Recent legislation has passed requiring the restaurant industry to provide nutritional information about their menu items. The new bill will require California restaurants with 20 or more locations to provide brochures with nutritional information by July 1, 2009. In addition by January 1, 2011, restaurants will need to post calories on their menus and menu boards for patrons to view. This legislation requirement is actually a positive step for both customers and restaurant owners.
By providing nutritional information for their menu items, restaurants will allow customers to make informed, healthy choices about the foods they consume. The Federal Nutrition Labeling and Education Act has required mandatory labeling of all packaged goods sold in the USA and intended for purchase by consumers for years. Studies have shown that almost 50% of adult consumers report that they do look at nutrition labels to compare fat, carbohydrate, salt and sugar amounts. Often this will cause the consumer to change their food purchasing habits opting for a healthier choice even if it costs more money. Nutrition labeling in restaurants will provide customers with the same opportunity and responsibility to choose what they wish to eat. Americans are estimated to be spending an average of 50% of their food budget eating out each week. Many consumers eat out an average of two times a week at fast food establishments. Most of these patrons significantly underestimate the calories in fast food and sit down restaurants as portion sizes have increased in the United States. Studies have shown that consumers make healthier food choices in markets by comparing food labels. Therefore, the intention is to provide nutritional data for menu items so that patrons will make healthier lifestyle choices as they review the caloric and nutritional information.
California restaurants will be required to provide calorie and nutritional fact information on their menus. The law was passed on the grounds that the government is able to pass laws protecting the public’s health and safety. This includes disclosing factual information which is where this legislation falls. Healthy choices consumers make are now filtering into the eating out category. As an overweight society, knowing what and how much we consume is one step towards a healthier lifestyle. Losing pounds, eating healthier and becoming more active all contribute to a decrease in serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
This law will help chefs understand the nutritional impact of their dishes and therefore enable them to become more competitive in creating healthful and delicious foods. Nutritional information on menus will provide restaurants the opportunity to have their recipes analyzed by an outside nutritional analysis company. In turn the nutritional reports and analyses restaurants receive will allow them to offer menu items with reduced calories, carbohydrates, saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium. Reports prepared by a nutritional analysis company will also provide restaurants with information to determine if their dishes meet FDA guidelines to include additional labeling of “low fat”, “sugar free”, “high in fiber” etc. Perceptive restaurants are jumping ahead to provide nutritious, delicious menu items their customers demand by including the nutrition facts label on the menu early and avoiding the last minute scramble to meet this new legislation.
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Traveling brings with it many different and difficult circumstances. There is a new language, that proves to be a difficult barrier to many and there is a totally new culture. Working through these disadvantages for a tourist can be pretty challenging but rewarding when done. One of the toughest things a tourist has to work through is…food! If you are from the United States, you are going to have a much different perspective on what tastes good then say the European restaurant you are at! There are a few tricks of the trade to finding good restaurants abroad- you just need to be aware of them!
Here is a quick man’s guide to finding a great restaurant in an area where you don’t know the language or the culture!
Ask a local person! This is the most basic of suggestions but is often the most effective. Most local people would be glad to assist you with finding a quality restaurant. If you can, find a local who speaks your language at least a little bit and they should be able to comprehend what you are looking for! Locals know the good restaurants, the poor restaurants and the ones that will make you sick!
Look for popularity! Now this tip doesn’t take a lot of time or a lot of knowledge, just observation! If you are in a city where there are streets full of restaurants and shops, just merely see which ones have the longest lines when dinner time rolls around! Chances are the restaurant with the longest line is going to have at least half way decent food!
Research your area! The internet has opened up many different options when it comes to researching a specific area for restaurants. Not only can you find out how far the restaurant is from your hotel or accommodation, but you can find reviews from other people who have eaten there! Yahoo! and Google offer some of the best restaurant guides online for your convenience; so if you’re looking at a specific area, look on the internet first! Another form of researching is asking your travel agent. Often your agent will have at least a good sense of the restaurants in the area, if not first hand experience!
Finding the best restaurant for you when you are abroad doesn’t have to be impossible or stressful for your vacation- make it a fun part of the excitement that international traveling brings along with it! Follow the tips above to get the restaurant that has your tastes and preferences in mind!
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Cancun Hotel Reviews
Cancun is a coastal area with white sand beaches and popularly known as the Mayan Gold Coast. Cancun is a Mexican city located in the state of Quintana Roo. Encircled by Caribbean Sea, Isla Mujeras and the Bojorquez lagoons, the city carries the reputation of the famous tourist destination and modern beachfront hotels. Climate in Cancun is warm throughout the year but with some strange and startling facts were you can see the sunshine on one side and rainfall on other side. You can experience showers and rainbow throughout the year.
