Restaurant Eating Is About to Get a Whole Lot More Nutritionally Transparent

Photo: Stocksy/Jacob Lund
Get ready for some major transparency upgrades on food menus everywhere. Starting on May 7, 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring every restaurant and food outlet with 20 or more locations to reveal how many calories are in every single item.

Seeing your salad or smoothie stats right on the menu might sound terrifying, but the labeling practice has already shown promising effects on people's health. New York City restaurant chains have been required to show the calories of menu items for years, and it has resulted in consumers choosing healthier meals. And, that's the FDA's goal: Demystifying nutritional info so folks are empowered to make informed and healthy diet choices.

"As someone who enjoys eating out with my family and picking up the occasional takeout meal, I—like many Americans—want to know what’s in the food I eat." —Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner

"As someone who enjoys eating out with my family and picking up the occasional takeout meal, I—like many Americans—want to know what’s in the food I eat” said Scott Gottlieb, FDA commissioner, in a statement.

From your go-to food joints and movie theaters to amusement parks and beyond, it'll soon be a lot easier to know for sure what you're putting on your plate and into your body (yes, even in those treat-yourself moments when you'd prefer to lend a blind eye).

This new restaurant serves cocktails from wasted ingredients. Also, you need to see the world's first avocado restaurant.

Loading More Posts...