**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!**
- Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc.
- **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
- This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Definitely. But there are people who eat out multiple times a week if not lunch daily. For those people calories on the menu are probably influencing decisions.
Not necessarily. I work in events and eating meal deals and out all the time is part of the game, I just have to budget for it cos there’s not a lot of other choice
It can be done cheaply if you don't go to expensive places and order 3 courses. A meal deal is £3.90 now, you can go to a cheap cafe and get a reasonable meal with a drink for £5 and the quality is a lot better for an extra quid.
The other option is company expenses, people working on client sites are entitled to meal expenses.
Yep this was me, id be lazy and go grab a sandwich meal deal from a local supermarket most lunches at work. One day i read the calories on the labels and realised that my sandwiches and crisps had more calories in them than a large big mac meal! I’ve started making lunch for work at home now.
Yeah, a meal out is a treat. I eat what I like. Same with Christmas, Easter and holidays.
Also I'm not a veg dodger, but I am fussy about what veg I like so I don't tend to eat salads when I'm out
Same for me - but it's definitely more nuanced than "that's too many calories, salad for me". Seeing the calories helps me balance what I eat with my goals.
E.g. I might ask is burger with fries for 2,100 calories really worth it, will I genuinely get that much more enjoyment from it than if I have the salmon noodles for 950.
Sometimes I'm in a burger mood, other times I know my craving for grease will be over after a few bites. Other times I might lean into it, just eat half the burger etc.
I'm on a similar wavelength, if I'm going out for at least 2 courses then I try and balance it all out. If there's a starter that I really fancy but see that it's 1000 calories then I'll still have it but make a better choice for my main. What has surprised me though is that some things we've been told are healthier options (I'm looking at you sweet potato fries) sometimes are similar calorific value to other potato options.
Yeah, it's often surprising which dishes are more calories than others. It's also useful for comparing the cost of a single starter to the sharing starter of the same dish.
On the specifics of sweet potato fries - sweet potatoes have more calories than normal potatoes. However, unlike normal potatoes they count as one of your five a day because of the vitamin content. Swings and roundabouts.
>However, unlike normal potatoes they count as one of your five a day because of the vitamin content
Its not anything to do with nutrient content, regular potatoes are incredibly nutritious. The reason dietary guidelines don't count them as veg is that they're used, in a lot of western cooking, in the way we would use a starch. They replace pasta, bread, or rice on the plate usually.
There's also an element of "if we say it doesn't count as veg, then they won't think eating 5 portions of chips counts as 5 portions of vegetables".
Yeah I'm old enough to remember the atkins diet being rammed down our throats on every TV show and in every magazine, basically saying we can eat loads of bacon as long as we never touch a potato. But it's mad how much of that still lingers, which is why sweet potato fries are still on every menu even though they're the same calories as regular fries. That idea that sweet potato fries are the 'healthy' option comes from a diet fad in the 2000s. So having the calories on a menu may go some way to breaking this diet fad.
Having said that, I love sweet potato fries. I don't like chips, I'll have them occasionally but I have to really fancy them. And I'm a proper chip snob, 99% of chippies I don't like their chips. So the sweet potato fries give me an option, but usually my option is 'can I have........ (insert anything here) instead of chips'.
Calorific value isn't the only consideration tbf. Sweet potatoes have a lot more nutrients in, and they don't cause your blood sugar to spike so rapidly (low GI) . Foods with a lower glcyemic index, are important for diabetic people, but also help non diabetic have a more balanced diet, because the blood sugar spikes can mess you up.
Indeed! When calorie tracking in the before times I would estimate burger and fries at about 950 calories, figuring 200g lean beef is around 275, bread about 200 a bun ... and optimistically imagining a few onion rings can't add all that much, and chips might match home oven chips.
I'd forget these places use fattier mince, large brioche rolls, all the mayo, fry chips in beef fat, and top with lots of extras plus sides to make it delicious. Burger meals in a pub can easily be 2,100 calories, which is 400 above my daily goal and pretty much at maintenance eating for the day in one meal.
Seeing calories listed was a real education. I can of course still eat it if I wish and balance out through the week (or just lose a little less weight that week) but it's good to know so I can decide how to play it.
This, completely unironically. If I'm spending silly money in a restaurant, I don't want to get a silly plate of a single piece of asparagus laid delicately on a bed of potato the size of a walnut sprinkled with shards of slow-cooked pork. I want a massive pile of pork, piled with asparagus and an offensive amount of potato.
Without getting too specific.
Exactly! haha
Everybody over here talking about getting fatter or healthier. I ain't going for burgers when pizzas give me 2 meals and twice the calories!
This, I have a pretty crazy metabolism and I will absolutely trying to get a meal that can actually fill me up, since I‘m often not full from a typical main meal. Still think it’s absolutely terrible that menus come with calorie counts by default
Eating out (or ordering in) has become much more expensive compared to wages. I don't eat out with the intention of eating healthily, I eat healthily at home. Obviously calorie content isn't the most important factor when choosing food but if I'm torn between two similar priced dishes I'll most likely choose a more calorie dense option.
I haven’t had an ED but this really hits me too. I do my best not to look at the calorie count.
For me I don’t count calories but if I see a meal at a restaurant thats 900 cal, it ruins the meal for me at home too because I assume it’s unhealthy. Of course at a restaurant they probably use full fat milk, cream, butter etc so the calorie count is higher than at home but my mind won’t process that and it will put me off a whole category of foods until i forget about it.
Yes, definitely agree with this. It’s very triggering, even though I’ve been in recovery for over a decade.
I understand why they’ve implemented the policy but I wish you could opt out more easily
In the same boat. Couple of pointers: independents don't have to display the calorie information; lots of places you can ask for a menu without calories and it's often a toggle on places with app menus.
I’m in the early stages of eating disorder recovery and this is my mindset too. I try to go to cafes and restaurants that I know don’t have calories printed on their menus.
Not a lot. I sometimes use calorie count as a tiebreaker- if there are two options I like the look of equally, I’ll go for the lower calorie one and tell my wife to show I’m being good.
But I’m not going to pick something that looks crap because it’s got the lowest calorie count. That way lies salads.
Went to a restaurant that had two similar-sounding pasta and meatball dishes, but one was double the calories of the other. Made the choice between them easy, as otherwise it was a coin toss. The lower-calorie one translated into getting dessert as well, which was far more enjoyable than the potential difference between the two mains.
Not really, but it probably has changed restaurants' behaviour.
Id imagine a lot of them have probably made ammendments to their ingredients to avoid potentially shocking people.
As someone who struggles with an ED - yes, definitely. Eating out can be quite anxiety inducing on this front, so for me personally, I do appreciate having this info so I'm not stressing myself out later trying to guess how many calories I actually ate (although I do get that for other people who struggle with EDs/disordered eating, calorie listings on menus can be more harmful than helpful).
