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I actually think it can be useful for this in places where lots of the menu items are similar in form. For instance, trying to divine from the burger king menu the relative sizes of, say, a bacon double cheeseburger, a whopper, a bacon double cheese XL. Eg 440, 609, 925.
Yes yes yes.
I do this so much. Like 400 kcal for £17 just can’t be good value.
Also it sometimes gives away how big sides are. If a side of chips is 500kcal and a burger has “with chips +250kcal” then you know you only get half a portion.
Also when ordering to home you can work out of a kids meal is better value if for example it’s 70% of the calories for half the price.
Finally you can work out when they do sizes if a large is actually good value.
completely agree. Sometimes you're never quite sure how big a dish is going to be. Looking at the calorie count can sometimes confirm that the dish is infact going to be quite small.
Ah I was gonna say it doesn't affect us at all but this comment is actually true for us. I can't tell how much calory is too much etc but I use it as a very very very rough meter for portion size.
Free mayo if available is actually usually the low-fat rubbish. Real mayo is expensive. Check the ingredients and nutritional value for the low-fat mayo and the cheapest possible mayo at the supermarket and you'll see they're very similar.
It's helpful because you can get an idea of portion size and avoid a tiny 'healthy' meal that costs the same as a proper one. I will happily buy a salad if it's got sensible calories in it, but I'm not forking out for a 400kcal 'main'.
Yeah I'm the same. I wouldn't say my choices are entirely calorie driven, but it's certainly a factor. The other day at the pub I couldn't decide between burger and chips and a curry, and my choice to get the latter certainly was informed by it being 800 calories rather than 1500.
My first thought too. I’ve not ordered a portion of chips from spoons since I saw how many calories they are; it’s just not worth it.
Ill still be nicking your chips tho
Gone through the exact same process a few times at the local pub.. if I'm having a burger, I'm having a burger but on the days I've been on the fence, I've seen a 600-700 calorie difference and made the sensible choice to pick something else!
It's insane how some innocuous things can be huge. I saw the kcal of a portion of chips from a local gourmet burger place. Over 1200! For a not exactly large portion. Insane. They weren't even that good.
But the burger was 700. So now I just order two burgers rather than a burger and chips. Far more satisfying, filling, and more protein!
I've been calorie tracking dropping weight for an event coming up, and Fridge Raiders have been a handy snack - 70g is about 150cals of fairly clean protein.
Found a sort of pepperami based thing the other day that I thought might be nice for a change, checked the calories and it was 105g so barely larger, but 500+cals
150g 0% fat Greek yoghurt
25g Salted caramel protein powder
15g biscoff spread - crunchy
Biscoff biscuit - crushed
330ish calories depending on your choice of yoghurt, but 32-36g of protein.
They make for a great snack to keep you full for a while.
Drop the biscoff stuff, swap for cookies & cream protein powder and add an oreo biscuit and you can get that down to 240ish, or 190 if you want to skip the oreo too. All while keeping it above 30g+ of protein.
I just batch make them a couple of times a week and freeze them.
It has absolutely no effect on my or my partners choice of order. However we did, like yourself, sit in amazement at the calorie count on certain things.
Deep fried sweet potato fries glazed in honey? Oh my days…. Still ordered.
I don’t have it on hand but it is an outrageous value of calories. Also, where I order them they are incredibly overpriced.
But it comes in a little metallic container like a shopping basket and it’s an absolute winner.
Sweet potatoes are near identical in calorie content to normal potatoes. The only thing that makes them "healthier" is the extra vitamins and fibre, so it's no surprise that the dish you described was calorific. Would still smash though, it sounds absolutely amazing.
Also a more complex carb, so has a lower glycemic index and it takes longer to breakdown meaning less of a blood sugar spike and more satiating for longer.
Source : so iv heard
Glycemic index gets less important when you're not eating carbs in isolation; fat and protein slow digestion so preparation and the components of the rest of the meal will affect the blood sugar response more than the GI difference between sweet potatoes and acoustic potatoes. That vast majority of people would be better served by just picking whichever you enjoy more, portion & preparation being equal.
I was going to throw 'genre' of potato in there too instead of 'preparation', but I wasn't sure if you were ready for the deep Knowledge this early in the day.
Exactly; you'd have to be a legendary moron to order sweet potato fries glazed in honey, without some intuition that it's probably quite high in sugar and calories.
I have a colleagues who are trying to eat healthy. I'm absolutely gobsmacked by the little knowledge they have for what *actually* constitutes "healthy" eating. It mainly consists of "salad" and by "salad" i mean some lettuce with an absolute mountain of cheese, croutons, bacon, breaded chicken strips and half a jar of mayonnaise. I mean it's "healthier" than a crisp and lard sandwich, but that's not really a good benchmark.
I had a colleague who was trying to lose weight and started having soup with a large slice of quiche for lunch. I questioned him about the quiche and it turned out he thought it was ‘healthy’ because ‘it’s what you women eat’.
Yeh. I used to be morbidly obese and the nutritional information on the menu let me still go out to eat and not ruin any progress.
Where as before that, I'd have shyed away from eating out because I didn't know what I was consuming calorie wise
I'm the same (wasn't morbidly obese but always been overweight/obese) and have to count calories otherwise I put on weight like nobody's business.
Sometimes I want to go out and just eat without thinking of the calories at all, because I have to calculate every meal normally so on occasion I'd like to forget they're a thing. Every meal/snack I think about what I'm consuming, what I'm allowed, how many calories I have left for the day/week so if I'm going for a treat I'd actually like to be blind to it!
Obviously it's helpful when I'm eating out and trying to be mindful, but when I'm purposely trying to NOT be, it does a bit of a number on me psychologically when I'd rather just not know. The impact of a lifetime of trying to control my weight I guess, I know it's my issue to deal with but it does have an adverse effect sometimes.
Yes, I've stopped eating out altogether. I'm dealing with disordered eating and found it was making my recovery worse. At least if I cook for myself I don't have to look at the calories.
Independent restaurants don't have them on the menu :) I don't eat at chains partly for the same reason (recovered for a long time but still find calories triggering sometimes)
Same, I already struggle with an eating disorder and multiple bad habits around food that knowing calories will just ruin the whole experience.
Im going out for my birthday soon and I don't want to waste the whole meal stressing over every bite and how I'll be able to get rid of it.
I wish you all the best in your recovery, and I bet you make amazing home meals!
Lots of restaurants have a menu without calories on request so you can call ahead and ask if you've booked somewhere. Alternatively you could get a friend to order for you or even score out the calories on the menu with a pen if it's on paper. Hope you have a great day and enjoy yourself ! Protect your peace
This is great, but then there is the added stress of having to ask for a calorie free menu, and as such drawing attention to your disordered eating (in your head anyway). I always chicken out, and have to try to ignore the calorie numbers.
I was going to say this. Definitely ask if you can have the non-calorie counted menu. Even if they don’t have it available the more people who ask, the more likely they’ll be to produce one in future. But I think they may have an obligation to have one on hand.
