Restaurants Must Post Calories, Judge Affirms | Talk Bronx New York

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Read about New York City’s legislation regarding nutrition facts from a New Yorker’s perspective.

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Even though I try to bring you nutrition information about restaurant menus, I think it’s important to talk about making good, health-conscious decisions. Leo at Zen Habits has a good article detailing 12 steps that we can follow to eat healthier food and have a higher quality of life.

A 12-Step Program to Eating Healthier Than Ever Before | Zen Habits

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On Monday, a New York court upheld the decision in New York State Restaurant Ass’n v. New York City Board of Health, 2008 WL 1752455 (S.D.N.Y.). The City of New York passed a regulation requiring all restaurants with more than 15 locations nationally to post nutritional information for their menu items.

Obviously, the New York State Restaurant Association filed an appeal. Their appeal was denied and the original decision was upheld. Rebecca Tushnet, a Georgetown Law professor has legal analysis of the decision over on her blog: http://tushnet.blogspot.com/2008/04/nyc-calorie-disclosure-regulation.html.

Now, I’m not a lawyer, but I think it’s just a matter of time before more cities or states pass similar legislation. As we’ve seen in the past, what happens in New York, Florida, or California sets a precedent for the rest of the country. I think this is a good thing for consumers. Obviously, consumers need to take some responsibility for their health, but it’s easier to take responsibility when the information is available.

The one drawback I see to this, is that food prices at restaurants and fast-food places are likely to go up. Food prices at the grocery store are already high (how come no one complains about the price of milk?), and I expect that restaurant prices will follow suit. Now, restaurant chains have “justification” for changing their prices, since they will have to change their menus and signage.

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Since Chipotle has decided to not provide nutrition facts on their website, an enterprising Chipotle fan has done their work for them- by making nutrition facts on the web. Visit Chipotle Fan to use the nutrition facts calculator to figure out just how many calories are in the Burrito Bol with Rice, Black Beans, Barbacoa, Cheese, Sour Cream, and Corn Salsa… 790 calories, according to Chipotle Fan.

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