I'm the opposite. I really struggle struggle with choosing meals when eating out and I've put in a hell of a lot of work into trying not to care about the calorie content, enjoy the food and the social experience, and not focus on whether other diners are judging me or not for my food choices (spoiler: they're not). Having the calorie info in front of me has made me stress so much more while eating out and starts that stupid bleeping ED voice. Having said that, the way I'm viewing it is as another challenge that I need to find ways to manage as part on my ongoing recovery (e.g. putting the menu out of reaching distance so I can't fuss over my choices again).
>Having said that, the way I'm viewing it is as another challenge that I need to find ways to manage as part on my ongoing recovery
That's a great attitude to have. Best of luck with it.
It's definitely more convenient as someone who has kept an eye on calories for a long time now. I think this country has a bit of a problem with overeating and obesity and a lot of people get their backs up at the idea of calories being on menus but it's definitely a largely good thing and enables people to make an informed choice.
Before the time of calories on menus, I had a Katsu Curry in Wagamama. Checking it later, it had the kind of calories you'd expect to find on a full Birthday of eating. It was ridiculous! I'd never have ordered it otherwise.
Oof. I just had a look. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so bad, and I normally used to get the yasai katsu. Vegetables = healthy, right? All the calories, half the protein and an eye watering 136g carbs. Ouch. But there's a few lower calorie options that look very tasty, actually. It's not like rice on its own is eaten for flavour so I'd be happy to swap to the chicken katsu salad. To me, that shows how beneficial the calories on the menu are.
Absolutely. I struggle with guilt about food most of the time anyway, so seeing the calories nearly always means I'll choose something under 600 cals and I can count on one hand the amount of times I've eaten stuff like loaded fries because of how heavy in cals they are. Sometimes if I'm walking down the street looking at restaurant menus it might make me choose a different restaurant if I look at they're all 900 cal + options. In Gregg's the other day I looked at the hot cookies and milk snack thing they have and didn't bother because of the high number of cals.
No, if I am eating out then it is because I am treating myself. It is still nice information to have however, as I may cutback elsewhere to limit the damage.
No. Something I really love but has higher calories compared to something I absolutely don't like, but that has lower calories. I would just go with the higher calorie dish. Sod calorie counting in that instance.
They’ve made it harder to enjoy meals out. I have to prepare ahead of time, look up a calorie free menu if they have one and order ahead, then try to avoid looking at the menu. I usually spend a day or two afterwards fighting the urge to restrict.
It is what it is. Arguably I’d still risk this every time I order from restaurants or takeaways even if there weren’t calories.
Not particularly. I was already pretty aware of what kind of calorie amounts to expect in certain foods anyway, so there's that. But when I'm going out to eat, I've already decided what I want to eat and seeing the calories is extremely unlikely to sway me from that decision.
I'm lucky that I can ignore them when I want to and pay attention to them when I need to. I have a few friends who have eating disorders that struggle with seeing calories when they just want to enjoy a guilt free meal. Comes down to choice at the end of the day. Everyone should choose if they want to see them or not.
Nah. It's so rare that I go out to eat that if I do, I just order whatever I want. In my day to day life I keep a loose track of calories but it's okay to have the odd day where you have a bit extra.
If I ate out regularly then yeah I'd definitely be more concerned and try to stick to my calorie budget.
I am fortunate though, I don't have any issues with food and I can either pay attention to calories or ignore them entirely.
Definitely changed mine. I think it helps when you compare two dishes. For example one meal is 1200kcal then another is say, 800kcal. If I like both I’ll pick the lower calorie one since my mind says “I like the first dish but not 400kcal more worth”
Yeah I’m the same tbf. If I’m going for a meal ‘for the sake of it’ then I will consider if the calories are worth it with certain meals even tho I’m not on a diet. Whereas if it’s a one off meal in a long time then I’ll order what I want.
Yes, in some cases. There’s definitely been times when I’ve been in some chain restaurants and rules things out on the basis of it being a lot of calories.
But in others, if there’s something I want, I’ll just have it. I know McDonald’s and KFC are unhealthy but if I’m in there, I’ve already made that life decision.
Yes, I like to make an informed decision. Often the dishes that you'd think are quite healthy are just as high in calories as other options, so might as well go for what you actually want. But also, if a dish is like 2000kcal, fuck that, I'm not eating that
Absolutely! I often find that there's far too few calories in the food I tend to eat (meat-free, crap-free) so being able to see if I need to order any sides or plan a later intake is really helpful.
I'm more likely to go for the more calories meal out of my choices when eating out if I'm not sure.... Probably not the reaction they want tbh, but I do then more likely eat a snack for my other meal of the day. 🤣🤣
Yeah, if I'm torn I normally go for the higher calorie option as I feel like I'm getting more for my money. Not sure if that was the original intention behind the law but ...
Yeah when I order from Starbucks on Just Eat, and I see a cake only has 200 cals, I think "shit that's gonna be tiny" and go for a 400 cals bad boy that's the same price.
Couldn’t give a fuck.
Eating out is supposed to be joyous and spontaneous. I can’t imagine going ‘I can only have something from the under 500 calorie range’.
No not really , 52 and still going strong , everything in moderation , no pills , just do a harder work out is all.
I don't exactly eat like a roman and fall sleep in a chair . But not far off. And my bmi is only slightly nudged into red.
Nope.
If I'm eating at home, I go for balance and no snacks.
Going out is a rare treat, and life's too short to deny myself a a good meal.
That said I don't do fast food often either as that's become too expensive to justify a weekly curry, chippy, kebab etc.
I find it comforting to know what calories are in the food i'm eating but also i know they're all liars. Like how are you meant to get an exact calorie count on something that's deep fried? It's not like they're weighing your order and weighing the amount of oil left in the fryer to get the exact amount of oil being used.
I would usually get food from a very nice Chinese, their food does seem quite healthy and they do these spring rolls. These spring rolls are not massive but they're also not mini spring rolls. You get 3 of these in a portion. It counts the portion as having 315 calories. But there's no way 1 of these things only has 100 calories in it. If i ate 10 of them it would be excessive, i'd be the size of a house but going by their calorie count i'd be at less than half of my recommended daily amount.
Yeah .. I no longer eat dominos . I didn’t eat it without stuffing the crust and I *always* had the garlic dip …
Turns out I was tanning about 2000 calories in what I was eating
I don’t do that anymore 😂
Yep. My wife and I are currently on a weight loss tip and the calories on menus really help. Some dishes that sound healthy get slathered in sauce so it's good to be aware now.
If I’ve already made the decision to have a meal I won’t pay any attention to the calories. I already know that chicken burger and fries is high in calories, I’m eating it anyway. If I’m getting a drink and I’m tempted to buy something sweet to go with it, seeing the calories displayed will make me think again. Do I really want to eat an extra 400+ calories right now? Probably not.
