Eating Lunch Out? Look for Posted Calorie Counts

Going out to lunch may never be the same.

And maybe that’s a good thing.

Soon, many chain restaurants nationwide will be required to display nutritional information for everything they sell.

Not only will you see how many calories come in that grilled chicken salad with pecans and crumbled cheese, but how much fat and sodium it contains, too.

It’s information that may ruin a few appetites.

Federal health officials are hoping the new requirement – a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – will spur patrons to demand healthier choices.

I think it could work.

You see, there’s a particular chain restaurant that I like to visit. Nope, it doesn’t have a drive-thru.

It’s the kind of place I can walk in wearing my gym clothes, order quickly, grab my lunch and find a table.

You might think I love this place because it serves roasted turkey on a bed of baby greens packed with nutrition. And that’s definitely part of it.

But the real reason I love this place is because the calories for everything you order are posted right next to the price.

It makes a difference when it comes to maintaining weight loss.

If you’re like me, every calorie counts. I keep track of all my daily calories on my phone with an app specifically made for weight loss and exercise.

I won’t lie. This restaurant boasts some of the sweetest looking scones and cupcakes I’ve seen in a long time.

And it’s not the price that keeps me from getting one.

It’s the posted calorie count.

Alice Warchol is a freelance health blog writer and fitness instructor.

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