Can I have a diet coke with that, please? Thanks!

[telemann.livejournal.com]

malasadas had a great post recently about making good food choices, especially when consumers have informed choices. In the spirit of that post, I was amused when I saw this today (via the "The Consumerist") KFC's "Double Down": it's bacon and cheese sandwiched between two pieces of fried chicken. The "Original Recipe" sandwich will set you back about 540 calories, 32g of fat and 1380mg of sodium. The not-as-bad-for-you Grilled Double Down totals 460 calories, 23g of fat and 1430mg of sodium. This doesn't even look appealing to me. Luckily here in New York City, restaurants are required to post nutritional information like this to give us some informed choices. But what if consumers insist on making the wrong choice even with all the information? New York City is considering a "bad food tax," and when you see fare like this, you have to wonder if heavy taxation would have an impact. Such taxation reduced cigarette consumption (a carton of cigarettes by law can not be lower than 72.00 here in New York). True, the case can be made taxation like this is rather ineffective because people order cigarettes online, or just buy them in other states, but with a lot of hungry tourists and citizens, it's unlikely everyone is just going to leave, and eat in New Jersey.

Comments

[sgiffy.livejournal.com]

I've seen shit worse at my local pub. Hell biscuits and gravy with bacon is about as unhealthy a breakfast you can get, yet is considered traditional.

I am all for menu labeling and making sure people have information about what they are eating, but lets not pretend that somehow more refined restaurants are any more healthy.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

The more refined restaurants give you less quantity.

[sgiffy.livejournal.com]

Sometimes. But my favorite gastro pub serves a double quarter pounder with cheese. They call it a burger with an 8 oz organic grass fed beef patty and locally made white cheddar, but basically, thats the same thing.

My favorite steak house is pretty found of serving butter rubbed steaks, rib-eye often being my choice, well in excess of a pound along with a giant baked potato that of course needs all the fixins.

Calorie for calorie a meal at a nice restaurant is probably comparable to even in excess of one at a fastfood joint, especially if you have appetizers, dessert, bread, and don't pick healthy. Now it is certainly much better for you in terms of quality.

[gunslnger.livejournal.com]

Are you paying $50 or more for your meal? Then it's not refined to the level I'm talking about.

[sgiffy.livejournal.com]

Yup. Sometimes a fair bit more than that.