to small business?
B-Should eating out just be considered a caloric indulgence? I.E, just expect to be gorging on calories.
C-America is just too damn fat and unhealthy, we've got to do something to make people aware of how many calories they are ingesting.

I have a libertarian relative who owns a few restaurants and we've talked a bit about this so I'm curious what the everyday man thinks here at Vital Non-Moto.Smile
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IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 12/17/2015 5:56am
12/17/2015 5:56am
When I look at calories at restaurants, I always wonder how the food prepared for me compares to the food prepared for the calorie counting.

Using Chipotle as an example, on their website, it lists that the meal I normally get there has 810 calories. But I want to know how consistent that measurement is and if not, what is the variance. If it's less than 100 calories variance, I'm good with that, but any more, the calorie indicator is meaningless.

I don't trust much that the government does. People find a way to bend rules and government rules are generally ripe for bending. I do like seeing how much I'm eating, just have a hard time digesting the information is anywhere near accurate.
Sandberm
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Sandberm 12/17/2015 6:29am
12/17/2015 6:29am
My relative and I discussed the inaccuracy of the calorie count. He made the point that since the count was NOT exact then it was a waste of time to post a guess on his menu.

I however saw it differently. Its not so much the accuracy of the calorie count, but rather a RELATIVE measure. I can look at the menu and see that the Single Burger W/O cheese is 500 calories while the Chicken Sandwich is 800 calories. Its not the 500 and 800 thats important, its that the Chicken Sandwich is 300 MORE calories. Or if not exactly 300, at least, MORE THEN LIKELY, something significantly more.

So when you look at a menu, your making a caloric comparison, not an exact measurement.
newmann
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newmann 12/17/2015 7:13am
12/17/2015 7:13am
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Sandberm
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Sandberm 12/17/2015 7:41am
12/17/2015 7:41am
Whats sad about the school lunch program, from my understanding there is a reluctance to get rid of pop machines because they are a large enough revenue stream to the school that there removal would be felt.

So, the more sugar laden pop the kids drink, the better the education they can get that they are killing themselves...so to speak. Unsure
71Fish
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71Fish 12/17/2015 7:44am
12/17/2015 7:44am
I don't think putting calories on a menu are going to have any effect on obesity.

The first question I have is, who verifies the numbers?

I know restaurants measure food to maximize profits, but do they measure food to stay within calorie limits? I don't know, but I doubt it.

Personally, when I go out to eat, it is a treat so I don't care about calories. If a person regularly eats at fast food restaurants, I'm guessing they don't care about calorie counts.
avidchimp
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avidchimp 12/17/2015 8:06am
12/17/2015 8:06am
Sandberm wrote:
My relative and I discussed the inaccuracy of the calorie count. He made the point that since the count was NOT exact then it was a...
My relative and I discussed the inaccuracy of the calorie count. He made the point that since the count was NOT exact then it was a waste of time to post a guess on his menu.

I however saw it differently. Its not so much the accuracy of the calorie count, but rather a RELATIVE measure. I can look at the menu and see that the Single Burger W/O cheese is 500 calories while the Chicken Sandwich is 800 calories. Its not the 500 and 800 thats important, its that the Chicken Sandwich is 300 MORE calories. Or if not exactly 300, at least, MORE THEN LIKELY, something significantly more.

So when you look at a menu, your making a caloric comparison, not an exact measurement.
This.

It's been a thing in California for a while now, and I like knowing APPROXIMATELY how many calories are in what I'm ordering.
hvaughn88
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hvaughn88 12/17/2015 8:12am
12/17/2015 8:12am
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know the sugar content as opposed to the caloric amount.
IWreckALot
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IWreckALot 12/17/2015 8:17am
12/17/2015 8:17am
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know...
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know the sugar content as opposed to the caloric amount.
Sugar and sodium content are always huge when calories are low it seems.
mxb2
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mxb2 12/17/2015 8:19am
12/17/2015 8:19am Edited Date/Time 12/17/2015 8:21am
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know...
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know the sugar content as opposed to the caloric amount.
Google ,will give you all the info., no need for the restaurant, saves them money on menu costs
71Fish
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71Fish 12/17/2015 8:19am
12/17/2015 8:19am
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know...
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know the sugar content as opposed to the caloric amount.
I've always been conscious of sugar but I'm only recently paying attention to how much sugar I am potentially getting. Gladly not much. "That Sugar Film" is pretty good. It's made by the same folks as "Supersize Me".
hvaughn88
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hvaughn88 12/17/2015 8:27am
12/17/2015 8:27am
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know...
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know the sugar content as opposed to the caloric amount.
mxb2 wrote:
Google ,will give you all the info., no need for the restaurant, saves them money on menu costs
So tell me what you would google
Uncle Tony
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Uncle Tony 12/17/2015 8:48am
12/17/2015 8:48am
A.
Sandberm
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Sandberm 12/17/2015 8:53am
12/17/2015 8:53am
Another argument made by my restaurant owning relative was ,... Whos going to regulate it? The government of course, which means more bureaucracy.

Because of that bureaucracy, and the TAXES to fund it, perhaps we should just make an exception for restaurants. Keep the health inspectors... but dont add the calorie counters. Its too burdensome on small business and eating out is a choice that one should make knowing that the calories might be high.
mxb2
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mxb2 12/17/2015 9:02am
12/17/2015 9:02am
hvaughn88 wrote:
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know...
I would like to know. The restaurants that do post it, I pay attention to it when I order. However, I would almost prefer to know the sugar content as opposed to the caloric amount.
mxb2 wrote:
Google ,will give you all the info., no need for the restaurant, saves them money on menu costs
hvaughn88 wrote:
So tell me what you would google
Calorie count, sugar info, etc.
hvaughn88
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hvaughn88 12/17/2015 9:10am
12/17/2015 9:10am
Sandberm wrote:
Another argument made by my restaurant owning relative was ,... Whos going to regulate it? The government of course, which means more bureaucracy. Because of that...
Another argument made by my restaurant owning relative was ,... Whos going to regulate it? The government of course, which means more bureaucracy.

