Greetings!
Last month I spoke at the Florida Restaurant Association about "10 Ways to Promote Health on the Menu without losing your shirt." Were you there?
Dr. Jo 407-852-9171 |
| Restaurants Pressured to Be Healthier |
Restaurants are getting it from all sides including:
- FDA Releases Calorie Count Guidelines - as part of the new healthcare bill, restaurants with 20 or more locations will soon be required to post calories on the menu. Here's the first draft of the guidelines.
- Calorie-Posting Rules to Apply to Theatres and on Airplanes. Same thing for grocery store food courts, convenience stores and more. Read the article here.
- Michele Obama talks to the National Restaurant Association about offering more healthy choices for kids. "Mrs. Obama pleaded with restaurants small and large to take a little butter or cream out of their dishes, use low fat milk and provide apple slices or carrots as a default side dish on the kids' menu." Read more here.
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| And, Restaurants Respond |
Some restaurants are finding out that calorie labeling can pay off:
- Best Sellers Down, Healthier Items Up. One FohBoh blogger reports that sales at Le Pain Quotidien and Pizzeria Uno changed when the restaurants started posting calories.
- Restaurants Are Getting a Head Start. Instead of waiting for FDA to finalize the plans, some restaurants are tweaking recipes and adding online nutrition calculators so consumers can plan their visits.
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| Trend: Two for One |
Seems like "two for one price" is becoming another trend:
- In addition to introducing four new salads this summer, Wendy's has just launched "Pick 2". Customers can choose a half portion of any of the salads plus one of seven other menu items for $4.99. Wendy's is the first traditional QSR to offer half portions.
- Other chains including Qdoba Mexican Grill and McAlister's Deli are also offering "Choose Two" options. Here's the article in QSR magazine.
- Just Salad is For Lovers - A strange twist on "Two for One"...This NY restaurant was such a popular place for singles that they added an online dating service to match others' who share their salad preferences.
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Trend: Portion Size Changes |
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As portions get bigger, they get smaller, too:
- Lines Blur between Meals and Snacks - Building on the success of snack items, more restaurants are adding mini items that double as meals. Read this Wall Street Journal article.
- CSPI says "Super-Sized" Portions are The New Normal - Half a meal might be just right according to this advocacy group, since portion sizes are often double the size of the government's definition of a serving. Read more here.
- Some of the Worst Offenders are shared by Dietitian, Rebecca Scritchfield in this Washington Post article.
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| Trend: Shrinking Environmental Footprint |
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Some restaurants are working to reduce their environmental footprint including:
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