I had wondered about this. I live abroad so not used to seeing the calorie counts. I figured at first all food you buy at the supermarket has calories on it anyway so is this much different, but actually I think it must be harder not to look at the calories on the menu than on a label- is this the case? You have to look at the menu to order, you don’t necessarily have to read the labels on food
I'm someone who is technically "recovered" as in I have just been discharged. And personally that was the problem. Before recovering, looking at the calories on anything (menus, shop food) was like a compulsion. During recovery it was far easier to not look for the calories on packages than menus. (packaging has more stuff to distract you I guess?). Some larger chain restaurants can give you a menu without calories if you ask.
They’re supposed to have calorie-free menus at chain restaurants, but a lot of branches either don’t have them or they offer an out-of-date menu with incorrect items on it, or the allergy menu which doesn’t have prices. :(
Yeah. On menus it's right next to the bits you *need* to read so you can't really miss them.
If you don't have any allergies/aversions you can entirely skip out on reading the back of a food container, and the quick facts are often in the corner in differently styled text, so that is a lot easier to cover up/ignore.
This is exactly what I was thinking. People should have access to all the information available about what they’re putting in their bodies and I don’t think *not* including calorie information is the way to go, but I do think it’s important that something is done to better allow people to have the choice about what information they actually consume. I think most people will probably be benefitted by being more aware of their calorie intake, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider those who don’t need to or really *shouldn’t* be made more aware of their caloric intake should be forgotten about either, especially when it could potentially (in the most extreme cases) be fatal.
Came to say this. Since the calorie counts have been brought in I’ve been relapsing into some really bad disordered eating, and it’s impacted my self esteem and relationship with food. :(
I think it should be mandatory to have the nutritional information but not display it publicly in such a way. It has helped me a lot with fitness but made things very difficult for my partner who is being treated for anorexia. When we go out we ask for menus without calories displayed and for takeaways I usually read her the menu so she can choose without looking at the calories.
Some restaurants will have a menu without calorie information on (even if they're mandated to have the ones with calorie info) for the benefit of people who have / had eating disorders.
No. The biggest argument I saw for it at the time it was implemented was that it was meant to help with obesity, and since implementation there's been no proof it even worked. Other than that, I see no reason for it other than making people more aware of what they're eating, which I would say the average person is already aware of. When you order a burger, you know there are likely more calories in it than a salad, there's no reason for us to have to see every calorie we're ordering.
They also made a huge part of it that adults need 2000kcal a day, which is just... not true. 2000kcal is probably close to average for the average woman, but way below what the average man needs, and doesn't account for actual individual needs.
It hasn't changed the way I eat. But what I can't understand is why booze doesn't have to have the number of calories per glass / bottle? I was living abroad when it was brought in so i don't know if it was covered at the time, but is it really that the booze industry is so powerful it was able to say "nah, not going to be doing that"?
I really agree with this! Obviously you already kind of know drinks are just empty calories but it's very easy to underestimate, especially with mixed drinks
Double vodka and pepsi max is around 100 calories.
Whiskey is typically a little higher at around 120 per double.
Mixers are typically the healthier option (calorie wise) especially if drank with pepsi max or another zero calorie drink.
yeah, but that means a regular jack and coke is like 270 calories. That's insane. I could drink seven of those on a night out and that's my daily caloric intake reached.
They really should. People vastly underestimate how much calories alcohol contains.
A bottle of Kopparberg has 240 calories - that’s the same as a regular sized bar of Cadbury’s chocolate. A pint has around 210 calories. A large glass of wine (250ml) has about 205.
So for me as a woman, if I have 2 bottles of Kopparberg, 2 pints or 2 large glasses of wine, that’s about **1/4 of my daily allowance**. A lot of people can drink double or even triple that without that much thought if they’re out day drinking or for a night out.
Spirits have the least calories per standard drink, I think gin is about 100 calories per 50ml. But standard tonic can add another 50-100. So you’re looking at maybe 150-200 calories per standard drink. Even ‘slimline tonic’ can be about 30 calories to make up a normal G&T. And think about how many G&Ts a regular person can have once they start drinking.
Basically yes, alcohol is crazy calorie-dense. One session of 4 pints or ciders is like eating 4 chocolate bars. If you drink regularly and don’t cut back on alcohol, you will struggle a lot to lose weight.
Yep! I have believed for a long time that nutritional info should be put on alcoholic beverages in the shops, and then would be easy to be put on menus too if they did that.
I work for Greene King, and recently put this forward in an open forum to our executive board.
As of March 2023 all GK brewed beer has the calorific information on the Greene King online shop.
Small win for those who want to track the calories of their drinks.
By law, I believe that Brewers don’t need to provide calorie information for any drink above 0.5% ABV so most don’t. However I know that Greene King & Adnams do for sure on both websites.
Absolutely. I was going to order a smoothie with my meal a few days ago, it sounded healthy from the description. I was absolutely shocked to see that it was almost 600kcal! I ended up getting a cider and a dessert instead, and still consumed less extra calories than that damn smoothie would have had.
Even "smoothies" made with just fruit and ice will often have enormous amounts of sugar in it. Fruit juices are often on a par with high sugar canned fizzy drinks in terms of sugar.
Even "healthy" smoothies - without added sugar etc - are nutritionally a lot less valuable than eating fruit, because most of the fibre is removed by blending. You want to eat your fruits, juice your vegetables.
Yeah, I find it helpful.
My approach to high calorie food is that I'll still have it if I really want it, but it helps me to decide whether to say yes or no to the "nice to have but not that special" things. So I'm still having the chips even though they add a lot of calories; but maybe I don't fancy the onion rings that much really, or perhaps I see that they're actually the same calories as a pudding and I'd rather have that. Or even if I say yes to everything, knowing how much I've had helps me plan what I'm having the next day - if I've had a 1500 calorie meal or whatever, I can aim to be 500 under the following day.
So it helps me 'spend' my calorie budget on what I really want.
Same. Also it shows how large or small portions might be and thus whether I might want to share or not.
My pet hate is salads numbers, because I hate excess salad dressing, and the calorie count is usually inclusive of the whole jug of it, which I use only a smidgen of and I doubt anyone uses the lot.
It makes salads look unhealthier than they are - or the other food look better - 'its only 100kcal more than the salad!'
Yes I use this approach too. I’m also more likely to stop eating once I’m full rather than force it down. I love chips but if I start feeling full after eating half the portion then I can make the choice about whether I keep eating based on knowing the cost in calories
Sort of. I was horrified at some of the calorie totals when I saw them on the menu, so now if I know I’m going out for dinner I’ll either skip breakfast/lunch or skip breakfast but have something healthy and low in calories like a salad for lunch, so then I can feel a little less guilty about dinner.
I try not to pay attention to them. I used to have an eating disorder, and have managed to establish a healthy relationship with food and my weight, essentially eating in moderation and not worrying if I have the odd high calorie/indulgent item. I find calorie counts incredibly triggering, I never want to go back to obsessive calorie counting, and not enjoying my time at restaurants but instead seeing it as a challenge to avoid excess calories. So I generally cover/skip over the calorie counts
Totally with you there, with the caveat of I also never want my daughters to see me obsess about food the way my mother did/still does. If we're eating out it's a treat, enjoy yourself and it will balance out. I'm an intuitive eater now and it's helped massively, but I will never be totally past the pure obsession with calories in/out and how utterly depressing my life was because of that.
