Unfortunately, I missed the beginning of it while I was posting the other thread about french fries, but what I heard of their segment on items that are touted as "healthy" on restaurant menus was interesting.
One thing I heard toward the end is that one chicken dish on TGIFriday's "Atkins-approved" menu represents 125% of a person's sodium intake for the entire day...I didn't hear if that was just the chicken or everything on the plate. But still. And that just the steak on the Atkins sizzling steak meal was 72 grams of fat and almost 5 grams of trans fat. Of course, Atkins doesn't concern themselves with fat, so this isn't surprising. YOIKES!!!
They also made some comments about Chili's Guiltless Grill menu, Olive Garden's Garden Fare menu, and whatever Ruby Tuesday's calls theirs (Healthier Choices?). I don't know if all the comments were negative, but several I heard were. They suggested that if you have questions about the nutritional info given on the menu, you should ask your server.
Posts: 7336 | Location: Rehoboth Beach, DE | Registered: March 12, 2004
One more point -- if most of the food you buy is packaged/pre-prepared, then you're not really gaining on sodium content by eating at home.
I try to go to local restaurants when I eat out because the food is better and fresher. McDonald's or Chili's food tastes the same all over the country because it IS the same all over the country.
----------- Jen
Posts: 2868 | Location: Ohio | Registered: March 11, 2004
Originally posted by cobismom: Here comes, Cathy to the restaurants defense. One thing I have learned is that IF we are going to visit franchised restaurants, we have to know that MOST of their food is pre=prepared and shipped in as prepackaged stuff, thus the large amounts of salt in them, they have to preserve them somehow. SO, if you want to have food prepared the way you want it prepared or have to have it, visit restaurants who make their own, they have a say in how it turns out, and it's their bread and butter (sorry) if it's not the way you want it. The worst thing for a restaurant is an unsatisfied customer. Word of mouth (so to speak) can kill a restaurant quicker than highway construction in front of their business.
We prepare a lot, most of what we serve, that way when people come in and ask for no salt, or smaller portions or steamed vegetables we can do it....we are the preparers....sorry but the national chains can't do that....or not as easily. I will continue to frequent many of the restaurants that were featured in the story, I love their food, but I am aware of what they are cooking and how it comes...it's a buyer beware thing.
Cathy,
That is a really good point. Franchises and chains are often limited to specific suppliers and use more pre-prepared food to maintain consistency throughout the chain or franchise.
If you frequent locally owned and/or sole-proprietorships, they are going to be using small suppliers, frequently local suppliers and have fresher ingredients, and as you said, be able to adjust the recipe per individual request.
Dawn
"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You have to set yourself on fire." anonymous
Posts: 4322 | Location: Indianapolis, IN | Registered: March 15, 2004
Here comes, Cathy to the restaurants defense. One thing I have learned is that IF we are going to visit franchised restaurants, we have to know that MOST of their food is pre=prepared and shipped in as prepackaged stuff, thus the large amounts of salt in them, they have to preserve them somehow. SO, if you want to have food prepared the way you want it prepared or have to have it, visit restaurants who make their own, they have a say in how it turns out, and it's their bread and butter (sorry) if it's not the way you want it. The worst thing for a restaurant is an unsatisfied customer. Word of mouth (so to speak) can kill a restaurant quicker than highway construction in front of their business.
We prepare a lot, most of what we serve, that way when people come in and ask for no salt, or smaller portions or steamed vegetables we can do it....we are the preparers....sorry but the national chains can't do that....or not as easily. I will continue to frequent many of the restaurants that were featured in the story, I love their food, but I am aware of what they are cooking and how it comes...it's a buyer beware thing.
It's never too late to get it right.
Posts: 3473 | Location: Central USA | Registered: March 11, 2004
Yeah, I saw that and carried away the, if you're eating out, just enjoy it, message. I do anyway and then fret about my enjoyment. A lot of stuff seemed obvious; as one expert pointed out, if it says "100% butter" how low-fat/good for you can it be?
I dislike processed food more than anything straight; I buy unsalted butter to use rather than margarine, real sugar, etc. and try to eat whole foods or make my own meals rather than packaged stuff. I have a teeshirt that reads, "Buy naked food"
Whatever will satisfy hunger is good food -- Chinese proverb
Posts: 54 | Location: Rumsey Island, MD | Registered: March 24, 2006
I am guessing most of the servers will have no clue about the nutritional information. I agree, the real message is to make eating out a special occasion thing unless you can find a place that is committed to healthier food.
----------- Jen
Posts: 2868 | Location: Ohio | Registered: March 11, 2004
I saw it too. Essentially they said that MOST of the nutritionals were accurate as given but that the hidden danger was in what they didn't tell you...mostly about sodium. The other point that they made is that if consumers insist on getting that information all of the time from the serving staff, that they will eventually capitulate into giving it on the menu but I guess they figured consumer demand was going to win that battle. I personally doubt that and believe it will take some legislation to get it done because ultimately it is going to mean they have to figure out how to make tasty AND healthy food consistently (and not just 'sorta' healthy). It would be a huge shift in so many things in food service which is not an easy changing industry.
I thought the most telling thing was that the doc who had done all the analysis essentially ended the segment saying "go out and enjoy what you eat when you go out but eat right when you do have control over what you are eating". I think the other message that was more subtle was "stop eating out soooo much" but maybe that was my own bias.
I just finished watching that...and they mention a big culprit is the sodium in our diets. I believe that places put TONS of sodium in our food. In the steak dish you are referring to, it had a lot.
I personally think that restaurants should tell us what we are eating without us needing to ask.
I'm eating out tomorrow with my dad - going to Applebees. Up here, we don't have the Weight WATchers dishes that they have in the states..too bad. I'll have some kind of salad.
Anyhow..just thought I'd let you know that there is a link there that shows a bit of it.