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As celiac disease, or the inability to digest the protein gluten, has become an increasing problem many people have had to change their lifestyles and diets.
As more and more people are required to eat gluten free foods, a need for gluten free restaurants has become evident. It is hard to keep up with eating tasty, healthy, gluten free food recipes all the time at home and those who can’t eat gluten, like to eat out just as much as anyone else.
“The Essential Gluten Free Restaurant Guide”
If you are looking for more information about gluten free restaurants you could look for a book named “The Essential Gluten Free Restaurant Guide.” This is a great guide that contains four hundred pages that list all of the best gluten free restaurants in a directory that is simple to use.
This guide also lists all of the items on the menus of 800 chain restaurants that are gluten free. This is certainly best option for you to find out where to eat out when you want to eat gluten free food.
This book will let you see the gluten free restaurants that are located in your state and can come in especially handy when you plan on traveling, or want to eat out when out on a business trip, or even wish to go out with your friends and family. With all the different gluten free restaurants listed, you should be able to know beforehand where you are going to get gluten free food wherever you may be in the United States.
Using this gluten free restaurants guide, you can easily find out where gluten-free menus are available and whether the restaurants are providing gluten-free specialty dishes. It will also tell you whether the establishment has hundred percent gluten-free menus, and if you want to eat at a chain restaurant, the guide will show you which of these serve up gluten-free food.
Furthermore, you can also find out the estimated cost of your meal at these gluten free restaurants which can start from fifteen dollars and go up to twenty-five dollars and more.
Another thing that the guide book will help you with is letting you research the restaurant and know whether it is buffet style place, a sandwich shop, or a restaurant to get an evening dinner. The guide also keeps up on local food sanitation regulations and lists restaurants where there is risk of food contamination. Since restaurant businesses of open, close and change suddenly you should call ahead and enquire if the restaurant is still serving gluten-free food and ask whether the gluten-free specialty food is in stock or not.
Once you enter the gluten free restaurant, you should meet the host/hostess and introduce yourself and tell him or her about your special requirements and enquire about the gluten-free menu. Finally confirm that they have understood your diet needs and can provide you with a suitable gluten-free meal.
It may seem embarrassing to make your condition known to everyone, remember that you are simply taking active steps to ensure your health. There is certainly nothing embarrassing about that.
Being cautious is recommended as it can save you from health problems and will also get you a delicious as well as a safe gluten-free dining experience.
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We all know there are great restaurants in France but where are they? What is the food like? Travel guides are nice and they offer some advice, but these restaurants aren’t reviewed by gourmets and certainly don’t tell you where they are. Well never fear, Gourmandia.com is here!
Gourmandia.com is your resource for the gourmet life style. From dishes, to the worlds restaurants, to little things like napkin folding that add an extra flare to your food, gourmandia.com is where the world gourmands go to get advice, share recipes, and network with other like-minded people.
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Ocean City offers a wide variety of dining choices. My favorite restaurant is the Marina Deck located at 306 Dorchester Street. Try their cream of crab soup for a taste of true Maryland cuisine, or select from any of their seafood dishes, everything is very good. As with any restaurant, house specialties are always the best so don’t go to a seafood restaurant expecting great ribs. Marina Deck is a must visit while in Ocean City.
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SO YOU WANT A CAREER AS A RESTAURANT MANAGER?
Even if you’re currently a restaurant’s resident dishwasher, it is still very possible for you to climb the ladder to the very top with hard work, persistence and the right set of skills. A lot of restaurant operators seek people who already have ample experience in nearly all restaurant duties, so if you’ve been rotating on different tasks for the past months or years, you already have one foot in the door.
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Restaurant managers work in some of the most glamorous, exciting environments you can imagine. From luxury resorts in exotic locations to high-powered conference centers to the hottest restaurants, hotel and restaurant managers are working behind the scenes to ensure the excellence of their establishment. If you are looking for a challenging, rewarding career and enjoy working with people, hotel or restaurant management could be right for you. The more people travel, the greater the need for Hotel/Restaurant Managers. As operations become more complex, employers are putting more emphasis on specialized training. The Penn Foster Hotel/Restaurant Manager program can give you a real advantage over others. As a Hotel/Restaurant Managers you can work in restaurants, bed and breakfasts, or even manage franchises for major hotel chains. You might be assigned to organize a newly built or purchased facility, or to reorganize an existing one. Managers determine room rates, oversee restaurant operations, and supervise the staff.
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