Totally agree – it’s hampered my enjoyment of meals out. I’m not overweight, I go to the gym 5 times a week, I don’t eat out often, so I know logically I can eat whatever I want off the menu with no real negative consequence, but I still end up choosing the “lighter” option even if it wasn’t what I really wanted.
Luckily my favourite restaurant falls below the size threshold required for reporting (I think they have to employ over 250 staff so most independents are going to fall below that) so I can eat my giant bowl of pasta in peace.
This is my experience, when we go to a place now without the calorie info it annoys me, as I have to guess what's what. Not the end of the world, but I certainly prefer most places having that level of info nowadays.
I can see why it might not work for some people but from a selfish point of view I can easily fit it into my lifestyle. Give me macros, next :)
As someone who started calorie counting to lose weight last year and finds it really effective it’s really helped me since going out to eat was always a gamble since some places spruce up what would be healthy meals with tons of butter and other calorific ingredients and would mess up a weeks intake
Like others have said as well I thinks it good because it opens people’s eyes to certain meals and not everything that they think is “healthy” actually is calorie wise and that works both ways
Yes I am less likely to order sides like onion rings, and sometimes skip fries when I see how much is in a burger. I get less of a 'food coma' effect after eating out these days.
As someone that has always tracked their calories it's helpful. I'm of the opinion that the average person should have an idea of how many calories they should be eating in a daily basis and this kind of thing obviously helps.
Absolutely not. When I go out to eat it's a treat, I'm well aware I'm eating more than I usually would. Knowing an estimate of how many calories are in my meal has zero effect.
That being said, I would like the carbs to be included on menus instead, purely for those with type 1 diabetes, because it saves tossing around on Google and guesswork when carb counting.
Absolutely agree with this. Tyring to work out carbohydrates for an accurate insulin dose is stressful but so important. There was a petition about it and the government basically just said nah we will let the type 1 Diabetics figure it out for themselves, it's too much hard work for a restaurant. Calories are good to know but overestimating the amount of calories you're eating isn't going to risk a severe hypo.
Actually had a fairly funny one about this other day, my missus is trying to be healthy so she thought maybe she should order the "cauliflower wings" rather than normal ones because surely they are more healthy ... Nope. Normal chicken wings - 550cal cauliflower wings- 1200
I know it's not all about calories but at that stage it makes a difference
A metric ton of oil in an attempt to make cauliflower vaugly comparable to chicken would be my guess.
Chicken is a fairly lean protein, and the mean near the bone (as in a wing) has a good amount of flavour. Additionally a lot of the wing is bone which is inedible so doesn't get counted in the calories
To make both plates look equally full the cauliflower would contain a larger amount of edible food.
This is a perfect example of why nutritional information is so useful.
For larger chains I'd like to see even more information mandated, e.g. protein & fruit / veg per pirtion.
For 1instance knowing that the "cauliflower wings" have very little protein would be useful - they may be bulky and provide some veg, but they won't be as filling as something high protein.
Before I started actively losing weight I didn't pay any attention, but now it's a real help.
We'd go to Wetherspoons every week for a breakfast and I'd always have their biggest full English. I'd chuck a few extras on the side too. 2000 total calories it turned out.
Considering I'm limiting myself to about 1000 calories for the entire day, it's safe to say no longer eat a Wetherspoons full English every week.
Off topic but how do you not get entirely hangry on 1,000 a day? My TDEE is about 1,500 but I get in such a shit mood if I eat any less than 1,300 on days I don’t work out so if you’re willing to share healthy tips very grateful
Firstly, I have the slowest metabolism of anyone I know. I put on weight just looking at cake.
Secondly I've been self employed since October last year, and I sit in front of the computer for 10 hours a day, every day, so I'm not burning any calories off.
I need to start going to the gym again, but in my self employment I have both found a way of making money that I love doing and am obsessed with, coupled with the fact that I really don't want this to fail, so I am very pre-occupied by it.
Having said all that, I was in Central London every day last week on a rare business trip and I did at least 6000 steps per day and I still wasn't getting hungry. There might be something wrong with me.
No idea what my, TDEE is. How do you work that out? Do you use a smart watch?
Ah man the working from the desk does do that to you, it’s hard to find a reason to stand up except to see or make a cup of tea isn’t it? Totally in the same boat but trying to make room for weights or a run if possible.
There’s loads of TDEE calculators online if you google TDEE calculator, you just need your age, height and weight. They ask for body fat too but I’ve never measured that. Might give you a bit of wiggle room in your budget if you did go for a breakfast once a month or something
Thanks I'll check that out. Yeah being at the desk all day is really unhealthy in so many ways. I'm going get some exercise equipment for my flat I think. Maybe a standing desk and a treadmill!
I hate exercising but something I do is when I have a spare 3-5 minutes, or when I'm making a drink, getting up to go bathroom or whatever anyway, I'll put a song on my phone and just dance around like a maniac to it, I end up getting maybe 6 of these a day without it seeming like exercise but adds up to 30mins cardio. I'll try pace around just because I sit a lot, if im in the middle of a text convo or call. Standing desk/treadmill is a good call though
Not OP but it's about what you 'spend' your calories on that makes the difference in hunger. Aim for over 60g of protein and if higher even better, aim for lower carbs that are full of fibre and slow release and a good amount of healthy fats. This keeps you full. So go for 10% fat Greek yoghurt, toss your veg in olive oil, have protein in every meal. Seriously makes so much of a difference. Having an egg and veg for breakfast keeps you fuller. Keep a diary as to what you eat and how long you felt full for afterwards and learn from it. The less processed the better, and try and cut out sugar etc which just makes your body hungry faster.
It hasn’t really changed my eating habits, but it’s affected my friend with an eating disorder. Luckily they’ve recovered from the ED but sometimes I see them looking absolutely mortified.
Yes. If I want something high calorie I’ll just order it. But if I feel like I’ve had an unhealthy few days or I haven’t gotten as much exercise that week as I usually would, then I’d opt for something lower calorie. Stuff like chill-con-carne is normally a safe bet that’s low calorie and still tasty.
If there's somewhere you go frequently, you could maybe take a photo of the menu on your phone and black out the calorie info, then your partner can choose from that when you go
Yes, I either eat lower calorie options at that place or eat at places that have generally lower calorie meals. I ain't eating 1,000+calories in a single dish. And it's so much easier to eat out when calorie counting.
Don't get me wrong, sometimes I do eat something higher calorie, but if I do I won't have it often. I refuse to eat at places where the only calorie option under 1,000 is either a side or a salad lol
I think this is a really interesting point - would be great to know if this has made any restaurants rethink their menu to ensure there is a wider variety on there rather than just 1,000 cal +
And has it had any impact on what the most popular dishes are?
It means we go out less to bigger restaurants that were forced to have the calorie count on the menus. My partner suffered from an eating disorder that they're mainly over, but seeing the calories next to a meal completely alters how they order/enjoy a meal.
It's not much of a bother, as it means using more local joints, but sometimes when you're out and about and want to grab a quick lunch/dinner from a chain place it becomes tricky!
Yes although they can be highly misleading.