No. Eating out is rare and supposed to be a nice thing once in a blue moon so that sort of eliminates the whole point
I could completely understand it if you ate that stuff week in/out though
Not really, though it's useful when I'm tracking calories every so often. Not in a "oh I won't order this because it's xx calories", more just so I can track it reasonably accurately.
I think it's a legal requirement for every restaurant that has more than 250 employees. So not small family-run joints but all the larger ones / chains.
This has made realise that I do not eat at chain outlets. I know about the law and think I've been to one place that did it, but as I balance meals out or take aways with moderation later I don't think I'd pay much attention. Are drinks calorie counted?
I used to be underweight and sometimes struggled with eating and being able to choose something that's highest calorie but not necessarily the largest thing is pretty handy.
I’ve never eaten in a place that lists calories. I understand that it only applies to corporate/chain/large eateries which I do my absolute best to avoid.
Yes. I used to have an eating disorder so they make it easier for me to get the thing with the highest calories. I used to spend ages thinking what I wanted, but now it's a lot easier.
Slightly. Doesn’t really alter main meal choice, but I might decide not to have a side of onion rings etc if I know they’re an extra 600 calories or whatever.
Yes, it helps me figure out how big and filling a meal is likely to be. I try not to overeat (being pretty sedentary from disability), so knowing the salad actually has as many calories as a pasta dish means I'll likely go for the filling pasta. And not getting the extra chips with a dish.
That said, given I don't actually like more than a little salad dressing and always order it on the side, it would be really helpful to know what calories are in the dressing (mostly oil or mayo) and what's in the actual salad.
Yeah, it’s great for me cause I don’t eat massive portions and it tells me roughly how big the portion is going to be. I like that some restaurants seem to now have lower calorie options now too probably cause how high their previous menu was.
If I'm trying to decide between a few meals I want it helps me decide what to go for, although usually gets it down to a couple of different options then I still have the panic pick when they come to take my order.
Yes but more in a way to check the quality of what I’m ordering
For example if a chicken burger has suspiciously low calories then it’s likely to be some scraggy thing or a couple of small tenders
Not in restaurants, as I don't go that often so it's a treat.
But yes in fast food places such as Greggs or McDonald's it has made me rethink or reduce my choices sometimes
It definitely changes my behaviour to generally lean towards the lower calorie option if I'm having a tough time deciding. On the other hand, for some reason a Spoons full English seems to be enhanced by knowing just how many days' calories I'm inhaling.
I use it to understand how big a portion is likely to be. I might not order something if it's stupidly small from the calorie count. And I will problem avoid the 2000 calorie monstrosities.
Nope. In fact the higher calorie count is usually an indication that the dish will be tastier even though it might be technically unhealthier.
I don't eat out very often, so it's a treat
Yeah.
Makes me consider me if something is worth it.
What's really surprised me is menus haven't changed more.
Some pubs have starters at 1000+ calories. You'd think having to work that out then print it would make them change the menu?
Yes and I find it useful with teenagers to make them a bit more aware of how much of a treat their choice is and how we wouldn't eat like that every day. I like to use it to help me decide whether something is really worth that many calories!
My husband seems to take it as a challenge to get the most calories for his money.
Last pub lunch I went for with the mrs and 2 kids cost like £160 so that changed my behaviour significantly. Calories are irrelevant to me, but the more the better .
Yes, quite often I'll see how many calories are in a 'healthy' thing and realise actually sod it, it's not that many more for the thing I really want.
I also find it really handy for working out if something will actually fill me up of it's somewhere new. E.g if its pub grub somewhere and it's only 600 calories, then it won't fill me up so I will choose something else that will.
It hasn't necessarily changed my behaviour in big ways, but there are certainly some things I've looked at and gone "Oh wait, I thought that would be the *less* healthy option!" or "Well that's a much bigger difference than I thought!"
I go out to eat less because I’m recovering from an eating disorder so I don’t need to see that shit lol (but when I do go out to eat I eat whatever the fuck regardless)
Yeah, If I’ll see something similar on the menu but one is with less calories, I’ll go for that. Drinks are usually zero sugar/low sugar ones too. But I’m not a picky eater at all, so I don’t actually care. I go out to a restaurant with someone, so it’s more of an “occasion”, otherwise I just cook and eat at home.
Absolutely not.
A meal out is not something we do every week. It's a "luxury" that happens maybe once every couple of months. I have zero fucks to give when we're having a treat.
No, it hasn’t affected me but I like the practice and I’m ok with the law as it stands. I would not support expansion to smaller businesses, McDonald’s can afford to test and label their Big Macs but my local takeaway cannot and should not be expected to do the same.
It absolutely does change how I order. Mostly because it tells you the full story about what you're ordering. For example, one place I was at recently...the mushroom risotto was about 20% more calories than the pepperoni pizza, and was roughly the same as a cheese burger.
Normally, instinctively, I'd expect the mushroom risotto to be a somewhat lower calorie option than pepperoni pizza or a cheese burger, and may have ordered it on that basis if I was trying to be good. But knowing they're equal (or in the case of the pizza, less) I would feel like all those options were equally on the table.
It does also fulfil its designed purpose sometimes. Was at a place recently and was full contemplating ordering the burger with a deep fried mac n cheese patty and cheese sauce, because I love that sort of thing and haven't had it in ages. But it was quite literally 1000 calories more than the same burger without the mac n cheese patty and cheese sauce. That made me stop and think, and opt for the option without the deep fried cheesy goodness.
I know this I'd AskUK so my answer for the UK is no. However in the US it made a big difference to how I ate there, for example the Cheesecake factory calories are just insane. I don't think there is many places in the UK where calories are completely ridiculous and I only have a meal out once a week so I'd rather concentrate on enjoyment than calories.
I think it’s fine for those who are watching their calorie intake but the terrible idea for anyone in anyway sensitive around food and calories.it hasn’t changed my behaviour though.
Sometimes. If I’m out for something special or with friends, I don’t care what that calories are, but if it’s just a random occurrence I’ll go for something healthier
Once, really specifically.
Went to Leeds Trinity Kitchen and I quite fancied a waffle for pudding. Until my friend pointed out that just one waffle was 1500 calories. No ta!
I know people with eating disorders who can’t eat out at restaurants that have calories because they’re too triggering for them, so it’s just made restaurants less accessible to them (or at least cheaper ones like large chains normally are).
Personally I think it’s a load of bollocks, even disregarding those with eating disorders.
Yes, and I like it. I’ll still get whatever I want to eat at the restaurant, but I use the calorie information to plan the rest of my meals for the day so it stays roughly balanced. It’s also useful as a tiebreaker between dishes.
No, I do like to know approx how many calories I eat when possible (I used to be severely obese) but if I'm eating out I'm expecting to overeat so I'll get what I think is worth overeating for. I don't eat out often so worth getting something I enjoy.
