Calories on the menu - just why?

[Figmentofmyimagination]

Visited pizza express last night to catch up with a girlfriend - first visit since pre pandemic. Ordered my favourite fiorentina pizza with spinach and egg but my enjoyment was somewhat diminished by reading the 950 calorie count on the menu. I understand that this is the law now. Who decided that this is a good idea? Absolutely crazy.

And I would be happier with no calorie counts if the meals on offer calorie counts were more appropriate to daily intake needs for a 5 ft 7 middle aged female (fairly representatives a large proportion of the population) - so up to about 800 to 1000 calories. But some are on for 2300 calories!

@Alondra For context I was ill 5/6 years ago. I still have to be careful not to relapse into bad habits but it's insane to think that since then I would never eat out (?)

@HaveringWavering

Brill, I will read that. Thanks again.

And overeating can be as much a disorder as undereating. So it is only fair to disclose calorie counts somewhere. I don't mind if that is online, personally, however easily accessible within an establishment is much better.

Alondra

Oh my goodness you’re so wrong which is why eating disorders are treated by mental health services. The physical side by general with a specialised eating disorder nurse to bridge both and inform massively under educated nurses such as yourself.

@pucelleauxblanchesmains genuine question, how do you manage food shopping? Since every consumable product displays the calorie information.

I like it, and hopefully it will make the restaurants provide healthier and lower calorie options.

This. I went to a Beefeater on Saturday and it was an eyeopener to see how many calories were in some of the meals. I'm not overweight but am at an age where I can't eat whatever I like without putting on weight so it was good to be be able to do a rough calculation of if I have no pudding I can have a bigger main or whatever.

I appreciate calories on a website (handy when I'm dieting and want to remain relatively good) but I don't see why it's needed on a menu!

Obesity is a much bigger problem for society than EDs are, so overall I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Surely it wouldn’t be too difficult for people to be able to ask for a menu without calories on, or for restaurants to provide a few.

If it stops people ordering extra sides and desserts that would contribute to ill health for them, then good. Many people do need to be more aware of how many calories they’re eating.

@labamba007

I appreciate calories on a website (handy when I'm dieting and want to remain relatively good) but I don't see why it's needed on a menu!

Because most people won’t look up calories on their phone but might pay attention on a physical menu.

[quote Tulipblacksmith]@Alondra

I also have many years experience in mental health. I agree with what you are saying in that for some people with EDs this will help them feel more in control.

You are massively over generalising though with the ALL. You only need to read this thread to know it will trigger some people.

To have menu options that would suit both needs would be ideal. As a nurse I am not sure why that concept is so difficult for you to grasp.

Also you can’t unread something can you? It’s not just a case of moving on to the next food item. All the meals will have a calorie count next to them.[/quote]
The people I'm triggering are the ones who don't want to take responsibility for what they eat. They prefer not to have that information because it makes them feel bad about themselves.

The problem with that is millions of people rely on food information to make medical and healthy choices which is the reason our governments are implementing essential ingredients and calorie count in the food we purchase. Until not long ago we would buy a can of tomatoes without telling us what the ingredients were, now they have to so by law. Menu options are the next target, they need to tell us calorie count, if they are vegan, if they are gluten free. It's information.

You don't want the information? Read the next item. But don't whinge about it or blame on people with eating disorders the fact you didn't enjoy your evening because your florentina pizza came with a calorie count.

@Hont1986 Mostly the calories are pretty hidden so I try not to look or partner does the shopping. On a menu it's much more in your face although as I've said upthread it's still a struggle to try to eat enough anyway.

Did you think it was healthy before you saw the calories?
I just would presume it’s calorie laden and full of fat and eat it any way .

@Alondra

You are so misguided it’s actually quite sad to read. The fact you are a nurse is even scarier.

No one here is being “triggered”. There are plenty of people on this thread who have agreed it would be helpful to know the calorie count for information purposes. Some of us do have awareness about how these menus could trigger those with EDs.

You’ve made some pretty outrageous statements to be honest. One being that people with eating disorders do not go to restaurants and secondly that people with eating disorders are all under the care of a mental health team.

Wrong.

Thankfully after reading the guidance thought for this (growing) subset of society has been included within the implementation of this.

@Alondra
I ate out when anorexic, even with a bmi of 16. No mental health services in recovery either as the waiting list was long and I had it sorted on my own before I reached the top. Though calories on the menu would have been very helpful for me, both before and during recovery. What I didn't know I'd just overestimate so knowing would have given me more choice about what I'd be able to eat when restricting, and made it easier to make sure I was eating enough in recovery.

My 2p as someone in ED recovery (and currently struggling with going backwards am not using the word relapse).