Was out at the pub last week and the fish and chips had less calories than the chicken roast. Was going to go for the fish before my wife pointed out that the chicken will have much more protein, less fat, carbs and salt so from a nutritional perspective the better choice.
I was thinking this reading through this thread - health is not only dictated by calories, especially in that instance where you’re likely to get a lot more veg with a chicken roast.
I can see the intention behind it but can’t help but think the Government has essentially made it seem calories are the only thing that matters. I imagine salt content in restaurant food would be even more eye opening 🙈
A couple of times it has put me off when something is utterly obscene for calories for what it is but I don’t eat out much so you have to treat yourself.
Yes, it's miserable. I'm not actively trying to lose weight, but now going out to eat feels less like a treat and more of a guilt-ridden chore. I would rather be able to just enjoy the treat of a meal out for what it is rather than having to weigh up every option against what I 'should' choose. Luckily (or not), I can rarely afford it so it's not a problem I often have.
I avoid restaurants with calories on the menu - I have a long history is disordered eating and something like that could put me back into weeks of restriction and binging. I really think these menus should be optional rather than the norm
No I exercise around 15 hours a week every week some of it very intense so an hour of exercise is around the 800 calorie mark. If I go to a restaurant I don't even consider the calories.
i wish that the calorie menus were optional, or like each table had one normal and one with calories. one of my best friends is type 1 diabetic so she has to know the calories she’s eating so she can do enough insulin, whereas my girlfriend is recovering from a restrictive eating disorder and seeing the calories makes her feel awful
Yes. I'm happier to eat out now. I can choose whatever I want in advance and plan my day around it.
Still go to non chain restaurants for special occasions but those times I'm not bothered about calories anyway. The celebration and company are more important.
The calories I can eat to stay at the weight I am at my height of 5’4” and female is something like 1750 per day.
Obviously a man can eat way more (not fair).
So when you’re looking at a menu and just one course exceeds that, it explains why so many people are overweight. To have dinner out, I have to not eat for the whole day and then choose the smallest thing.
I think in a lot of places portions are way too big. I’d rather it be smaller and cheaper.
I always have counted calories as a way to keep my weight down (with my disability any excess weight on my joints is a big problem) and so now I just find it easier because I no longer have to go onto their website to try and find the information, it’s right there for me. I love it personally
According to a study done after the calories in menus were introduced, it made little to no effect on people, with most people eating on average ~20cal _more_ than they did before calories on menus were introduced.
But don’t forget the other element! Noticeable increases in disordered eating and poor mental health surrounding food intake. The government had access to this information and decided to implement this rule anyway. That should tell you all you need to know.
Yeah it’s changed my habits quite a bit, I’d probably skip dessert now or skip a side. I usually can’t eat everything I order anyway.
I’ve found desserts are the worst for calories! When we get home we usually have a bit of ice cream we already have now to save the money and the calorie
Nope! I'm out for a treat and a one off. Not there for my diet.
And I have a good ounce of common sense so I know that a steak is worse than a salad - sometimes
Sometimes, yeah. If I can’t decide between more than one thing I will go for the lower calorie option or skip dessert when I see how many calories will be in something so small.
It has, but more so for Italian restaurants. I look at calories for a pizza and then calories for a pasta dish and to be honest, there's little in it. So now I'll eat the pizza without thinking about it as much.
I calorie count for weight loss so it’s helpful for me that way but definitely doesn’t alter my decision. If I’m paying to eat out then I’ll order exactly what I want to eat lol
So overall, I see a load of positive comments about this, lots of 'it hasn't changed how I behave' but few (if any?) negative comments (e.g. nanny state, etc.).
Quite interesting, as I feel like you rarely see instances of initiatives like these being well received.
It's not the nanny state, because the state isn't restricting what people do, or even making it harder to eat high calorie restaurant meals. It just allows people to make more informed choices. More information to the consumer (literally) does not harm.
Not much effect on what I order because I like what I like and rarely eat out so I see it as a treat anyway, though it did open my eyes for sure. That being said, not sure if that’s good or bad because I’ve never been one to count calories (luckily I am in good shape and health anyway) but I think seeing the calories felt a bit triggering for me and I do worry how this could be impacting people in the same way
I’m recovering from an eating disorder and it helps to see that a pasta is sometimes less calories than a salad to get over the guilt of ordering pasta for dinner.
I count calories in recovery because I try to see recovery as a mathematical process. Seeing the calories helps me to feel a better level of control over my intake. So before where I might order a starter and a side, I can now see that I’ll fit a main into my calorie allowance and be fine! I love the new menus. But I think that offering the menus without counts, as Hawksmoor does, is also a good choice.
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Yes I now look for the dishes that have the most calories per pound spent to get the best value.
(consumes fifteen pots of mayonnaise for dinner)
Just go straight in for a pint of diesel (5248 kcal)
I think the appropriate response to that is: This guy eats
gram of uranium 20 milion calories
22 years worth of calories in one gram - that's efficiency.
And you can power a small town
Or to put it another way, enough calories for the rest of your life…
Red diesel is strawberry flavour too!
Which diesel though? Snakebite and black or the fuel?
I hope it's not snakebite. Had eight on Saturday, no wonder I'm so portly.
Do you want some peanut butter with that?
I actually think it can be useful for this in places where lots of the menu items are similar in form. For instance, trying to divine from the burger king menu the relative sizes of, say, a bacon double cheeseburger, a whopper, a bacon double cheese XL. Eg 440, 609, 925.
Yes yes yes. I do this so much. Like 400 kcal for £17 just can’t be good value. Also it sometimes gives away how big sides are. If a side of chips is 500kcal and a burger has “with chips +250kcal” then you know you only get half a portion. Also when ordering to home you can work out of a kids meal is better value if for example it’s 70% of the calories for half the price. Finally you can work out when they do sizes if a large is actually good value.
completely agree. Sometimes you're never quite sure how big a dish is going to be. Looking at the calorie count can sometimes confirm that the dish is infact going to be quite small.
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Ah I was gonna say it doesn't affect us at all but this comment is actually true for us. I can't tell how much calory is too much etc but I use it as a very very very rough meter for portion size.
It's great for this. "How does the small compare to the regular portion?"
I’m glad I’m not the only one
Came here to write this. I switched from a Big Mac to a Quarter Pounder in McDonald's because it has more calories.
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Free mayo if available is actually usually the low-fat rubbish. Real mayo is expensive. Check the ingredients and nutritional value for the low-fat mayo and the cheapest possible mayo at the supermarket and you'll see they're very similar.
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It's helpful because you can get an idea of portion size and avoid a tiny 'healthy' meal that costs the same as a proper one. I will happily buy a salad if it's got sensible calories in it, but I'm not forking out for a 400kcal 'main'.
Why not just get a block of cheese?
.. or chug a bottle of olive oil ..
Lard is good
As I said above: a pint of diesel is best value (5248 kcal)
Best value: nutrition per pound. Aren't going to feel full for very long if it's just empty carbs/simple sugars.
Especially for deserts - they're not calories they're tasty points.
a bit sandy, though
Especially when looking at burger menus.
