What Foods would you eat in New York City?

Comment

Comment by Susanna on July 8, 2008 at 9:51am

I just returned from a long weekend in NYC. NYC was wonderful as usual, and the menus were VERY enlightening. Not all menus had calorie information, but those that did really widened my eyes. I am a fairly educated consumer of food. I know when I am overdoing it. But I was amazed by the high calorie counts of what seemed to fairly "good" food. I was particularly amazied by grilled fish selections. The only way I could account for it was that they must be prepared with a ton of oil or butter.

Comment by Amy on July 3, 2008 at 4:12pm

I agree with David that people need to take control of their own lives. Ignorance is NOT bliss! Lack of nutrition information posted right on the menu is not an excuse anymore. Watch the news, read a magazine, look at a Nutrition Facts label. Take some responsibility for your own health and what you put in your body. The occasional splurge is fine, in fact it's great, but the difference is that you know you are having a treat; you're not ordering the disco fries and wondering why you're not losing weight! (Does everyone know what disco fries are? I think it's a very New Jersey thing....they are French fries covered in cheese and gravy, FYI). We each need to be proactive about our health--bottom line.

Comment by Mike Foster on July 3, 2008 at 12:12am

First thing I go for whenever I visit the Big Apple is a slice of pizza. These Californian's out here just can't get it right... not like the East Coast. As for those menus...

peace,
Mike

Comment by David on July 2, 2008 at 9:07pm

Susanna, I am in agreement with "having" the nutritional and caloric data "available" at restaurants 100%.

I am only in disagreement that it has to mandatory to be displayed on a menu. I view that as a choice restaurant owner's would "have" to make. Maybe their competitors are doing it, as an example.

Of course, making it mandatory that the restaurant's menu nutritional data having to be as accurate as would be their other information, like their health permits, to be required is something I do support.

I think that it's an undue hardship especially for sole proprietorships. I think it discourages people to take responsibility from learning for themselves what's healthy and how they should conduct themselves.

It gives the State more reasons to control our lives. It doesn't apply to me, i do my homework, eat as good as I can nutritionally, and am prudent in my food and portion choices.

Do people really think that by visually having to display calorie information, that the obesity epidemic will be lessened?

I really don't think it will be. I think that there is a place for everything and everything has its place.

If I want to see a Doctor's credentials I can ask for all of them--same requirement should be for all restaurant and food establishments--they should be required to have the nutritional and calorie data for people who want to see them. With penalties for inaccuracies or worse--like outright lying.

It's a slippery slope, IMO. First they ban trans-fats, then force restaurants to list calorie information, I am really afraid what they're going to require next.

The bottom line is that people have to learn, as Iowa Avenue members and leaders espouse, how to take control of their own lives and healthy lifestyles, by learning, doing, and taking an active and integral interest in healthy living and to preempt illness by maintaining a healthy weight.

Because State and Federal Budgets are constrained, they view Obesity and Overweight, the same way they view Tobacco and Alcohol. Using common sense this is really a bit regressive and results in treating people with not a lot of respect, IMO.

Comment by Parimal on July 2, 2008 at 5:50pm

You provided great information.
I have never been to New York but people may or may not care about calories. People who are on diet will care about calories on food.
I eat 90% of the time at home so I know what's in my food.

Check out http://healthlifestyleforever.com/blog for more health information.

Comment by TeasasTips on July 2, 2008 at 4:38pm

my weakness is the caramel frap from starbucks...i have a mild addiction :))

Comment by Salubrious-fervor on July 2, 2008 at 2:45pm

I'm note sure the caloric content needs to be posted, but every place needs to have some sort of nutritionals available for you to check out, a pamphlet or brochure or something. And one that is AVAILABLE. they all say they have them, but just try and get one these days.

Some of us want to check more than just the calories...what kinds of calories AM I EATING?

Comment by Susanna on July 2, 2008 at 11:58am

Great post.

David, though I am a pretty harden capitalist, I have to respectfully disagree about posting calorie regulations as leading to a "nanny" state. First amendment rights and regulations go along way to allowing companies to advertise in almost any manner they choose, including the ability to be misleading. Much of the advertising and nutrition labeling requirements allows the companies to lead the consumer to believe something is healthy when it may not be. Some examples are the use of "All Natural" and "0g Trans Fat". Menus are just another method of advertising (pictures of beautifully grilled fished on the menu, but when it arrives on your table, it is swimming in fat).

Let’s say you are ordering a grilled chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread at a restaurant. With a little education, most consumers will know that 4oz grilled chicken breast is probably going to be around 200 – 250 calories. But at a restaurant, they are not going to know: what type of oil was used, how much was used, if the chicken was injected with oil.

Caveat Emptor ("let the buyer beware”) works, but only with an educated consumer. Because advertising is allowed to be misleading, I don’t think it is a problem to require the restaurants to provide consumers with accurate caloric information. It gives the consumer much needed information to make choices.

In my opinion it will probably help to stop future lawsuits by individuals who have decided fast food restaurants are the cause of all their health problems, rather than facing the fact that it was their personal decisions that were the cause of all their health problems.

Comment by Dai on July 2, 2008 at 11:15am

If I could see the amount of calories prior to a purchase, I would seriously rethink most of what I buy out. Hmmm. Actually, this may be a good reason to eat-in more!

Comment by Amy on July 2, 2008 at 9:17am

One really effective way to get these messages across is by showing people how they can make small changes to reap big rewards. I love to do 'meal make-overs' when I teach a class so everyone can see how they can substitute a few different items to lower calorie and fat intake. People get very defensive if they feel I am telling them not to eat certain foods ever again, so I to phrase things such as, "If you order grilled chicken instead of cripy chicken, that would be a great start!" So rather than just seeing that their favorite menu item is X amount of calories, they should be able to choose from a healthier version. I would love to see fast food restaurants downsizing rather than supersizing. Oh if I ruled the world...

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