Will Calorie Labeling in Restaurants Make a Difference?
Editor’s Note: Calories and managing weight are topics that elicit a wide variety of responses. The following is an Internet version of an article titled, “Will Calorie Labeling in Restaurants Make a Difference?” first appearing in the March 2011 issue of Amber Waves, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (ERS). See more information at the end of this article.
June 2011 Prepared Foods -- ERS research shows that away-from-home meals and snacks tend to contain more calories and to be of lower nutritional quality than food prepared at home.
Recent legislation will require chain restaurants across the U.S. to list calorie information on their menus and menu boards.
Calorie disclosure may prompt consumers to substitute menu items that lower their caloric intakes and may encourage restaurants to offer lower calorie options.