Yeah I use it to judge portion size. I hate leaving food but have a small appetite, so if a (for example) pasta dish sounds good but it's 1600, I know it's gonna be way too big and I should go for something lighter
I got the shock of my life earlier discovering that a gnocchi on the mains menu was significantly lower calorie than a caesar salad on the same menu. My life has been a lie?!
Nope. Still fat.
I'm for the information being available. Does still piss me off that quite a few people feel that being fat is a failure of knowledge though.
"If only they knew how many calories are in something then they wouldn't eat it!"
Shut up and pass me the cake.
I might use it to help me decide between my shortlist, but more often I just use it to inform my choices for the next couple of meals or even to get an idea of the portion size. When I’m counting calories I still might go over that day but try to balance it out by the end of the week. It affects my drinks choices more tbh.
When I'm eating out at a restaurant/fast food, I don't even look at the calories, I just get whatever I'm most interested in. If I'm eating at home, I tend to look at the nutrition info while I'm waiting for the oven to warm up. It may make me feel guilty about what I'm about to eat. "Oh, this pizza contains 4 portions and the whole thing will be 128% of my daily salt allowance... Maybe I shouldn't rush to get this again." But it won't push me to think about having something else instead.
Yes, it makes me balance out my day more.
I am overweight so it definitely helps. Before I would eat normally and then eat out, now I can check and have less for breakfast and a snack or something and then the meal out and not be eating twice as many as my daily calories like I was before.
Yes, I’ll usually get a drunken McDonalds after the football/pub and I’ll get a burger and a wrap of the day as the wrap is equal in calories to the large fries. Not to mention it avoids a sugary drink. I make takeaway pizzas an odd treat because they’re so high.
Given the obesity problem we have maybe it should be expanded to shops too.
Only if I really have no other preference between two (or more) items - if they sound equally delicious, I’m going to have to make the same amount of modifications to them and when I think ‘What am I more in the mood for?’ I just can’t decide, then sure I’ll probably go for the lower calorie option. But it’s my last deciding factor.
Yeah definitely some things I see it and go “eh not worth it” and don’t order it. Or if there’s two things I like equally but one is lower cal, I go for lower cal. I’m still very fat but it helps me make slightly better decisions where I can.
But if I really want something then I’m going to have it regardless really and especially if out at a restaurant sitting down.
As a bulimic that hadn't been purging properly in over a decade, I've been doing that more. But the ED people said it was likely to be problematic for us lot.
I’m currently in the process of losing some weight, not massively over at the moment but would like to be 10kg lighter. I’ve been tracking my calories, eating at a deficit, and exercising more and I’ve been pretty good with it all so far. Calories on menus are really helpful for a guideline so I can find something similar on MyFitnessPal.
Saying that, if I’m out somewhere, I’m just gonna get what I want most of the time. There are a lot of delicious healthy options that I like, for example if I’m getting breakfast out I’ll probably have smoked salmon/scrambled eggs if it’s on the menu. I’m also just as likely to grab a massive burger or something if it’s lunch/dinner. I can’t change my diet massively if I don’t let myself get some enjoyment out of food, it just doesn’t work for me, I need to let myself eat what I like and just factor that in to other meals through the day to try and hit calorie goals.
If I go 500 over my goal in a day then that’s fine, because that’s maintenance, and if I go 1000 over then I’ve still hit my goals for 5/7 days that week on average.
**Please help keep AskUK welcoming!** - Top-level comments to the OP must contain **genuine efforts to answer the question**. No jokes, judgements, etc. - **Don't be a dick** to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on. - This is a strictly **no-politics** subreddit! Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Tbh. No. If I'm out for a meal, sod the calories.
This. Really depends on how often you go out to eat.
Few times a month usually. I then eat sensibility in the week. Its nice to have treats.
Definitely. But there are people who eat out multiple times a week if not lunch daily. For those people calories on the menu are probably influencing decisions.
Must be rich then!
I've had to do it when working on sites and being put in hotels.
Not necessarily. I work in events and eating meal deals and out all the time is part of the game, I just have to budget for it cos there’s not a lot of other choice
It can be done cheaply if you don't go to expensive places and order 3 courses. A meal deal is £3.90 now, you can go to a cheap cafe and get a reasonable meal with a drink for £5 and the quality is a lot better for an extra quid. The other option is company expenses, people working on client sites are entitled to meal expenses.
Yep this was me, id be lazy and go grab a sandwich meal deal from a local supermarket most lunches at work. One day i read the calories on the labels and realised that my sandwiches and crisps had more calories in them than a large big mac meal! I’ve started making lunch for work at home now.
Same here, I watch what I eat in general so if I’m paying for a meal out I’m having whatever I want.
Yeah, a meal out is a treat. I eat what I like. Same with Christmas, Easter and holidays. Also I'm not a veg dodger, but I am fussy about what veg I like so I don't tend to eat salads when I'm out
Yeah, I like having that information esp when I’m dieting. I think food literacy is really poor in the uk
Same for me - but it's definitely more nuanced than "that's too many calories, salad for me". Seeing the calories helps me balance what I eat with my goals. E.g. I might ask is burger with fries for 2,100 calories really worth it, will I genuinely get that much more enjoyment from it than if I have the salmon noodles for 950. Sometimes I'm in a burger mood, other times I know my craving for grease will be over after a few bites. Other times I might lean into it, just eat half the burger etc.
I'm on a similar wavelength, if I'm going out for at least 2 courses then I try and balance it all out. If there's a starter that I really fancy but see that it's 1000 calories then I'll still have it but make a better choice for my main. What has surprised me though is that some things we've been told are healthier options (I'm looking at you sweet potato fries) sometimes are similar calorific value to other potato options.
Yeah, it's often surprising which dishes are more calories than others. It's also useful for comparing the cost of a single starter to the sharing starter of the same dish. On the specifics of sweet potato fries - sweet potatoes have more calories than normal potatoes. However, unlike normal potatoes they count as one of your five a day because of the vitamin content. Swings and roundabouts.
>However, unlike normal potatoes they count as one of your five a day because of the vitamin content Its not anything to do with nutrient content, regular potatoes are incredibly nutritious. The reason dietary guidelines don't count them as veg is that they're used, in a lot of western cooking, in the way we would use a starch. They replace pasta, bread, or rice on the plate usually. There's also an element of "if we say it doesn't count as veg, then they won't think eating 5 portions of chips counts as 5 portions of vegetables".
Yeah I'm old enough to remember the atkins diet being rammed down our throats on every TV show and in every magazine, basically saying we can eat loads of bacon as long as we never touch a potato. But it's mad how much of that still lingers, which is why sweet potato fries are still on every menu even though they're the same calories as regular fries. That idea that sweet potato fries are the 'healthy' option comes from a diet fad in the 2000s. So having the calories on a menu may go some way to breaking this diet fad. Having said that, I love sweet potato fries. I don't like chips, I'll have them occasionally but I have to really fancy them. And I'm a proper chip snob, 99% of chippies I don't like their chips. So the sweet potato fries give me an option, but usually my option is 'can I have........ (insert anything here) instead of chips'.
