April 4, 2008
D.C. Eating in: A Voice for Real Choices
Sometimes you get some really strange press releases. In particular, DC Voices for Meal Choices will be staging a sit-in on April 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 425 13th St. NW. The subject line reads, "Shocking 'EAT-IN' supporting menu labeling in DC." Plus, there will be "PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES!" The purpose of the sit-in is in support of the DC MEAL Act, which would require any chain restaurant with more than 10 locations nationwide to list nutritional information on their menus. According to DC Voices for Meal Choices, 50% of DC citizens are overweight or obese, one of the highest obesity rates in the country. Furthermore, $2 billion a year are spent in District restaurants. Regardless of whether that includes meals eaten by tourists and those outside the area or what kinds of establishments are most frequented, the obesity rate speaks for itself. (And does anyone find calling it an "Eat-In" a little ironic since you're trying to reduce obesity? Shouldn't it be a "Fast-In"?)
We make light of the release, but as everyone knows this is serious business. This protest only speaks to one small part of the problem. C'mon, have YOU ever walked in to one of your favorite chain restaurants and wanted to know the precise nutritional value of the food that you'll be getting? Every last calorie and fat gram? Probably not.
Research shows that poverty is one of the factors in rising obesity rates. Calorie-dense junk foods are less expensive than healthier, low-calorie items like fresh produce. And with D.C.'s poverty rate at over 20 percent, this is naturally going to be a greater problem. There are high barriers to accessing high-quality, and therefore more delicious, low-calorie food items in this city, including the lack of well-stocked grocery stores (Soviet Safeway, anyone?) and sky-high prices at farmers markets. Why choose a mealy and bland apple when you can get a bag of potato chips for the same price?
Jason Linkins contributed to this post.
In addition to getting restaurants to list nutritional information on their menus, we should also be trying to make it easier for grocery stores to open in the city (like Harris Teeter) or getting them to improve their existing stores. Farmers markets that accept food stamps are also a step in the right direction -- as would be the expansion of markets into under served parts of the city. Increasing access to high-quality, reasonably priced low-calorie foods would be one tool in encouraging better eating behavior, rather than putting the onus on restaurants to list nutritional information on their menus.
Photo by maxedaperture
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Obligatory Lewis Black quote:
"You man FAT fried in FAT will make me FAT?"
Fastfood slopshops have plenty of "heart smart" menu items. Problem is, nobody buys them. They're loss leaders for Monster Thickburgers and Mega Meals. I'd say you already have a choice, but I don't see people lining up to eat the raw veggie and supersize water meal deal at McDicks.
For the love of Betsy, even a dumb fat slob knows that a big mac is bad for you without seeing a nutritional break down. Does somebody actually think this will make a difference, or are they just shilling for the increasingly wealthy nutritional labeling industry.
I'll do you one better - let's make everyone sign a waiver just to step foot in a fast food restaurant. Fucking nanny state.
I agree that this won't likely change most people's eating habits, and that everyone knows by now that a Whopper is bad for you. However, seeing the numbers written out (think: Subway cups/napkins) may convince even a couple people that these "value" meals at BK might not be the best choice. After all, you can get filled up just as quickly and cheaply without ingesting 200% of your daily sat. fat, sodium, and cholesterol in a single meal.
-I'm Jared Fogle, and I approve this message.
Actually the reason labeling isn't so bad in my eyes is specifically b/c of "healthy" choices.
Everyone does know a Big Mac will make their ass (and heart) explode. But does everyone know that their salad will too? I'm not just talking about McDonald's either. Look at somewhere like fucking Panera. A lot of their seemingly healthy sandwiches approach 1000 calories and if you look at their nutritional info, they often only calculate for half a sandwich.
This is the new problem with the fast-food and the casual dinning industry, misdirection. They tell you they have healthier options that either just don't actually exist or are buried behind 5 oz. of maybe and sugar loaded bread.
The Jared ideal is bullshit, I wish he really did have A.I.D.S.
I saw some guy on morning TV who was insisting that the fastfat places put the nutrition info up on the menu. Those stupid things are hard enough to read unless you eat there every day and have memorized that stuff.
Who cares?
After all, these places are Darwinian Fly Traps.
Interesting fact I learned last weekend, in McDonalds, watching my drunk friends order food: McDonalds Chicken Selects have more transfats than McNuggets. I bet a lot of people don't realize that, since the Chicken Selects are advertised as healthier "all white meat chicken breasts".
