Before you head out to your favorite restaurant, it is always a good idea to check the menu ahead of time. This can help make you more aware of what you are eating, choose the healthiest options, and keep you within your daily goals.
The menu labeling law, which came in to affect in mid-2018 states that all food establishments with 20 locations or more are required to list the calorie information next to each menu item on their menu boards.
The list below includes all food establishments that are under the menu calorie count ruling:
-Chain restaurants
-Chain coffee shops
-Bakeries
-Ice cream shops
-Self-service food locations, such as buffets and salad bars
-Movie theaters
-Amusement parks
-Grocery/convenience stores
The only exceptions to this particular rule (also pulled directly from the FDA website) are:
-Foods sold at deli counters and typically intended for further preparation
-Foods purchased in bulk in grocery stores, such as loaves of bread from the bakery section
-Bottles of liquor displayed behind a bar
-Food in transportation vehicles, such as food trucks, airplanes, and trains
-Food on menus in elementary, middle, and high schools that are part of U.S. -Department of Agriculture’s National School Lunch Program
-Restaurants and other establishments that are not part of a chain of 20 or more