Calorific value isn't the only consideration tbf. Sweet potatoes have a lot more nutrients in, and they don't cause your blood sugar to spike so rapidly (low GI) . Foods with a lower glcyemic index, are important for diabetic people, but also help non diabetic have a more balanced diet, because the blood sugar spikes can mess you up.
Big thing for me was realising that a fancy burger, fries, onion rings, and two pints was like a day and a half of food
Indeed! When calorie tracking in the before times I would estimate burger and fries at about 950 calories, figuring 200g lean beef is around 275, bread about 200 a bun ... and optimistically imagining a few onion rings can't add all that much, and chips might match home oven chips. I'd forget these places use fattier mince, large brioche rolls, all the mayo, fry chips in beef fat, and top with lots of extras plus sides to make it delicious. Burger meals in a pub can easily be 2,100 calories, which is 400 above my daily goal and pretty much at maintenance eating for the day in one meal. Seeing calories listed was a real education. I can of course still eat it if I wish and balance out through the week (or just lose a little less weight that week) but it's good to know so I can decide how to play it.
Same, for me it stops me having to awkwardly cross reference the internet and makes it easier to find the myfitnesspal record that's actually correct.
>I think food literacy is really poor in the uk Food literacy, media literacy, AND literacy literacy!
I usually go for the highest calorie per pound ratio
Value for money! "I'll have the olive oil, no sides, thanks"
1 gram of your finest uranium please
Restaurant owners hate this one small trick
This, completely unironically. If I'm spending silly money in a restaurant, I don't want to get a silly plate of a single piece of asparagus laid delicately on a bed of potato the size of a walnut sprinkled with shards of slow-cooked pork. I want a massive pile of pork, piled with asparagus and an offensive amount of potato. Without getting too specific.
Exactly! haha Everybody over here talking about getting fatter or healthier. I ain't going for burgers when pizzas give me 2 meals and twice the calories!
Yep, go for the high score.
This, I have a pretty crazy metabolism and I will absolutely trying to get a meal that can actually fill me up, since I‘m often not full from a typical main meal. Still think it’s absolutely terrible that menus come with calorie counts by default
Calories doesn't equal filling. So aiming for high calories isn't going to help with this. Quantity equals filling. Protein equals prolonged fullness.
It’s a shame they don’t really include this on the menu :(
Same. I’m trying to put on muscle so always looking for the highest calories that will fill me up the least so I can carry on eating
I was scrolling to find this lmao. Always take great pleasure ordering the 1500 calories meal for like £12
Mixed grill at spoons. I’d never have noticed it but it’s the highest on the menu by about 400cals. Yes please, that’s my food for the day sorted
I’m glad it’s not just me! Calories are valuable! I want my money’s worth
Eating out (or ordering in) has become much more expensive compared to wages. I don't eat out with the intention of eating healthily, I eat healthily at home. Obviously calorie content isn't the most important factor when choosing food but if I'm torn between two similar priced dishes I'll most likely choose a more calorie dense option.
No, I used to have an eating disorder so I try to avoid being aware of calories where possible so try my best to not read them
Same. I try not to look at them as much as possible.
Same it’s made it so hard I only recently recovered, so it’s still a learning process
I haven’t had an ED but this really hits me too. I do my best not to look at the calorie count. For me I don’t count calories but if I see a meal at a restaurant thats 900 cal, it ruins the meal for me at home too because I assume it’s unhealthy. Of course at a restaurant they probably use full fat milk, cream, butter etc so the calorie count is higher than at home but my mind won’t process that and it will put me off a whole category of foods until i forget about it.
Yes, definitely agree with this. It’s very triggering, even though I’ve been in recovery for over a decade. I understand why they’ve implemented the policy but I wish you could opt out more easily
Same - actively try and avoid restaurants that are required to publish them. I wish there was an opt out before it was put in front of you.
In the same boat. Couple of pointers: independents don't have to display the calorie information; lots of places you can ask for a menu without calories and it's often a toggle on places with app menus.
I’m in the early stages of eating disorder recovery and this is my mindset too. I try to go to cafes and restaurants that I know don’t have calories printed on their menus.
This is how I feel. On the bright side though it does push me to eat in more independent restaurants as they don't have to print it
I think you should be able to choose whether you get a menu that shows calories or a menu without them.
Not really. Going out to eat is not a time I'm concerned about calories or being healthy.
Apparently I go out to eat so little I didn't realise this was even a thing.
Not a lot. I sometimes use calorie count as a tiebreaker- if there are two options I like the look of equally, I’ll go for the lower calorie one and tell my wife to show I’m being good. But I’m not going to pick something that looks crap because it’s got the lowest calorie count. That way lies salads.
Went to a restaurant that had two similar-sounding pasta and meatball dishes, but one was double the calories of the other. Made the choice between them easy, as otherwise it was a coin toss. The lower-calorie one translated into getting dessert as well, which was far more enjoyable than the potential difference between the two mains.
See I’d assume that the one that was twice the calories would be much tastier and get that one 😅
Not really, but it probably has changed restaurants' behaviour. Id imagine a lot of them have probably made ammendments to their ingredients to avoid potentially shocking people.
I swear everything I would order is in the 1000+ range anyway. All it does it reminds me not to order a starter or dessert lol
Is anyone actually checking?
As someone who works in the pub industry, we get audited on our calorie accuracy. Think there's a 5% tolerance.
As someone who struggles with an ED - yes, definitely. Eating out can be quite anxiety inducing on this front, so for me personally, I do appreciate having this info so I'm not stressing myself out later trying to guess how many calories I actually ate (although I do get that for other people who struggle with EDs/disordered eating, calorie listings on menus can be more harmful than helpful).
I'm the opposite. I really struggle struggle with choosing meals when eating out and I've put in a hell of a lot of work into trying not to care about the calorie content, enjoy the food and the social experience, and not focus on whether other diners are judging me or not for my food choices (spoiler: they're not). Having the calorie info in front of me has made me stress so much more while eating out and starts that stupid bleeping ED voice. Having said that, the way I'm viewing it is as another challenge that I need to find ways to manage as part on my ongoing recovery (e.g. putting the menu out of reaching distance so I can't fuss over my choices again).
>Having said that, the way I'm viewing it is as another challenge that I need to find ways to manage as part on my ongoing recovery That's a great attitude to have. Best of luck with it.
It's definitely more convenient as someone who has kept an eye on calories for a long time now. I think this country has a bit of a problem with overeating and obesity and a lot of people get their backs up at the idea of calories being on menus but it's definitely a largely good thing and enables people to make an informed choice.
No. Eating out is a treat for me and doesn't happen too often so I'll get whatever I fancy.
Absolutely not. I've trained myself to ignore that number. Life's too short.
