Honestly, we are trying to kill ourselves and restaurants and food products are just trying to make money off of that desire. If those pancakes don't sell, then Bob Evans won't sell them. If oreos and twinkies didn't sell, then their manufacturers wouldn't make them. I really believe we need to be personally responsible for our nutrition.
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Originally Posted by aphil
I am going to add another angle here...I don't think Bob Evans is trying to kill us.
Yes, they have 1500 calorie stuffed pancakes...but they also offer a fresh fruit plate-which is 100% fresh fruit, all sliced up and arranged real pretty-with a side of low fat strawberry yogurt. It is low calorie, and not highly processed, etc.
Thank you both! I'm glad some people have pointed this out. I keep reading people talking about iHop, like they're great, yet downing Bob Evans...for putting out stuffed pancakes AFTER iHop invented the stuffed french toast. Anyone checked the nutrition on those bad boys?
I'd have run out years ago for either the stuffed french toast or pancakes too. And I've thought of trying them on occassion. I never have yet. I may one day, as a treat. But I no longer eat stuff like that on a daily basis.
And I can't understand this desire that they be forced to list the nutrition. Does anyone here REALLY think that someone who orders those believes they're not bad for them? Do you REALLY think they'll stop eating them just because they know they have 1500 calories? People who are eating them are eating them because it's what they like, it's what they're used to eating, and they don't have the desire to lose the weight that we might have. They'll STILL eat them even if the calories are posted.
Would anyone in here walk in and order one even WITHOUT the nutrition posted? Would you think it couldn't be bad? I'm sure ALL of us know not to eat stuff like that, whether we know the amount of calories in it beforehand or not. Something prompted the OP to look it up. Probably because they KNEW it wasn't good for them but wanted confirmation on what they already knew deep-down.
I go to Bob Evans (not for breakfast as I seldom eat breakfast out anyway). I get grilled chicken and fruit for the baby and I get salmon or grilled chicken or a salad...the possibilities are endless. And as been said, they're just filling supply and demand. They're out to make money. If enough of us don't go there and order their fruit, THEY'LL STOP SELLING IT. I'm already peaved that Ruby's no longer sells the Blueberry Delite (yogurt with almonds and blueberry's), that they've removed all their fruits from the salad bar and have only grapes now, their Smart Eating menu has shrunk and now you actually have to ASK to see the smart eating menu. Applebees hasn't shrunk their WW menu...yet, but they keep mucking with it. Why? Because people aren't ordering that stuff. We'll be our own worst enemies. We'll get upset with them for giving people what they want, stop going there, and when we DO break down and go, we'll get upset because they no longer offer the healthy fare...because we never went there and ordered it.
Oh Ruby's mmmm I used to go there when I lived in California, but I don't remember a single healthy item on their menu. They used to have the best malts and shakes though and hamburgers. I remember ordering fries, a hamburger and a malt and feeling so stuffed I couldn't breathe.
When I first started losing weight, I didn't eat out at all for a couple months. It is easier if you control your own food.
And I can't understand this desire that they be forced to list the nutrition.
I don't think it's a matter of wanting the nutritional info for the things (like these stuffed pancakes) that are obviously bad, but for things that seem good but are deceptively bad. I went to Uno's once, and I knew getting a pizza or a big pasta dish would be a disaster, so I moved my eyes over to the entree salads section of the menu. Now, I know when I'm being duped into a high-cal salad when you see that all of the toppings are things like cheese, fried tortiall strips, fried chicken, heavy dressing, etc., so I chose a salad that actually listed more veggies than junk (I believe it had lettuce/greens, onion, corn, black beans, tomato, possibly cucumber, etc.) and had a dressing that was actually mostly salsa-based and had grilled chicken instead of fried. I knew there was no need to eat the bread stick that came with the salad, so I gave it to my boyfriend, and I felt really good about my choice.
Well, lo and behold, that salad had something like over 700 calories according to their website. I'm not sure where they got all those calories (chicken grilled with oil? corn cooked in butter? I'm still not really sure...), but I know I didn't expect it to be that high, and I am well-versed in calorie counting. As it turned out, I could have had a much more indulgent meal for that amount of calories.
I'm not saying I personally feel all restaurants should be required to include nutritional info, but I can certainly understand why some people would wish for such.