West, your Jared comment is ridiculously uncalled for and offensive.
As for this group, it is a little ridiculous. The major culprits are the fast food players and all of them have nutrition facts on their web site. And as for DC ranking 15th in the country in obesity with more than 1/2 of the population being overweight/obese, try we rank 40th, at least according to the CDC.
This group in lame.
at least two mentions of the Soviet Safeway in a week . . . gotta love it!
btw, have we ever decided officially which one is Soviet Safeway? my ex called the one down in the Watergate 'soviet', but i've heard it used for a different one, too.
Not to discount the obesity problem, but I'm going to discount the obesity problem. I'm 5'10", 175lbs. According to the government, I'm overweight. According to the eyes of anyone that can see me, I'm pretty average, some may say skinny (I have girly wrists). If your classifications are skewed, your results will be skewed.
When I'm in any place buying food, I like to see the calories. I don't even count them in my daily routine, but I like to have a general sense of what I'm getting myself into, even if it's a big burger with mayo.
Didn't you get the memo? It's okay to make AIDS jokes now.
I'm only offended by heart disease. Heart disease and this little gem coming to ears near you next week.
erincarly,
the soviet safeway is located on 17th, near p st.
the watergate safeway is merely the safeway of dumbassery.
there is a difference.
hooray! it's time for the third-annual-nickname-the-grocery-stores-on-dcist thread!
who gets to call dibs on naming the three harris teeters?
what the heck is a soviet safeway??
safeway on conn n of van ness is actually nice, and well-stocked. the one in vienna, not so much. reminiscent of a winn dixie in so-fla west of 441. that's like, back-country, in the south of the southern. the one in falls church, on 50?, comparable to some whole foods.
alas, the 'i can't afford to eat healthily' excuse is a bs justification of ignorant ennui. what it translates to is 'i'm too lazy to take proper care of my diet.' despite my bourgeois mannerisms, i recently learned how to live off of $1000 a month. after rent/insurances/bills/gas/etc, there's little left for food. so here's what to do: buy simple foods, on sale, at least expensive places, prepare at home. TAfrickinDA. mcd's, the cheapest of the fast foods, can't fit in my budget, so don't tell me it's cheap and convenient.
DC Voices for MEAL Choices only wants to help consumers make INFORMED choices. If you don't want to be empowered, that's fine, but allow others to make their own decisions with the information they need to do so.
It's clear all of you are blessed with great health and don't have to watch what you eat to manage a chronic condition. Lucky you! If you were a little more open minded, you would also realize that a Big Mac is not the only food which may be high in calories, fat, trans fat, you name it.
What is the healthiest option at Chipotle? No way of knowing because they don't provide any nutritional information online. If you were at Smoothie King, a seemigly healthy place to get a drink, can you tell just by looking at the menu that the 20oz. Pineapple Pleasure Smoothie is a way better option than the 20oz. Pina Colada Island Smoothie? I am sure you all do!
DC Voices for MEAL Choices is not bashing chain restaurants or telling you what to eat.
Menu labeling demands that the necessary information to make a INFORMED choice is available at POINT-OF-PURCHASE, where consumers will use it.... not on hidden pamphlets or trays you get after you have bought your meal.
Do you ever buy things without knowing the price or asking for it if it is not there? If you ever have questions about a product and you are at the store, ready to buy, do you turn around and go home to find that information on the website?
What if they don't have it? Do you still buy it?
I am SURE you all do!
Menu labeling is the same thing. Nutritional information is the price your body pays for eating that particular food, so why can't consumers have nutritional information available when they are looking at the menu.
I invite all of you who seem to think this is about telling people what to eat, to come by on Monday and take our restaurant food calorie quiz.
i dont go to fastfood s***holes to get "informed." i got no goddamned time for that. i go there for a bag of hot grease, fries, and a tall cool cup of high fructose sugar water. who the hell needs that crap printed on a label? just gimme a diablo burger and a dr pepper. i'm chasing the bandit and a semi full of coors.
Besides, if you go to any chain restaurant, you're pretty much guaranteed of being poisoned, if not by the food itself, then the staff's ignoring basic hygene standards. I want to waddle out of McDonalds wheezing and barely able to walk. I want the pleasant sensation of being filled, without the trouble of having to dust off my Grand Old Men of the GOP Collectors Series Anal Love Beads ("Mmmm, there goes Nelson Rockefeller! Ow! Gotta polish that pre-64 Barry Goldwater.")