Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Menu Labeling for Movie Theatres, Sports Arenas, Etc.?


Former ag secretaries Dan Glickman and Ann Veneman authored an article in today’s Huffington Post titled, “AComprehensive Menu Labeling Standard is Needed to Support Healthy Choices.” They recommend that calories should be posted for all “restaurant-type” foods found in movie theaters, sports arenas, convenience stores and supermarkets, as well as those already found in restaurant chains with 20 units or more. This is needed, they argue, so that people can make informed choices when eating away from home.

According to the comments written in response to this article, people do not appear to want this information. One commenter, Violettefemme, says: What I hate about this kind of plan is that is assumes complete stupidity on the part of the individual, rather than the fact that people make choices even if someone else thinks their choice is ‘bad’. Posting all this in every single damn place we can ever buy a bite to put in our mouths is expensive, annoying, and insulting. Having all this posted will only make ‘perfect’ people think they can interfere with other people's decisions in those places and times."

Personally, I think it would be helpful to have calories, as well as any other nutrient that a person is interested in, available for these foods. Perhaps, what we need is an app for smart phones that can make this information readily available for those who want it.

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