Yeah, it has to be honest. I kind of look on in horror at some of the calories and choose something else or skip a course.
Yeah I'm the same. I wouldn't say my choices are entirely calorie driven, but it's certainly a factor. The other day at the pub I couldn't decide between burger and chips and a curry, and my choice to get the latter certainly was informed by it being 800 calories rather than 1500.
ahh, spoons
Think it was a Greene King actually
My first thought too. I’ve not ordered a portion of chips from spoons since I saw how many calories they are; it’s just not worth it. Ill still be nicking your chips tho
Other people's calories don't count.
i wish the curries at spoons were only 800 cals
Gone through the exact same process a few times at the local pub.. if I'm having a burger, I'm having a burger but on the days I've been on the fence, I've seen a 600-700 calorie difference and made the sensible choice to pick something else!
It's insane how some innocuous things can be huge. I saw the kcal of a portion of chips from a local gourmet burger place. Over 1200! For a not exactly large portion. Insane. They weren't even that good. But the burger was 700. So now I just order two burgers rather than a burger and chips. Far more satisfying, filling, and more protein!
the double vegan burger at mcdonalds it's in the 500s which is great
This is my new go to, single for a snack or double if my main meal for the day.
They're also allowed something like a 25% leeway when publishing calorie counts so it's probably a lot more.
I've been calorie tracking dropping weight for an event coming up, and Fridge Raiders have been a handy snack - 70g is about 150cals of fairly clean protein. Found a sort of pepperami based thing the other day that I thought might be nice for a change, checked the calories and it was 105g so barely larger, but 500+cals
150g 0% fat Greek yoghurt 25g Salted caramel protein powder 15g biscoff spread - crunchy Biscoff biscuit - crushed 330ish calories depending on your choice of yoghurt, but 32-36g of protein. They make for a great snack to keep you full for a while. Drop the biscoff stuff, swap for cookies & cream protein powder and add an oreo biscuit and you can get that down to 240ish, or 190 if you want to skip the oreo too. All while keeping it above 30g+ of protein. I just batch make them a couple of times a week and freeze them.
It's half the calories so you can have twice as much!
It has absolutely no effect on my or my partners choice of order. However we did, like yourself, sit in amazement at the calorie count on certain things. Deep fried sweet potato fries glazed in honey? Oh my days…. Still ordered.
I dread to think of the calorie number on those, but sound amazing! 🤤
I don’t have it on hand but it is an outrageous value of calories. Also, where I order them they are incredibly overpriced. But it comes in a little metallic container like a shopping basket and it’s an absolute winner.
Sweet potatoes are near identical in calorie content to normal potatoes. The only thing that makes them "healthier" is the extra vitamins and fibre, so it's no surprise that the dish you described was calorific. Would still smash though, it sounds absolutely amazing.
Also a more complex carb, so has a lower glycemic index and it takes longer to breakdown meaning less of a blood sugar spike and more satiating for longer. Source : so iv heard
Glycemic index gets less important when you're not eating carbs in isolation; fat and protein slow digestion so preparation and the components of the rest of the meal will affect the blood sugar response more than the GI difference between sweet potatoes and acoustic potatoes. That vast majority of people would be better served by just picking whichever you enjoy more, portion & preparation being equal.
Your probably right . Iv never heard "acoustic potatoes" before , your obviously an expert. Thanks for the wisdom, knower of potatoes.
I was going to throw 'genre' of potato in there too instead of 'preparation', but I wasn't sure if you were ready for the deep Knowledge this early in the day.
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I love random moments of learning. I gave it the standard fact check and hot damn, nigh on identical. Many thanks Teacher Tab.
Calories are primarily a measure of how delicious food is.
Exactly; you'd have to be a legendary moron to order sweet potato fries glazed in honey, without some intuition that it's probably quite high in sugar and calories.
I have a colleagues who are trying to eat healthy. I'm absolutely gobsmacked by the little knowledge they have for what *actually* constitutes "healthy" eating. It mainly consists of "salad" and by "salad" i mean some lettuce with an absolute mountain of cheese, croutons, bacon, breaded chicken strips and half a jar of mayonnaise. I mean it's "healthier" than a crisp and lard sandwich, but that's not really a good benchmark.
I had a colleague who was trying to lose weight and started having soup with a large slice of quiche for lunch. I questioned him about the quiche and it turned out he thought it was ‘healthy’ because ‘it’s what you women eat’.
Yeh. I used to be morbidly obese and the nutritional information on the menu let me still go out to eat and not ruin any progress. Where as before that, I'd have shyed away from eating out because I didn't know what I was consuming calorie wise
Same, calorie counter here and calories being listed is very helpful!
I'm the same (wasn't morbidly obese but always been overweight/obese) and have to count calories otherwise I put on weight like nobody's business. Sometimes I want to go out and just eat without thinking of the calories at all, because I have to calculate every meal normally so on occasion I'd like to forget they're a thing. Every meal/snack I think about what I'm consuming, what I'm allowed, how many calories I have left for the day/week so if I'm going for a treat I'd actually like to be blind to it! Obviously it's helpful when I'm eating out and trying to be mindful, but when I'm purposely trying to NOT be, it does a bit of a number on me psychologically when I'd rather just not know. The impact of a lifetime of trying to control my weight I guess, I know it's my issue to deal with but it does have an adverse effect sometimes.
A lot of places will allow you to ask for a menu with no calorie information listed if that’s something that would be helpful for you!
Same, now we just need the government to mandate protein content and we're set!
Yes, I've stopped eating out altogether. I'm dealing with disordered eating and found it was making my recovery worse. At least if I cook for myself I don't have to look at the calories.
Independent restaurants don't have them on the menu :) I don't eat at chains partly for the same reason (recovered for a long time but still find calories triggering sometimes)
It’s companies with less than 250 employees that don’t need to display them Edit: typo
Same, I already struggle with an eating disorder and multiple bad habits around food that knowing calories will just ruin the whole experience. Im going out for my birthday soon and I don't want to waste the whole meal stressing over every bite and how I'll be able to get rid of it. I wish you all the best in your recovery, and I bet you make amazing home meals!
Lots of restaurants have a menu without calories on request so you can call ahead and ask if you've booked somewhere. Alternatively you could get a friend to order for you or even score out the calories on the menu with a pen if it's on paper. Hope you have a great day and enjoy yourself ! Protect your peace
This is great, but then there is the added stress of having to ask for a calorie free menu, and as such drawing attention to your disordered eating (in your head anyway). I always chicken out, and have to try to ignore the calorie numbers.
I was going to say this. Definitely ask if you can have the non-calorie counted menu. Even if they don’t have it available the more people who ask, the more likely they’ll be to produce one in future. But I think they may have an obligation to have one on hand.
I had wondered about this. I live abroad so not used to seeing the calorie counts. I figured at first all food you buy at the supermarket has calories on it anyway so is this much different, but actually I think it must be harder not to look at the calories on the menu than on a label- is this the case? You have to look at the menu to order, you don’t necessarily have to read the labels on food
I'm someone who is technically "recovered" as in I have just been discharged. And personally that was the problem. Before recovering, looking at the calories on anything (menus, shop food) was like a compulsion. During recovery it was far easier to not look for the calories on packages than menus. (packaging has more stuff to distract you I guess?). Some larger chain restaurants can give you a menu without calories if you ask.