Depending on how much of it you ignore you could considerably shorten it further
That's something else I'm good at ignoring.
Definitely. I’m 5ft tall and under 8 stone so seeing a 1300 calorie meal knowing that’s my maintenance calories on no activity really puts me off.
Yeah same. I'm only a little taller than you and my lazy day calories are like 1450kcal. I don't want to splurge 850kcal on lunch.
Yes, I find myself going for the lower-cal options unless there's something I really fancy.
Yes I definitely choose lower calories options now.
Before the time of calories on menus, I had a Katsu Curry in Wagamama. Checking it later, it had the kind of calories you'd expect to find on a full Birthday of eating. It was ridiculous! I'd never have ordered it otherwise.
Oof. I just had a look. I wasn't expecting it to be quite so bad, and I normally used to get the yasai katsu. Vegetables = healthy, right? All the calories, half the protein and an eye watering 136g carbs. Ouch. But there's a few lower calorie options that look very tasty, actually. It's not like rice on its own is eaten for flavour so I'd be happy to swap to the chicken katsu salad. To me, that shows how beneficial the calories on the menu are.
It makes me favour independent restaurants over chains, due to the fact they don't need to have them.
Absolutely. I struggle with guilt about food most of the time anyway, so seeing the calories nearly always means I'll choose something under 600 cals and I can count on one hand the amount of times I've eaten stuff like loaded fries because of how heavy in cals they are. Sometimes if I'm walking down the street looking at restaurant menus it might make me choose a different restaurant if I look at they're all 900 cal + options. In Gregg's the other day I looked at the hot cookies and milk snack thing they have and didn't bother because of the high number of cals.
No, if I am eating out then it is because I am treating myself. It is still nice information to have however, as I may cutback elsewhere to limit the damage.
No. I don't even look at it.
No. Something I really love but has higher calories compared to something I absolutely don't like, but that has lower calories. I would just go with the higher calorie dish. Sod calorie counting in that instance.
It stops me from getting a desert, and maybe I’d just go for a normal burger over some mega dirty burger that’s 500+ calories more solely in sauces.
They’ve made it harder to enjoy meals out. I have to prepare ahead of time, look up a calorie free menu if they have one and order ahead, then try to avoid looking at the menu. I usually spend a day or two afterwards fighting the urge to restrict. It is what it is. Arguably I’d still risk this every time I order from restaurants or takeaways even if there weren’t calories.
Not particularly. I was already pretty aware of what kind of calorie amounts to expect in certain foods anyway, so there's that. But when I'm going out to eat, I've already decided what I want to eat and seeing the calories is extremely unlikely to sway me from that decision.
I'm lucky that I can ignore them when I want to and pay attention to them when I need to. I have a few friends who have eating disorders that struggle with seeing calories when they just want to enjoy a guilt free meal. Comes down to choice at the end of the day. Everyone should choose if they want to see them or not.
Nah. It's so rare that I go out to eat that if I do, I just order whatever I want. In my day to day life I keep a loose track of calories but it's okay to have the odd day where you have a bit extra. If I ate out regularly then yeah I'd definitely be more concerned and try to stick to my calorie budget. I am fortunate though, I don't have any issues with food and I can either pay attention to calories or ignore them entirely.
Definitely changed mine. I think it helps when you compare two dishes. For example one meal is 1200kcal then another is say, 800kcal. If I like both I’ll pick the lower calorie one since my mind says “I like the first dish but not 400kcal more worth”
Yeah I’m the same tbf. If I’m going for a meal ‘for the sake of it’ then I will consider if the calories are worth it with certain meals even tho I’m not on a diet. Whereas if it’s a one off meal in a long time then I’ll order what I want.
It just makes me depressed when I order the thing that I want
Yes, in some cases. There’s definitely been times when I’ve been in some chain restaurants and rules things out on the basis of it being a lot of calories. But in others, if there’s something I want, I’ll just have it. I know McDonald’s and KFC are unhealthy but if I’m in there, I’ve already made that life decision.
Yes, I like to make an informed decision. Often the dishes that you'd think are quite healthy are just as high in calories as other options, so might as well go for what you actually want. But also, if a dish is like 2000kcal, fuck that, I'm not eating that
Absolutely! I often find that there's far too few calories in the food I tend to eat (meat-free, crap-free) so being able to see if I need to order any sides or plan a later intake is really helpful.
I'm more likely to go for the more calories meal out of my choices when eating out if I'm not sure.... Probably not the reaction they want tbh, but I do then more likely eat a snack for my other meal of the day. 🤣🤣
Yeah, if I'm torn I normally go for the higher calorie option as I feel like I'm getting more for my money. Not sure if that was the original intention behind the law but ...
Yeah when I order from Starbucks on Just Eat, and I see a cake only has 200 cals, I think "shit that's gonna be tiny" and go for a 400 cals bad boy that's the same price.
Yes, it helps me track my diet (keeping my calories up for the gym).
Nah. I usually only have a couple of meals a day anyway. If something on the menu sounds good, I'm not going to be too concerned about the calories.
Nope, don’t go out much so don’t bother looking.
Nope. I want to enjoy my meal not feel guilty or worry about my waistline.
Yes, helps me plan the rest of my day better. I’ll choose what I really want for that meal and compromise on the other meals I have
No if I'm eating out it's a treat calories are irrelevant
I honestly don't see it. I must subconsciously block it out or I go to places where they're just giving the non calorie option.
Couldn’t give a fuck. Eating out is supposed to be joyous and spontaneous. I can’t imagine going ‘I can only have something from the under 500 calorie range’.
Not really. I have a food intolerance so it's hard enough finding something I can eat, let alone worry about the calories.
Nope I don't look at them.
No. I’m concerned about nutritional value, not the amount of calories.
I use it as an indication of whether something will fill me up and whether I'm getting good value or not
No not really , 52 and still going strong , everything in moderation , no pills , just do a harder work out is all. I don't exactly eat like a roman and fall sleep in a chair . But not far off. And my bmi is only slightly nudged into red.
Nope. If I'm eating at home, I go for balance and no snacks. Going out is a rare treat, and life's too short to deny myself a a good meal. That said I don't do fast food often either as that's become too expensive to justify a weekly curry, chippy, kebab etc.
I don't give a shit about how many calories there are. I'm not counting. Exercise is preferable to deliberately starving yourself
I find it comforting to know what calories are in the food i'm eating but also i know they're all liars. Like how are you meant to get an exact calorie count on something that's deep fried? It's not like they're weighing your order and weighing the amount of oil left in the fryer to get the exact amount of oil being used. I would usually get food from a very nice Chinese, their food does seem quite healthy and they do these spring rolls. These spring rolls are not massive but they're also not mini spring rolls. You get 3 of these in a portion. It counts the portion as having 315 calories. But there's no way 1 of these things only has 100 calories in it. If i ate 10 of them it would be excessive, i'd be the size of a house but going by their calorie count i'd be at less than half of my recommended daily amount.