And quickly, for what it's worth, I worked at Ruby Tuesday for a couple years. I can tell you right now that they used to list the calorie counts for almost everything on their menus at one time, and it was not good for business. They've since removed all traces of that information from their menus. Restaurants are in business to make money, plain and simple. They really, truly don't care if you're on a diet or if their food is unhealthy, as long as enough people keep buying it so they can turn a profit.
Yep, I remember those nutritional facts on the Ruby Tuesday's menus - wow, were they an eye-opener! A turkey club had more calories than a bacon cheeseburger! Like Jill, I'm a professional calorie counter but I wouldn't have guessed that one.
I agree, we're all smart enough to stay away from the unhealthy choices but I still want the information so I can make the best choice, rather than just guessing.
I wouldn't be surprised if many people don't even want to know what the nutritional facts are. Or care. They like living in their own little dream worlds. (I used to be one of them.)
Look at the cigarette industry. Warnings are loud and clear on their labels, yup they are required by law to have them there, but yet millions and millions of people are still choosing to light up.
People are going to do what they are going to do. We all have to take responsibility for our health issues all across the board. No one else is going to do it for us. We have got to be our own best advocates.
Still, not HAVING nutritional info available at all is really hard - it DOES cut off an entire segment of the population, albeit perhaps not a huge one. It certainly wouldn't hurt their popularity with the people who don't care - why would they ask to see it?
Oh no, I agree, I think there most absolutely SHOULD be nutritional info at restaurants. I don't think one can possible have too much information.
As a matter of fact Mayor Bloomberg of NYC is in the process of banning restaurants from using trans fats. Maing them illegal. I'm not at all sure of the details. Maybe he should jump on this band wagon as well.
As a matter of fact Mayor Bloomberg of NYC is in the process of banning restaurants from using trans fats. Maing them illegal. I'm not at all sure of the details. Maybe he should jump on this band wagon as well.
I thought that had already been approved? And I also thought that, along with the banning of trans fats, any restaurant in NYC whose nutritional info is posted online must now also include the nutritional info in their menus (including fast food! McD's will have to put the nutritional info up on their menu boards behind the counter). I'm not sure when it all goes into effect, but I thought I had heard that it all passed and was approved.
Oh Ruby's mmmm I used to go there when I lived in California, but I don't remember a single healthy item on their menu. They used to have the best malts and shakes though and hamburgers. I remember ordering fries, a hamburger and a malt and feeling so stuffed I couldn't breathe.
When I first started losing weight, I didn't eat out at all for a couple months. It is easier if you control your own food.
Oh yeah. Since they've stopped providing the Smart Eating guide, I don't bother going there anymore, unless I'm just in the mood for their salad bar, or turkey burger...that I know they still have. They used to have the turkey burger on a low carb wrap, grilled chicken, cajun grilled tilapia, and many others. They had the Blueberry Delite which was the healthiest desert they could have next to fruit, and the low carb cheesecake if one was a little more daring and didn't give a hoot about the 400 calories. And they have a variety of veggies, including creamy cauliflower, which they removed for awhile but it's made a comeback. I always cut the sodium in even these too, as I order the turkey burger on the low carb wrap with NO seasoning.
I'm on the go alot these days and so I do eat out frequently, but Bob Evans, Applebees, and Ruby's can get boring after awhile. I'm always afraid to try new places and find they have nothing that I would eat that's on MY approved menu. Though we did go with my family to TGI Fridays yesterday. I think I've found another place I like. I've learned to never be afraid to change things, to special order. I have them leave things out of salads, and seasonings and sauces off foods.
And I can't understand this desire that they be forced to list the nutrition. Does anyone here REALLY think that someone who orders those believes they're not bad for them? Do you REALLY think they'll stop eating them just because they know they have 1500 calories?
I disagree, I dont think anyone thinks they are healthy, but I doubt if you showed the plate to the average person and asked them to guess how many calories, they would not guess 1500. I'm pretty food aware, and I doubt that is what I would have estimated.
I bet 1500 might be enough to give pause and probably even discourage some people from getting them. Which is why the restaurants arent rushing out to put info on the menu.
There are times when I can afford to splurge a little. Lets say I stopped in at IHOP or Bob E after my half-marathon. I just burned around 1700 calories - minus about 2-300 for gu/gatorade. I am not going to be looking at the 400 calorie breakfast. If I thought that they were in the 900-1000 calorie range I might go for it (if the concept of a stuffed pancake had any appeal which it doesnt). 1500 probably not. Even for over the top food, there are times when nutritional info would be mighty handy.
