Restaurant Food

The anti-menu labeling bill, the so-called Common Sense Nutrition Disclosure Act (S.261/HR.772), is neither common sense nor provides more nutrition information. The industry-backed bill would make it harder for customers to understand and obtain calorie and other nutrition information at many restaurants and similar food establishments.

Soda and other sugary drinks are leading promoters of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the largest source of calories in children’s diets and provide nearly half of their added sugar intake. Drinking just one sugary drink every day increases a child’s odds of becoming obese by 60 percent. With one in three children overweight or obese in the U.S., it no longer makes sense to include sugary beverages as part of meals for young children.

Many of the largest restaurant chains have revamped their kids menus in recent years by removing soda and other sugary beverages to help make healthier choices easier for parents. But Arby’s, one of the largest fast-food chains in the country, has added soda back onto their kids menu and removed its offerings of fresh apple slices. This is a move in the wrong direction. Take action now to urge Arby’s to do better by kids.

Chili’s is the “winner” of the first-ever Lifetime Achievement award at the MilliGrammys—awards recognizing ridiculous amounts of sodium in restaurant meals. Most of us should limit ourselves to about 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily. But some meals at Chili’s, like its Crispy Fiery Pepper Crispers—with 6,240 milligrams— double or almost triple that amount. Contact Chili’s President Wyman T. Roberts and ask him to support sodium reduction!