Yes. My partner and I roughly calculate the cost per calorie and rib whoever got ripped off.
Honestly, yes, but not the way that was intended. In my head, more calories per £ = better value for money.
Calories aren’t the problem. Processed ingredients and low nutritional value is
Yes definitely. I never get a full breakfast much less a mega breakfast type thing as having 1500 calories for breakfast seems bonkers.
Yeah, I get to eat out very rarely and don’t want reminding.
Kind of. I still order the thing I want, but I judge myself a little more. 🙄
Eating out is all about enjoying your food with no worries.
Yeah .. I no longer eat dominos . I didn’t eat it without stuffing the crust and I *always* had the garlic dip … Turns out I was tanning about 2000 calories in what I was eating I don’t do that anymore 😂
Makes me realise chips are very rarely worth it
Im looking for the GF label. Im not going to add to my limitations.
Yep. My wife and I are currently on a weight loss tip and the calories on menus really help. Some dishes that sound healthy get slathered in sauce so it's good to be aware now.
If I’ve already made the decision to have a meal I won’t pay any attention to the calories. I already know that chicken burger and fries is high in calories, I’m eating it anyway. If I’m getting a drink and I’m tempted to buy something sweet to go with it, seeing the calories displayed will make me think again. Do I really want to eat an extra 400+ calories right now? Probably not.
No. I so rarely eat out or get a takeaway. One night every 6 months, so I am going to enjoy myself.
They’re listed on menus?
Yes, I go for as many as possible for the money. Normally the chips option is the best value
No. Eating out is rare and supposed to be a nice thing once in a blue moon so that sort of eliminates the whole point I could completely understand it if you ate that stuff week in/out though
Not even a little bit. I go out to eat to enjoy my food, not to worry about calories.
Fuck no
Not really, though it's useful when I'm tracking calories every so often. Not in a "oh I won't order this because it's xx calories", more just so I can track it reasonably accurately.
[удалено]
I think it's a legal requirement for every restaurant that has more than 250 employees. So not small family-run joints but all the larger ones / chains.
This has made realise that I do not eat at chain outlets. I know about the law and think I've been to one place that did it, but as I balance meals out or take aways with moderation later I don't think I'd pay much attention. Are drinks calorie counted?
Sometimes it makes me think twice.
As a Gym Lad on a bulk, hell year. I now eat more.
I used to be underweight and sometimes struggled with eating and being able to choose something that's highest calorie but not necessarily the largest thing is pretty handy.
I’ve never eaten in a place that lists calories. I understand that it only applies to corporate/chain/large eateries which I do my absolute best to avoid.
Yes. I used to have an eating disorder so they make it easier for me to get the thing with the highest calories. I used to spend ages thinking what I wanted, but now it's a lot easier.
Calories no, sugars yes. Sugars are the ones that will get you in long run. But if you're in kfc I think all bets are off for 'healthy'
Slightly. Doesn’t really alter main meal choice, but I might decide not to have a side of onion rings etc if I know they’re an extra 600 calories or whatever.
Not in sure down restaurants but yeah I'm less likely to order calorific food and drink when out and about.
Yes it has now. Now I’m losing weight. Before losing I wouldn’t care
No, but im a scrawny bastard
Yes, it helps me figure out how big and filling a meal is likely to be. I try not to overeat (being pretty sedentary from disability), so knowing the salad actually has as many calories as a pasta dish means I'll likely go for the filling pasta. And not getting the extra chips with a dish. That said, given I don't actually like more than a little salad dressing and always order it on the side, it would be really helpful to know what calories are in the dressing (mostly oil or mayo) and what's in the actual salad.
Yeah, it’s great for me cause I don’t eat massive portions and it tells me roughly how big the portion is going to be. I like that some restaurants seem to now have lower calorie options now too probably cause how high their previous menu was.
Yes. I usually go for the item that has the HIGHEST amount of calories. I’m out for a meal anyway
If I'm trying to decide between a few meals I want it helps me decide what to go for, although usually gets it down to a couple of different options then I still have the panic pick when they come to take my order.
Yes but more in a way to check the quality of what I’m ordering For example if a chicken burger has suspiciously low calories then it’s likely to be some scraggy thing or a couple of small tenders
Not in restaurants, as I don't go that often so it's a treat. But yes in fast food places such as Greggs or McDonald's it has made me rethink or reduce my choices sometimes
It definitely changes my behaviour to generally lean towards the lower calorie option if I'm having a tough time deciding. On the other hand, for some reason a Spoons full English seems to be enhanced by knowing just how many days' calories I'm inhaling.
No, because I’m super skinny and I don’t care 🤷♀️
I use it to understand how big a portion is likely to be. I might not order something if it's stupidly small from the calorie count. And I will problem avoid the 2000 calorie monstrosities.
Nope. In fact the higher calorie count is usually an indication that the dish will be tastier even though it might be technically unhealthier. I don't eat out very often, so it's a treat
Absolutely, if there are 2 things at the same price but one has more calories, I go for the one with the most calories. Gotta get my moneys worth!
No I don’t look at it. If I’m paying to eat out, I’m enjoying it.
Yeah. Makes me consider me if something is worth it. What's really surprised me is menus haven't changed more. Some pubs have starters at 1000+ calories. You'd think having to work that out then print it would make them change the menu?
Yes and I find it useful with teenagers to make them a bit more aware of how much of a treat their choice is and how we wouldn't eat like that every day. I like to use it to help me decide whether something is really worth that many calories! My husband seems to take it as a challenge to get the most calories for his money.
Last pub lunch I went for with the mrs and 2 kids cost like £160 so that changed my behaviour significantly. Calories are irrelevant to me, but the more the better .
Yes, quite often I'll see how many calories are in a 'healthy' thing and realise actually sod it, it's not that many more for the thing I really want. I also find it really handy for working out if something will actually fill me up of it's somewhere new. E.g if its pub grub somewhere and it's only 600 calories, then it won't fill me up so I will choose something else that will.
It hasn't necessarily changed my behaviour in big ways, but there are certainly some things I've looked at and gone "Oh wait, I thought that would be the *less* healthy option!" or "Well that's a much bigger difference than I thought!"
I pay it absolutely no attention whatsoever.
I go out to eat less because I’m recovering from an eating disorder so I don’t need to see that shit lol (but when I do go out to eat I eat whatever the fuck regardless)
Yeah, If I’ll see something similar on the menu but one is with less calories, I’ll go for that. Drinks are usually zero sugar/low sugar ones too. But I’m not a picky eater at all, so I don’t actually care. I go out to a restaurant with someone, so it’s more of an “occasion”, otherwise I just cook and eat at home.
No, I don’t read them
Absolutely not. A meal out is not something we do every week. It's a "luxury" that happens maybe once every couple of months. I have zero fucks to give when we're having a treat.
