It seems consumers are getting better acquainted with their kitchens, and eating out less. According to this article in USA Today, the stock market is hurting restaurants that cater to the high end diner, have considerable debt loads, and rely on dinner.

When consumers do dine out, they are spending less. This survey from A Closer Look showed that 43% are spending less than they did a year earlier, and coupon use is becoming more common. And, sharing meals appears to be more the norm, even at more upscale restaurants according to this article in The Washington Post.

Mintel has identified three menu trends in restaurants:

• Mini Food - "the perfect balance between sensibility and satisfaction"
• Value Pricing - for consumers who have less to spend, but still want to eat out
• Lighter Options - the mandatory nutritional labeling in NYC and Philadelphia is impacting menu choices

For more on how nutritional information on the menu is affecting what New Yorkers order, Technomic just released this study. Eighty two percent of NYC residents said they were changing their eating habits because of the information. One third said they stopped going to certain restaurants.

A Frost and Sullivan analyst suggests that companies can profit by emphasizing the health and wellness aspects of their products.

New York City passed a law requiring larger chain restaurants to post calorie information on the menu or menu board. Posting began last summer. But the New York State Restaurant Association is still trying to stop this. According to this article, a federal appeals court has just upheld the NYC law.

Seattle's King County has passed a similar law, starting last month. Philadelphia's law starts in January 2010. And, California's larger chain restaurants must start posting on the menu in January 2011. It appears that West Virginia and Indiana are also considering similar laws. On the other hand, Utah lawmakers are considering a bill which would prevent state counties from passing nutrition-on-the-menu laws.

According to this article in QSRweb.com, restaurants are increasing their healthier offerings for kids. Most quick service restaurants offer fruit such as Chick-fil-A's fruit cup or Wendy's mandarin oranges. Subway and Arby's offer non-fried protein options. Arby's has two Mini-Market Fresh Sandwiches. Burger King offers a macaroni and cheese kids' meal.

But still...restaurants have a long way to go. A recent study reveals that only 3% of kids' meals offered at fast food restaurants meet federal dietary guidelines for nutrient quality.

It's probably no surprise that kids aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables. Research from Ohio State University found that french fries are the most common "vegetable" consumed by children. And, juice makes up for 40% of kids' fruit intake.

Culver's Restaurants are now offering menu items in its 500 club. These menu items have 500 calories or less (and controlled in fat).

And for people with gluten intolerance, Uno Chicago will now offer gluten-free cheese and pepperoni pizzas at all their more than 200 locations.

KFC has announced it has eliminated trans fats from all their menu items including biscuits and chicken pot pie.

Just announced...PepsiCo is introducing Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback, a new line of "pure sugar" soft drinks this April. Other companies replacing the common high fructose corn syrup with natural sugar includes Snapple's Lemon Ice Tea.

Acrylamide is formed during the Maillard reaction, a heat-induced reaction between sugar and an amino acid called asparagine. High levels are found in chips, fries, breads and baked goods. Concern about acrylamide began in 2002 when scientists in Sweden found that high levels caused cancer in laboratory rats. It continues to be studied to find its effects on humans.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition just published a study showing that participants who consumed 160g of potato chips (more than 5.5 oz chips) had increases in compounds related to heart disease - including LDL-cholesterol and C-reactive protein. Keep in mind that the chips contained more than three times the amount of acrylamide than the average Western diet.

Another study found no connection between long-term acrylamide intake and the risk of breast cancer.

Health Canada has recommended acrylamide be included on the nation's list of toxic substances.

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