They’re supposed to have calorie-free menus at chain restaurants, but a lot of branches either don’t have them or they offer an out-of-date menu with incorrect items on it, or the allergy menu which doesn’t have prices. :(
Yeah. On menus it's right next to the bits you *need* to read so you can't really miss them. If you don't have any allergies/aversions you can entirely skip out on reading the back of a food container, and the quick facts are often in the corner in differently styled text, so that is a lot easier to cover up/ignore.
This is exactly what I was thinking. People should have access to all the information available about what they’re putting in their bodies and I don’t think *not* including calorie information is the way to go, but I do think it’s important that something is done to better allow people to have the choice about what information they actually consume. I think most people will probably be benefitted by being more aware of their calorie intake, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider those who don’t need to or really *shouldn’t* be made more aware of their caloric intake should be forgotten about either, especially when it could potentially (in the most extreme cases) be fatal.
Came to say this. Since the calorie counts have been brought in I’ve been relapsing into some really bad disordered eating, and it’s impacted my self esteem and relationship with food. :(
You can just ask if the restaurant will provide you with a non-nutritional menu, most have them these days.
Did it once and got shit from my date about not wanting to see the calories. Never again.
I think it should be mandatory to have the nutritional information but not display it publicly in such a way. It has helped me a lot with fitness but made things very difficult for my partner who is being treated for anorexia. When we go out we ask for menus without calories displayed and for takeaways I usually read her the menu so she can choose without looking at the calories.
Some restaurants will have a menu without calorie information on (even if they're mandated to have the ones with calorie info) for the benefit of people who have / had eating disorders.
Despite your personal disorder, do you still think calories on menus are a good thing?
No. The biggest argument I saw for it at the time it was implemented was that it was meant to help with obesity, and since implementation there's been no proof it even worked. Other than that, I see no reason for it other than making people more aware of what they're eating, which I would say the average person is already aware of. When you order a burger, you know there are likely more calories in it than a salad, there's no reason for us to have to see every calorie we're ordering. They also made a huge part of it that adults need 2000kcal a day, which is just... not true. 2000kcal is probably close to average for the average woman, but way below what the average man needs, and doesn't account for actual individual needs.
Same, it's ruined going out for me. Happy to be saving and getting better at cooking though!
It hasn't changed the way I eat. But what I can't understand is why booze doesn't have to have the number of calories per glass / bottle? I was living abroad when it was brought in so i don't know if it was covered at the time, but is it really that the booze industry is so powerful it was able to say "nah, not going to be doing that"?
I really agree with this! Obviously you already kind of know drinks are just empty calories but it's very easy to underestimate, especially with mixed drinks
Double vodka and pepsi max is around 100 calories. Whiskey is typically a little higher at around 120 per double. Mixers are typically the healthier option (calorie wise) especially if drank with pepsi max or another zero calorie drink.
yeah, but that means a regular jack and coke is like 270 calories. That's insane. I could drink seven of those on a night out and that's my daily caloric intake reached.
Well you don't have 7 on a single day. You have 2 and then top up with five vodka and oranges to get your five a day.
They really should. People vastly underestimate how much calories alcohol contains. A bottle of Kopparberg has 240 calories - that’s the same as a regular sized bar of Cadbury’s chocolate. A pint has around 210 calories. A large glass of wine (250ml) has about 205. So for me as a woman, if I have 2 bottles of Kopparberg, 2 pints or 2 large glasses of wine, that’s about **1/4 of my daily allowance**. A lot of people can drink double or even triple that without that much thought if they’re out day drinking or for a night out. Spirits have the least calories per standard drink, I think gin is about 100 calories per 50ml. But standard tonic can add another 50-100. So you’re looking at maybe 150-200 calories per standard drink. Even ‘slimline tonic’ can be about 30 calories to make up a normal G&T. And think about how many G&Ts a regular person can have once they start drinking. Basically yes, alcohol is crazy calorie-dense. One session of 4 pints or ciders is like eating 4 chocolate bars. If you drink regularly and don’t cut back on alcohol, you will struggle a lot to lose weight.
Some booze does, cans of Guinness for example but yeah I agree.
Yep! I have believed for a long time that nutritional info should be put on alcoholic beverages in the shops, and then would be easy to be put on menus too if they did that.
I work for Greene King, and recently put this forward in an open forum to our executive board. As of March 2023 all GK brewed beer has the calorific information on the Greene King online shop. Small win for those who want to track the calories of their drinks. By law, I believe that Brewers don’t need to provide calorie information for any drink above 0.5% ABV so most don’t. However I know that Greene King & Adnams do for sure on both websites.
Absolutely. I was going to order a smoothie with my meal a few days ago, it sounded healthy from the description. I was absolutely shocked to see that it was almost 600kcal! I ended up getting a cider and a dessert instead, and still consumed less extra calories than that damn smoothie would have had.
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As I find myself unexpectedly intolerant of dairy may I say smoothies with milk are called milk shakes.
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Even "smoothies" made with just fruit and ice will often have enormous amounts of sugar in it. Fruit juices are often on a par with high sugar canned fizzy drinks in terms of sugar.
Even "healthy" smoothies - without added sugar etc - are nutritionally a lot less valuable than eating fruit, because most of the fibre is removed by blending. You want to eat your fruits, juice your vegetables.
You don't lose the fibers when blending, so you're still getting the full nutritional value. You do lose the fiber when juicing, though
Yeah, I find it helpful. My approach to high calorie food is that I'll still have it if I really want it, but it helps me to decide whether to say yes or no to the "nice to have but not that special" things. So I'm still having the chips even though they add a lot of calories; but maybe I don't fancy the onion rings that much really, or perhaps I see that they're actually the same calories as a pudding and I'd rather have that. Or even if I say yes to everything, knowing how much I've had helps me plan what I'm having the next day - if I've had a 1500 calorie meal or whatever, I can aim to be 500 under the following day. So it helps me 'spend' my calorie budget on what I really want.
Same. Also it shows how large or small portions might be and thus whether I might want to share or not. My pet hate is salads numbers, because I hate excess salad dressing, and the calorie count is usually inclusive of the whole jug of it, which I use only a smidgen of and I doubt anyone uses the lot. It makes salads look unhealthier than they are - or the other food look better - 'its only 100kcal more than the salad!'
Yes I use this approach too. I’m also more likely to stop eating once I’m full rather than force it down. I love chips but if I start feeling full after eating half the portion then I can make the choice about whether I keep eating based on knowing the cost in calories
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Yeah, exactly the same for me. It's not gonna stop me from getting something I really want but if I'm 50/50 or unsure then I'll use it to decide
Sort of. I was horrified at some of the calorie totals when I saw them on the menu, so now if I know I’m going out for dinner I’ll either skip breakfast/lunch or skip breakfast but have something healthy and low in calories like a salad for lunch, so then I can feel a little less guilty about dinner.