• it's a BAD thing for me. I do not need to know the calorie content of what I'm eating. I just need to eat.
• if I know I'm eating out I will have planned (and planned and planning and agonised) over what I will eat. Online menu with cals - HORRAH!

Online menu - hoorah. No online menu - doom.

The two points are contradictory. My disordered mind thinks it's GREAT.
My healthy mind knows that I am quite able to choose a healthy, balanced meal wherever I go.

Recovery is VERY uncomfortable. Having cals more readily available will mean I won't have to push out of my safety zone when I'm out. On the surface I'll be fine, underneath I will know that I have not attempted to push myself.

Ultimately it's down to me (with support). Calories or not won't really make much difference to me.

I tell what will make things harder, is that it will prompt people to talk about cals and diets and all that. That's the last thing I want to discuss when I'm with friends.

@TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo

And I'm sorry but I don't get the ED argument. What is the difference between calories on a menu and calories on the front of a supermarket ready meal! All the food we buy has calories displayed!

I don’t eat ready meals for that very reason. I also stopped eating at spoons when they started adding calories to their menu.

[quote Hont1986]@pucelleauxblanchesmains genuine question, how do you manage food shopping? Since every consumable product displays the calorie information.[/quote]
I can't read the small print w/o my glasses!

I find it really triggering personally. Went out with friends last week and it made me really anxious.

[quote Tulipblacksmith]@Alondra

You are so misguided it’s actually quite sad to read. The fact you are a nurse is even scarier.

No one here is being “triggered”. There are plenty of people on this thread who have agreed it would be helpful to know the calorie count for information purposes. Some of us do have awareness about how these menus could trigger those with EDs.

You’ve made some pretty outrageous statements to be honest. One being that people with eating disorders do not go to restaurants and secondly that people with eating disorders are all under the care of a mental health team.

Wrong.

Thankfully after reading the guidance thought for this (growing) subset of society has been included within the implementation of this.[/quote]
What is scary is how this whole thread has been deflected by the original post.

I've said time and again that information is essential in the food we eat. Some of you have been trying your best to deflect the original post to eating conditions that are a small porcentage of the population while 64% of the total population in the UK are either obese or overweight.

I have never said that people with EDs do not go to restaurants. I've said time and again that people with ED will feel safer in restaurants that gives them a calorie count. I've also said, and I stand by it, that many people with eating disorders will never feel completly safe in a restaurant. They will have normal lives, go restaurants but will never feel safe. The more information they have about what they eat, the safer they'll feel.

I don't know how many of you know what a mental disorder means, some people they'll be able to overcome, many won't completly.

I don't have issues with food, I eat reasonably well and reasonably healthily, and an a healthy weight. But the calorie thing on my menu when I went out for a meal the other day, really spoiled the experience for me.

Unlike supermarket food, where the calorie count is in small print on a space that only occupies a tiny proportion of the packaging, the calorie count on the menu was the same size as the rest of the print (bolded even on mine...wtf?). So it was impossible to ignore and really spoiled the whole treat of being taken out.

I think menus that don't contain the information should be available to those who want them. Alternatively I'll start eating in smaller businesses that aren't obliged to provide that information.

Mom to a teen with anorexia here - she's in early months of recovery and is anxious about this but is challenging herself not to be drawn away from her non anorexic meal choice to the anorexia determined choice.

Just like to correct a point made up thread - restaurants do not have to provide a calorie free menu - they can provide a calorie free menu on request.

I started a thread on the day this came out asking people to ask restaurants if they have calorie free menus available when booking/arriving - even if you don't need the calorie free menu. Restaurants will work on demand - more people asking for calorie free - more likely to supply - that way those that would really benefit from the non calorie menu will have more confidence in eating out.

There is a campaign led by ED campaigner asking govt to change this law from "can" to "must'. She's also campaigning to get the calories taken off the childrens menus.

Finally, anyone who is a parent to a teen with an ED who needs support there is a thread on the ED board - please do join us.

Iloveeverykindofcat
I strongly suspect my teen has ARFID. She eats a very restricted diet - won’t tolerate certain textures, no sauces etc. She’s been so happy with change to cals on menus like in USA and was able to eat with her friends when she went shopping last week which was a big thing. I do have sympathy for people who will find it triggering but it’s not true to say it’s unhelpful for all people with ED. She’s eaten in 2 places this holiday she wouldn’t have pre menu change. So for us it’s a positive.

@Alondra

I've said time and again that people with ED will feel safer in restaurants that gives them a calorie count

I presume you've mistyped and meant to include "some people with ED" because I can assure you my daughter does not feel safer in restaurants that gives them a calorie count

I've said time and again that people with ED will feel safer in restaurants that gives them a calorie count

You must know that not everyone is the same? Surely?