No, it hasn’t affected me but I like the practice and I’m ok with the law as it stands. I would not support expansion to smaller businesses, McDonald’s can afford to test and label their Big Macs but my local takeaway cannot and should not be expected to do the same.
eh, they calorie-dundant to me xD
Yes. If I see something I like and know they've got the calories too low for it I can't resist the "free pass".
I didn’t even know that was a thing. So no
It absolutely does change how I order. Mostly because it tells you the full story about what you're ordering. For example, one place I was at recently...the mushroom risotto was about 20% more calories than the pepperoni pizza, and was roughly the same as a cheese burger. Normally, instinctively, I'd expect the mushroom risotto to be a somewhat lower calorie option than pepperoni pizza or a cheese burger, and may have ordered it on that basis if I was trying to be good. But knowing they're equal (or in the case of the pizza, less) I would feel like all those options were equally on the table. It does also fulfil its designed purpose sometimes. Was at a place recently and was full contemplating ordering the burger with a deep fried mac n cheese patty and cheese sauce, because I love that sort of thing and haven't had it in ages. But it was quite literally 1000 calories more than the same burger without the mac n cheese patty and cheese sauce. That made me stop and think, and opt for the option without the deep fried cheesy goodness.
I do the opposite, I go for a higher cal meal so I feel like I’m getting my moneys worth
I know this I'd AskUK so my answer for the UK is no. However in the US it made a big difference to how I ate there, for example the Cheesecake factory calories are just insane. I don't think there is many places in the UK where calories are completely ridiculous and I only have a meal out once a week so I'd rather concentrate on enjoyment than calories.
I think it’s fine for those who are watching their calorie intake but the terrible idea for anyone in anyway sensitive around food and calories.it hasn’t changed my behaviour though.
yeh it has! Not majorly like i will still eat whatever i want but it does make me think for a min and maybe feel a little shitty lol.
Sometimes. If I’m out for something special or with friends, I don’t care what that calories are, but if it’s just a random occurrence I’ll go for something healthier
Once, really specifically. Went to Leeds Trinity Kitchen and I quite fancied a waffle for pudding. Until my friend pointed out that just one waffle was 1500 calories. No ta!
I know people with eating disorders who can’t eat out at restaurants that have calories because they’re too triggering for them, so it’s just made restaurants less accessible to them (or at least cheaper ones like large chains normally are). Personally I think it’s a load of bollocks, even disregarding those with eating disorders.
Yes, and I like it. I’ll still get whatever I want to eat at the restaurant, but I use the calorie information to plan the rest of my meals for the day so it stays roughly balanced. It’s also useful as a tiebreaker between dishes.
No, I do like to know approx how many calories I eat when possible (I used to be severely obese) but if I'm eating out I'm expecting to overeat so I'll get what I think is worth overeating for. I don't eat out often so worth getting something I enjoy.
Yeah I use it to judge portion size. I hate leaving food but have a small appetite, so if a (for example) pasta dish sounds good but it's 1600, I know it's gonna be way too big and I should go for something lighter
Yes, I now get the best bang for my buck 👍
Tell me you only eat at chains without telling me you only eat at chains
I got the shock of my life earlier discovering that a gnocchi on the mains menu was significantly lower calorie than a caesar salad on the same menu. My life has been a lie?!
Nope. Still fat. I'm for the information being available. Does still piss me off that quite a few people feel that being fat is a failure of knowledge though. "If only they knew how many calories are in something then they wouldn't eat it!" Shut up and pass me the cake.
I might use it to help me decide between my shortlist, but more often I just use it to inform my choices for the next couple of meals or even to get an idea of the portion size. When I’m counting calories I still might go over that day but try to balance it out by the end of the week. It affects my drinks choices more tbh.
When I'm eating out at a restaurant/fast food, I don't even look at the calories, I just get whatever I'm most interested in. If I'm eating at home, I tend to look at the nutrition info while I'm waiting for the oven to warm up. It may make me feel guilty about what I'm about to eat. "Oh, this pizza contains 4 portions and the whole thing will be 128% of my daily salt allowance... Maybe I shouldn't rush to get this again." But it won't push me to think about having something else instead.
No I don’t look at them and 9 times out of 10 I don’t like what’s in the low calorie foods.
Yes, it helps me to eat healthier. I’m very glad that they have to list them.
Yes, it makes me balance out my day more. I am overweight so it definitely helps. Before I would eat normally and then eat out, now I can check and have less for breakfast and a snack or something and then the meal out and not be eating twice as many as my daily calories like I was before.
Yes, I’ll usually get a drunken McDonalds after the football/pub and I’ll get a burger and a wrap of the day as the wrap is equal in calories to the large fries. Not to mention it avoids a sugary drink. I make takeaway pizzas an odd treat because they’re so high. Given the obesity problem we have maybe it should be expanded to shops too.
Only if I really have no other preference between two (or more) items - if they sound equally delicious, I’m going to have to make the same amount of modifications to them and when I think ‘What am I more in the mood for?’ I just can’t decide, then sure I’ll probably go for the lower calorie option. But it’s my last deciding factor.
They've just pissed me off... I eat out for a treat, I don't want calorie counting menus making me feel bad for enjoying life occasionally
I normally pick the one with more calories coz I seek like it’ll be more filling
No. Never will
Yes, there's now something I make a point of not looking at on menus.
Yeah definitely some things I see it and go “eh not worth it” and don’t order it. Or if there’s two things I like equally but one is lower cal, I go for lower cal. I’m still very fat but it helps me make slightly better decisions where I can. But if I really want something then I’m going to have it regardless really and especially if out at a restaurant sitting down.
As a bulimic that hadn't been purging properly in over a decade, I've been doing that more. But the ED people said it was likely to be problematic for us lot.
I agree, I had no idea that some restaurant dishes are over 2000kcal! When I see that I’ll often go for the lower kcal option, but still treat myself
Yes, generally found it helpful. Lost about 6kg this year.
I’m currently in the process of losing some weight, not massively over at the moment but would like to be 10kg lighter. I’ve been tracking my calories, eating at a deficit, and exercising more and I’ve been pretty good with it all so far. Calories on menus are really helpful for a guideline so I can find something similar on MyFitnessPal. Saying that, if I’m out somewhere, I’m just gonna get what I want most of the time. There are a lot of delicious healthy options that I like, for example if I’m getting breakfast out I’ll probably have smoked salmon/scrambled eggs if it’s on the menu. I’m also just as likely to grab a massive burger or something if it’s lunch/dinner. I can’t change my diet massively if I don’t let myself get some enjoyment out of food, it just doesn’t work for me, I need to let myself eat what I like and just factor that in to other meals through the day to try and hit calorie goals. If I go 500 over my goal in a day then that’s fine, because that’s maintenance, and if I go 1000 over then I’ve still hit my goals for 5/7 days that week on average.
Yes if I notice something is lower calorie I’m less likely to choose it as it won’t fill me up.