Or even the other way. I went out to PFChangs the other night. It was a completely spur of the moment thing so I didnt get a chance to look online first. I ordered steamed shrimp dumplings and hot and sour soup.
Turns out I was way UNDER the calories I needed for the day, I could have gotten something more had I known what the choices were.
I thought that had already been approved? And I also thought that, along with the banning of trans fats, any restaurant in NYC whose nutritional info is posted online must now also include the nutritional info in their menus (including fast food! McD's will have to put the nutritional info up on their menu boards behind the counter). I'm not sure when it all goes into effect, but I thought I had heard that it all passed and was approved.
As far as I know, and I don't really know the facts like I said earlier, banning the transfats has been approved, though not in effect yet. Not sure when it will be. I haven't heard anything about restaurants having to post the nutritional info on their menus if they do so on line. That would be interesting to see how that plays out though.
Although creativity is great, I just have to say I think some of the foods that we are using that creativity to make are just ABNORMAL. People have been around for thousands of years, and we are getting farther and farther away from what our ancestors ate -- real food...And it's killing us. I don't think it's "normal" to eat processed pancakes stuffed with cream cheese, trans fats, and lots of other "unhealthy" ingredients stuffed in there and on the side.
I don't think that we should take personal choice away from people, but I do think that when we serve things to people, we have to think about if we are really SERVING them. It is supposed to be the food SERVICE industry. Just because you can make more money serving something clearly unhealthy doesn't mean you should. If a doctor prescribed a medication that made you feel really good, but would lead to an early death, people would say "Take it off the market!" and start suing! Food is just like medicine...you eat it, and it affects the way your body functions!
Perhaps the food industry should channel some of that energy to create new theme giant sized burgers with mayo into creating delicious things that people will love that are closer to what our bodies would like us to have.
Like I said, I'm all for creativity, and I don't want to stifle the chefs, but some of the foods we are eating now just don't seem very normal. We've kind of forgotten what food really is.
Oh yeah. Since they've stopped providing the Smart Eating guide, I don't bother going there anymore, unless I'm just in the mood for their salad bar, or turkey burger...that I know they still have. They used to have the turkey burger on a low carb wrap, grilled chicken, cajun grilled tilapia, and many others. They had the Blueberry Delite which was the healthiest desert they could have next to fruit, and the low carb cheesecake if one was a little more daring and didn't give a hoot about the 400 calories. And they have a variety of veggies, including creamy cauliflower, which they removed for awhile but it's made a comeback. I always cut the sodium in even these too, as I order the turkey burger on the low carb wrap with NO seasoning.
I'm on the go alot these days and so I do eat out frequently, but Bob Evans, Applebees, and Ruby's can get boring after awhile. I'm always afraid to try new places and find they have nothing that I would eat that's on MY approved menu. Though we did go with my family to TGI Fridays yesterday. I think I've found another place I like. I've learned to never be afraid to change things, to special order. I have them leave things out of salads, and seasonings and sauces off foods.
Ruby's has a salad bar?! Weird, I've never seen them with a salad bar or any healthy stuff. I remember going their in college and just eating hamburgers while friends would have "home style" dinner things of meatloaf or chicken fingers or what not.
One thing I do miss living on the East Coast now though is a salad place. Soup plantation/Sweet tomatoes (same chain) is awesome although you could fill up on their bread.
I never liked Applebees but Mimi's Cafe (west coast only I presume) was one of my favorite "regular" type restaurants I liked.
My favorite eating out places now include Baja Fresh (eat half a burrito), kabob places (usually eat half an entree or sandwich), a local traditional chinese place (pretty healthy stuff for the most part) or a local pizza chain which uses nonfat pizza crust and sauce. They have an awesome vegetarian pizza that has broccoli on it. DH and I used to go out to indian restaurants all the time but I think that contributed to a slight weight gain during our dating stage. I love saag which is oh so unhealthy.
As far as I know, and I don't really know the facts like I said earlier, banning the transfats has been approved, though not in effect yet. Not sure when it will be.
July 2007 (frying oils except for those used for donuts, spreads, ingredients except for those used in cake batters) and July 2008 (exceptions end, ban applies to all foods).
I've learned to never be afraid to change things, to special order. I have them leave things out of salads, and seasonings and sauces off foods.