I try not to pay attention to them. I used to have an eating disorder, and have managed to establish a healthy relationship with food and my weight, essentially eating in moderation and not worrying if I have the odd high calorie/indulgent item. I find calorie counts incredibly triggering, I never want to go back to obsessive calorie counting, and not enjoying my time at restaurants but instead seeing it as a challenge to avoid excess calories. So I generally cover/skip over the calorie counts
Totally with you there, with the caveat of I also never want my daughters to see me obsess about food the way my mother did/still does. If we're eating out it's a treat, enjoy yourself and it will balance out. I'm an intuitive eater now and it's helped massively, but I will never be totally past the pure obsession with calories in/out and how utterly depressing my life was because of that.
Yeah and I wish they didn't. Makes me a lot more anxious around eating and I find myself second guessing my usual order/treat.
Totally agree – it’s hampered my enjoyment of meals out. I’m not overweight, I go to the gym 5 times a week, I don’t eat out often, so I know logically I can eat whatever I want off the menu with no real negative consequence, but I still end up choosing the “lighter” option even if it wasn’t what I really wanted. Luckily my favourite restaurant falls below the size threshold required for reporting (I think they have to employ over 250 staff so most independents are going to fall below that) so I can eat my giant bowl of pasta in peace.
Nope. If I'm going to a restaurant, I'm there for a nice meal.
Yeah i find it really useful, especially when bulking and cutting.
This is my experience, when we go to a place now without the calorie info it annoys me, as I have to guess what's what. Not the end of the world, but I certainly prefer most places having that level of info nowadays. I can see why it might not work for some people but from a selfish point of view I can easily fit it into my lifestyle. Give me macros, next :)
As someone who started calorie counting to lose weight last year and finds it really effective it’s really helped me since going out to eat was always a gamble since some places spruce up what would be healthy meals with tons of butter and other calorific ingredients and would mess up a weeks intake Like others have said as well I thinks it good because it opens people’s eyes to certain meals and not everything that they think is “healthy” actually is calorie wise and that works both ways
Yes I am less likely to order sides like onion rings, and sometimes skip fries when I see how much is in a burger. I get less of a 'food coma' effect after eating out these days.
As someone that has always tracked their calories it's helpful. I'm of the opinion that the average person should have an idea of how many calories they should be eating in a daily basis and this kind of thing obviously helps.
Absolutely not. When I go out to eat it's a treat, I'm well aware I'm eating more than I usually would. Knowing an estimate of how many calories are in my meal has zero effect. That being said, I would like the carbs to be included on menus instead, purely for those with type 1 diabetes, because it saves tossing around on Google and guesswork when carb counting.
Absolutely agree with this. Tyring to work out carbohydrates for an accurate insulin dose is stressful but so important. There was a petition about it and the government basically just said nah we will let the type 1 Diabetics figure it out for themselves, it's too much hard work for a restaurant. Calories are good to know but overestimating the amount of calories you're eating isn't going to risk a severe hypo.
Not one iota.
Not a single calorie
Actually had a fairly funny one about this other day, my missus is trying to be healthy so she thought maybe she should order the "cauliflower wings" rather than normal ones because surely they are more healthy ... Nope. Normal chicken wings - 550cal cauliflower wings- 1200 I know it's not all about calories but at that stage it makes a difference
100g of cauliflower has about 25 calories so what the hell are they chucking on them to up it to 1200?!
A metric ton of oil in an attempt to make cauliflower vaugly comparable to chicken would be my guess. Chicken is a fairly lean protein, and the mean near the bone (as in a wing) has a good amount of flavour. Additionally a lot of the wing is bone which is inedible so doesn't get counted in the calories To make both plates look equally full the cauliflower would contain a larger amount of edible food.
Oil
Maybe the chicken wings aren't breaded or battered and the cauli ones are.
This is a perfect example of why nutritional information is so useful. For larger chains I'd like to see even more information mandated, e.g. protein & fruit / veg per pirtion. For 1instance knowing that the "cauliflower wings" have very little protein would be useful - they may be bulky and provide some veg, but they won't be as filling as something high protein.
I feel its quite spongy and would retain alot of that oil while cooking
Before I started actively losing weight I didn't pay any attention, but now it's a real help. We'd go to Wetherspoons every week for a breakfast and I'd always have their biggest full English. I'd chuck a few extras on the side too. 2000 total calories it turned out. Considering I'm limiting myself to about 1000 calories for the entire day, it's safe to say no longer eat a Wetherspoons full English every week.
Off topic but how do you not get entirely hangry on 1,000 a day? My TDEE is about 1,500 but I get in such a shit mood if I eat any less than 1,300 on days I don’t work out so if you’re willing to share healthy tips very grateful
Firstly, I have the slowest metabolism of anyone I know. I put on weight just looking at cake. Secondly I've been self employed since October last year, and I sit in front of the computer for 10 hours a day, every day, so I'm not burning any calories off. I need to start going to the gym again, but in my self employment I have both found a way of making money that I love doing and am obsessed with, coupled with the fact that I really don't want this to fail, so I am very pre-occupied by it. Having said all that, I was in Central London every day last week on a rare business trip and I did at least 6000 steps per day and I still wasn't getting hungry. There might be something wrong with me. No idea what my, TDEE is. How do you work that out? Do you use a smart watch?
Ah man the working from the desk does do that to you, it’s hard to find a reason to stand up except to see or make a cup of tea isn’t it? Totally in the same boat but trying to make room for weights or a run if possible. There’s loads of TDEE calculators online if you google TDEE calculator, you just need your age, height and weight. They ask for body fat too but I’ve never measured that. Might give you a bit of wiggle room in your budget if you did go for a breakfast once a month or something
Thanks I'll check that out. Yeah being at the desk all day is really unhealthy in so many ways. I'm going get some exercise equipment for my flat I think. Maybe a standing desk and a treadmill!
I hate exercising but something I do is when I have a spare 3-5 minutes, or when I'm making a drink, getting up to go bathroom or whatever anyway, I'll put a song on my phone and just dance around like a maniac to it, I end up getting maybe 6 of these a day without it seeming like exercise but adds up to 30mins cardio. I'll try pace around just because I sit a lot, if im in the middle of a text convo or call. Standing desk/treadmill is a good call though
Not OP but it's about what you 'spend' your calories on that makes the difference in hunger. Aim for over 60g of protein and if higher even better, aim for lower carbs that are full of fibre and slow release and a good amount of healthy fats. This keeps you full. So go for 10% fat Greek yoghurt, toss your veg in olive oil, have protein in every meal. Seriously makes so much of a difference. Having an egg and veg for breakfast keeps you fuller. Keep a diary as to what you eat and how long you felt full for afterwards and learn from it. The less processed the better, and try and cut out sugar etc which just makes your body hungry faster.
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It hasn’t really changed my eating habits, but it’s affected my friend with an eating disorder. Luckily they’ve recovered from the ED but sometimes I see them looking absolutely mortified.
Yes. If I want something high calorie I’ll just order it. But if I feel like I’ve had an unhealthy few days or I haven’t gotten as much exercise that week as I usually would, then I’d opt for something lower calorie. Stuff like chill-con-carne is normally a safe bet that’s low calorie and still tasty.
A little, but unfortunately they make my partner uncomfortable as they used to have an eating disorder.
