Restaurant menus dishing up calories
Ignorance is bliss, right? Well, health officials in New York City think ignorance will kill you. So recently, the Big Apple became the first city in the country to force chain restaurants to post the calorie count of each food in the same size and font as the price.
Yikes.
As this msnbc story on calorie sticker shock says, consumers aren't so sure they want to be jarred into awareness when their tummy is growling for food.
Here's the top of the story:
Nora Cara was flabbergasted.
She was about to order her usual morning coffee and muffin at Dunkin’ Donuts when she saw the new calorie labels. The chocolate chip muffin she had her eye on was 630 calories.
“I was blown away,” said Cara, a 27-year-old homemaker from Forest Hills in New York City. “I’m not a no-carb type of person, and I usually don’t even think about it. But you pick up a little muffin with your coffee, and it has 630 calories in it? That’s a bit extreme!”
In another example, a 45-year-old owner of a construction company said he was quitting Dunkin Donuts corn muffins — 510 calories — for good.
Double yikes. I have to say, I like to eat. I'm not sure I want to know how many calories I'm consuming every time I eat. I will confess that it would make me make different decisions, for instance nibbling on a garden salad instead of wolfing down a cheeseburger.
I want to say this is a good idea. I want to say good job New York City for informing the public. I want to say this is a step in the right direction in the fight against obesity. I want to say this is great news to help us all make healthier food choices. My head wants to say all those things.
But my tummy? My tummy wants to take Midnight Sun Sam's Four Meat Burrito Challenge. mmmm mmmm. burritos. (and I'd do it without looking at Evan's daggone nutrition calculator, too, daggonit.)
(AFP/Getty Images)
Categories: Consumer protection, Food, Healthcare
