New costa meal deal is irresponsible

[Habanero]

Costa have just launched a lunchtime meal deal with a toastie, crisps and a coffee. The one pictured on the ad with a cheese and ham toastie and a latte contains 754 calories, 34g fat, 15.4g saturated fat and 2.1g salt. You can cut off a bit of the calories and fat by opting for lower-fat milk, but it’s still a third of an adult’s daily calories with no source of fibre and no fruit or veg. This sort of thing normalises overeating: by making this a “meal deal” the company is presenting this as a normal lunch option, psychologically nudging people towards consuming an energy-rich, nutritionally poor midday meal.

Clearly it’s a first world problem and we all have choices and don’t need to buy this, but it’s the normalisation of overeating like this which I think has done more than anything to raise obesity levels. AIBU?

They’re not forcing anyone are they? Autonomy and all that

Pluckedpencil, you are choosing what to eat and drink and the quantities. I live in the UK and am not overweight so perhaps it is you.

I agree with that sentiment Whatdoiladymcbeth, and indeed the nanny state is only two tweets away from setting up a public food-police body but there is a need for government led, evidence-based policy. I, like many others, would like to think myself quite astute as to what constitutes a healthy and nutritious diet but for example when the traffic labels on foods came in I was a lot more conscious of my choices. No-one is making me buy a sandwich from Sainsbury's but I couldn't believe some sandwiches were c.350 cals whereas others were nearing 750+ cals. It's not nanny-statism to have sensible public policy around health.

Disingenous to argue that “perhaps it’s you” when the majority of people in the UK are overweight. This is a social problem, and the factors affecting it are hard for inviduals to tackle.

Yes, Pret already mentioned as one of a very small number of outlets where there are some low calorie options with veg.

And there are Prets everywhere you turn in central London (which was your original reference point).

Actually Leon is great too, if you're near one.

I now work in the suburbs of a much smaller city. There is one lunch spot within 45 minutes walk. What I wouldn't give for central london options.

There’s so much emphasis on obesity everyone fails to see that there’s a massive increase in anorexia and bulemia sufferers in the UK.

Not really a shock when I read some threads on here, some of the views on here are worse than some of the proana sites I’ve been a member of it’s quite worrying.

Would anyone really have that every day?

And yes I agree about McDonalds
hamburger about 250 cal
garden side salad? or fries about 250 cal etc.

I think half this thread will go and eat that toastie meal now.

yum yum!!

Dozer, why is it ‘disingenuous’ to state people need to take responsibility for what they eat? FFS just cos you can ‘go large’ doesn’t mean you have to.

Eat the fucker and then burn it off. If people were not such lazy bastards high calorie food wouldn't be an issue

It’s trite shite. If it was as simple as that 60% of people would have a BMI of 25 or below.

Agree with a PP that having decent public health policies/services is not “nanny state” territory.

The 60% of UK people who are overweight that is. Highest proportion in Europe.

A small latte made with skimmed milk is only 70cals.

Who made you food police op. Not rtft can 't be arsed.

I bet Costa are loving the OP

A Costa opened in our local shopping centre last year. I've never been, but that meal deal is sounding quite nice for my dd and I to have lunch this week before she goes back to school.
thanks for the tip off

You don't have to have to have crisps, they offer a piece of fruit or popcorn instead. You don't have to have a high calorie drink either- americano with skimmed milk is low cal. (Someone has probably already said This, I haven't rtft )

I do Costa with ds once a week before his music lesson. Love a latte.

Costa do pay tax it's Starbucks and Nero that don't.
Costa doesn't sell almond and oat milk either.

The calories in the food in Costa are disgusting. Dh and I often walk into our local branch, looking for a decent coffee and a bite to eat, and walk out again because there are no low calorie options. We usually end up in our local Greggs which has much more choice. I'm sure we're not making a dent in Costa's profits but they really are out of steps with current trends. Lots of places are trying to offer healthy options.

MissEliza can I ask why you often walk there if you know the calories are ‘disgusting’ surely walking once would suffice?

Dh and I often walk into our local branch

Surely you realised the first time that it didn’t have anything that appealed to you? No need to keep going back just to gasp in horror at the calories and walk out again.

Because Dipping there are sometimes sandwiches under 400 calories if you really want to know the boring details.

No need to keep going back just to gasp in horror at the calories and walk out again.

I was looking for a hobby to take up. It would be nice to have one I could fit in my lunch break.

@MissEliza they sell the same stock all year round, apart from new toasties or pasta boxes every now and then