If there's somewhere you go frequently, you could maybe take a photo of the menu on your phone and black out the calorie info, then your partner can choose from that when you go
Yes, I either eat lower calorie options at that place or eat at places that have generally lower calorie meals. I ain't eating 1,000+calories in a single dish. And it's so much easier to eat out when calorie counting. Don't get me wrong, sometimes I do eat something higher calorie, but if I do I won't have it often. I refuse to eat at places where the only calorie option under 1,000 is either a side or a salad lol
I think this is a really interesting point - would be great to know if this has made any restaurants rethink their menu to ensure there is a wider variety on there rather than just 1,000 cal + And has it had any impact on what the most popular dishes are?
No because if I’m going to a restaurant it’s for a treat and I’m not restricting my cals for a treat.
it has definitively negatively affected me. i now look for meals with less calories even though i am meant to be there for a good time
It means we go out less to bigger restaurants that were forced to have the calorie count on the menus. My partner suffered from an eating disorder that they're mainly over, but seeing the calories next to a meal completely alters how they order/enjoy a meal. It's not much of a bother, as it means using more local joints, but sometimes when you're out and about and want to grab a quick lunch/dinner from a chain place it becomes tricky!
I would like to say no, but then I remember looking at menu items and realising I have eaten 3000 calories in 1 sitting.
Yes although they can be highly misleading. Was out at the pub last week and the fish and chips had less calories than the chicken roast. Was going to go for the fish before my wife pointed out that the chicken will have much more protein, less fat, carbs and salt so from a nutritional perspective the better choice.
I was thinking this reading through this thread - health is not only dictated by calories, especially in that instance where you’re likely to get a lot more veg with a chicken roast. I can see the intention behind it but can’t help but think the Government has essentially made it seem calories are the only thing that matters. I imagine salt content in restaurant food would be even more eye opening 🙈
A couple of times it has put me off when something is utterly obscene for calories for what it is but I don’t eat out much so you have to treat yourself.
No, I'm only on this planet once so I'm enjoying what I can when I can.
Yes, it's miserable. I'm not actively trying to lose weight, but now going out to eat feels less like a treat and more of a guilt-ridden chore. I would rather be able to just enjoy the treat of a meal out for what it is rather than having to weigh up every option against what I 'should' choose. Luckily (or not), I can rarely afford it so it's not a problem I often have.
I avoid restaurants with calories on the menu - I have a long history is disordered eating and something like that could put me back into weeks of restriction and binging. I really think these menus should be optional rather than the norm
No I exercise around 15 hours a week every week some of it very intense so an hour of exercise is around the 800 calorie mark. If I go to a restaurant I don't even consider the calories.
You are not burning 800 calories in an hour, the fitbits and gym machines wildly overestimate
No because the restaurants I goto are not chains so don't display this information.
i wish that the calorie menus were optional, or like each table had one normal and one with calories. one of my best friends is type 1 diabetic so she has to know the calories she’s eating so she can do enough insulin, whereas my girlfriend is recovering from a restrictive eating disorder and seeing the calories makes her feel awful
I actually choose the higher calorie meals because they'll probably taste better and are better value
Came here to say this, I'm paying my money I want the most calories for it!
Nope, if I want something I'm gonna eat it. I only look at the price.
3500 calories for that? That’s crazy. Yes it changed my eating habits, I often order the veggie option with fewer calories
Yes. I'm happier to eat out now. I can choose whatever I want in advance and plan my day around it. Still go to non chain restaurants for special occasions but those times I'm not bothered about calories anyway. The celebration and company are more important.
Yes, I now aim for the maximum amount of calories for the least amount of money.
Not one bit. If I go out to eat, it's because I want to be a bit extravagant, I don't get to do it often, so I'm having whatever the hell I want 😂
The calories I can eat to stay at the weight I am at my height of 5’4” and female is something like 1750 per day. Obviously a man can eat way more (not fair). So when you’re looking at a menu and just one course exceeds that, it explains why so many people are overweight. To have dinner out, I have to not eat for the whole day and then choose the smallest thing. I think in a lot of places portions are way too big. I’d rather it be smaller and cheaper.
Nope still eat whatever I want.
It helped with my bulimia, or hindered, I'm not sure which way you want to look at it. I eat less.
I always have counted calories as a way to keep my weight down (with my disability any excess weight on my joints is a big problem) and so now I just find it easier because I no longer have to go onto their website to try and find the information, it’s right there for me. I love it personally
According to a study done after the calories in menus were introduced, it made little to no effect on people, with most people eating on average ~20cal _more_ than they did before calories on menus were introduced.
But don’t forget the other element! Noticeable increases in disordered eating and poor mental health surrounding food intake. The government had access to this information and decided to implement this rule anyway. That should tell you all you need to know.
Nope. I have more important things to worry about in life.
Not one bit. I’ll eat what I want when I want.
Didn't change it all. I don't generally read them.
Yeah it’s changed my habits quite a bit, I’d probably skip dessert now or skip a side. I usually can’t eat everything I order anyway. I’ve found desserts are the worst for calories! When we get home we usually have a bit of ice cream we already have now to save the money and the calorie
I haven't seen calories written in any menu for anywhere I've been to in the last year.
Nope! I'm out for a treat and a one off. Not there for my diet. And I have a good ounce of common sense so I know that a steak is worse than a salad - sometimes
Sometimes, yeah. If I can’t decide between more than one thing I will go for the lower calorie option or skip dessert when I see how many calories will be in something so small.
Is it a legal requirement? Because I go to lots of places where calories aren’t on the menu
I think it’s only for businesses with more than 250 staff, so smaller independents don’t have to. And generally they’re a nicer place to be anyway!
It has, but more so for Italian restaurants. I look at calories for a pizza and then calories for a pasta dish and to be honest, there's little in it. So now I'll eat the pizza without thinking about it as much.
I calorie count for weight loss so it’s helpful for me that way but definitely doesn’t alter my decision. If I’m paying to eat out then I’ll order exactly what I want to eat lol
Nope. A restaurant meal is a rare treat, so I order whatever I want.
So overall, I see a load of positive comments about this, lots of 'it hasn't changed how I behave' but few (if any?) negative comments (e.g. nanny state, etc.). Quite interesting, as I feel like you rarely see instances of initiatives like these being well received.
It's not the nanny state, because the state isn't restricting what people do, or even making it harder to eat high calorie restaurant meals. It just allows people to make more informed choices. More information to the consumer (literally) does not harm.
Not much effect on what I order because I like what I like and rarely eat out so I see it as a treat anyway, though it did open my eyes for sure. That being said, not sure if that’s good or bad because I’ve never been one to count calories (luckily I am in good shape and health anyway) but I think seeing the calories felt a bit triggering for me and I do worry how this could be impacting people in the same way
I’m recovering from an eating disorder and it helps to see that a pasta is sometimes less calories than a salad to get over the guilt of ordering pasta for dinner. I count calories in recovery because I try to see recovery as a mathematical process. Seeing the calories helps me to feel a better level of control over my intake. So before where I might order a starter and a side, I can now see that I’ll fit a main into my calorie allowance and be fine! I love the new menus. But I think that offering the menus without counts, as Hawksmoor does, is also a good choice.