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Trans fats have been the topic du jour lately, with the new ban on trans fat taking full effect in New York this summer. The trans fat ban is making way for other types of food related debates, including whether or not restaurants should make caloric information available to customers.
Many chain restaurants are balking at the idea of making this type of information public, since it would almost certainly force them to make drastic changes in the way they cook and serve food. Almost all of the chain restaurants have some item on their menu that greatly exceeds the recommended daily allowance of calories for both men and women. One such chain is The Cheesecake Factory, who consider their cheesecake their pride and joy. Many customers don't realize just exactly what they are getting when they order a slice of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Yes, you get the usual cream cheese, eggs and sugar in your slice, but you also get an extreme dosage of calories. A slice of the Godiva cheesecake (pictured) will set you back 1,000 calories and 41 grams of saturated fat! The problem is not with the cheesecake, but with the portion size. A typical slice of cheesecake at C.F. weighs about 1 pound and is 6 inches tall.
Not to be outdone, Uno Chicago Grill offers an appetizer on its menu that has a whopping 2,050 calories! The appetizer is a cross between pizza and stuffed potato skins, containing two types of cheese, bacon, mashed potatoes and the kitchen sink.
I don't know about you, but trans fat seems like the least of our worries with restaurants like Uno and Cheesecake Factory not being held accountable for their lack of public nutritional information.
*misterbelly - Posted Feb 27, 2007 by misterbelly | 2 Comments | Share It
- Filed under: dessert
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Comments:
In my humble opinion...
By
sarahisafoodie on February 27, 2007 at 06:13:07 PM
If you eat a pound of cheesecake or a huge mound of cheese/meat (especially at a chain restaurant) then you pretty much know what you are getting into. Anyone who thinks a pound of cheesecake could be low fat is in serious denial.
I think the trans fat ban is more about trying to keep people from getting into what they typically would knowingly....essentially trying to help curb (one baby step at a time) the obesity that is clearly a problem in the US. Kind of like taking away what we can to try to help naturally unhealthy eaters be just a little bit healthier. I am all for it. I think people make so many excuses rather than owning up to their CHOICES when it comes to consumption.
I don't think printing calories on the menu is necessary. Broccoli is healthy. Broccoli smoothered with processed cheese is not. It is just common sense. The people who eat these foods regularly would do it whether the calories were printed or not. It is a choice, a lifestyle...and has nothing to do with a lack of information. Common sense is enough info.
Anyhow, there is massively unhealthy food everywhere. A couple of years ago there was a big stink about Outback's Awesome Blossom. I don't eat often at chain restaurants but I will say...the Awesome Blossom kicks ass. Even with over 2,500 calories I'd still have a couple pieces of it if I was ever forced into an Outback :) Overall, moderation is the key in everything, right?
By
misterbelly on February 27, 2007 at 06:31:27 PM
I completely agree with you. I'm really tired of people relying on the government to handhold them through life and decision making. In fact, I don't want the government involved in my decision making at all.
However, I do think the restaurants have to be a bit more responsible about what they are serving. Obviously it is the consumers choice whether or not they want to chow down on a huge piece of cake or a crazy appetizer, but I think a lot of people really don't know just how fattening or how many calories are in certain dishes.
Besides, there is really no reason for them to serve a slice of cheesecake that weighs 1 pound. I mean, wouldn't it save everyone money if they just served less food?