Because of that bureaucracy, and the TAXES to fund it, perhaps we should just make an exception for restaurants. Keep the health inspectors... but dont add the calorie counters. Its too burdensome on small business and eating out is a choice that one should make knowing that the calories might be high.
I do see that side of it and agree. I doubt I would ever want to force restaurants to do it. But if they did, I would definitely appreciate it.
hvaughn88
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hvaughn88 12/17/2015 9:21am
12/17/2015 9:21am
mxb2 wrote:
Google ,will give you all the info., no need for the restaurant, saves them money on menu costs
hvaughn88 wrote:
So tell me what you would google
mxb2 wrote:
Calorie count, sugar info, etc.
nevermind
UpTiTe 12/17/2015 9:29am
12/17/2015 9:29am Edited Date/Time 12/17/2015 9:31am
Counting calories is stupid, you either eat something healthy or you don't. Shit food is shit food, doesn't matter if it 50 calories or 1000. When you sit down at mcds, it doesn't matter how many calories are in that bag, its shit. Posting calorie counts is another dumbass federal regulation to make the average dumbass lazy American feel good. Personaly, if I eat fast food its chili dogs from Wienerschnitzel, there's no hypocrisy in that place, you know what they make them from. Chicken wraps at Mcds? LMAO.

Back on topic, I don't count calories when I eat out, I cut the meal in half and eat that.

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Sandberm
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Sandberm 12/17/2015 9:44am
12/17/2015 9:44am
Theres the libertarian viewpoint of the strong will be strong and the weak will be weak and its the responsibility of the weak to get strong....resist temptation perhaps?

I just heard the other day that over 30% of Americans are obese, not just overweight From thisarticle it says that 75% of men and 60% of women are overweight.

...An estimated 160 million Americans are either obese or overweight. Nearly three-quarters of American men and more than 60% of women are obese or overweight. These are also major challenges for America’s children – nearly 30% of boys and girls under age 20 are either obese or overweight, up from 19% in 1980....


So at what point do libertarians get overwhelmed by the "weak", and try to help them out a little by forced regulation?
mxb2
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mxb2 12/17/2015 10:17am
12/17/2015 10:17am
Smaller portions. Workout. Simple
Sandberm
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Sandberm 12/17/2015 10:46am
12/17/2015 10:46am
mxb2 wrote:
Smaller portions. Workout. Simple
Why is this not simple for 75% of men?
mxb2
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mxb2 12/17/2015 10:53am
12/17/2015 10:53am
mxb2 wrote:
Smaller portions. Workout. Simple
Sandberm wrote:
Why is this not simple for 75% of men?
Lazy.
mxb2
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mxb2 12/17/2015 11:00am
12/17/2015 11:00am
Some health issues cant be controlled, being lazy with excuses can.
moto455va
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moto455va 12/17/2015 11:23am
12/17/2015 11:23am
Calorie counts on restaurant menus would be so astronomical that nobody would eat at restaurants if you knew how much was in the food. An average entree would be easily 5,000+. Ive worked in restaurants and seen how much cream/salt/sugar/butter/etc goes into most recipes, its nuts. It would also be very difficult to put an exact number on the calorie count.

IMO, if youre concerned about calorie intake, why are you eating at a restaurant in the first place?

mxb2
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mxb2 12/17/2015 11:31am
12/17/2015 11:31am
moto455va wrote:
Calorie counts on restaurant menus would be so astronomical that nobody would eat at restaurants if you knew how much was in the food. An average...
Calorie counts on restaurant menus would be so astronomical that nobody would eat at restaurants if you knew how much was in the food. An average entree would be easily 5,000+. Ive worked in restaurants and seen how much cream/salt/sugar/butter/etc goes into most recipes, its nuts. It would also be very difficult to put an exact number on the calorie count.

IMO, if youre concerned about calorie intake, why are you eating at a restaurant in the first place?

Exactly.
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Falcon 12/17/2015 11:50am
12/17/2015 11:50am
I don't give one dead rat's ass about the number of calories I eat. I workout, ride hard and eat what I want. If I'm gaining weight I'll ride more, eat less.
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disbanded 12/17/2015 12:22pm
12/17/2015 12:22pm
While I don't eat at these types of restaurants, unfortunately, somebody needs to watch over these companies because they are putting sometimes 3 times the daily amount of sodium in a seemingly-healthy-ish meal.

Seriously, to add in 3 times the daily limit into one meal should be criminal.

There are salads at places like Applebee's and Friday's and Chili's that have this shit - and I think the people need to know what they are truly putting into their bodies, if they choose to eat at these places...

Maybe then the restaurants wouldn't put so much crap in their food in the first place.
DirtDiggler
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DirtDiggler 12/17/2015 8:11pm
12/17/2015 8:11pm
Calories dont make you fat per se.

Its what youre eating and when.
DirtDiggler
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DirtDiggler 12/17/2015 8:24pm
12/17/2015 8:24pm
mxb2 wrote:
Smaller portions. Workout. Simple
Sandberm wrote:
Why is this not simple for 75% of men?
Eat big to get big.

Thats what tiny girls like Miss Supercross do.

slipdog
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slipdog 12/17/2015 8:50pm
12/17/2015 8:50pm Edited Date/Time 12/17/2015 8:51pm
Every time I look at the nutritional menu at a restaurant I lose my appetite and think "Why I'm I eating this crap".

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