Your restaurant menu may dictate the need to display more than one calorie option for a menu item. This rule applies to variable menu items with more than one choice. Examples include a sandwich with a choice of grilled or crispy chicken or a cheeseburger with multiple sides. These situations require the calories for the different options to be given either individually or in a low- to the high-calorie range. The question is, do you use a slash or a dash to display the calorie options? Use a ... Full Article
Calories on Beverages with Ice
Do you include ice when determining calories on beverages? Usually not, but it depends. Whencalculating calories for self-service drinks, ice is not added. Since the customer is dispensing thebeverage, they may opt to fill their cup without ice. How about drinks dispensed by staff at the back of the house? Ice can be included in calorie counts if it is restaurant protocol to add ice, and there are the means to dispense equal amounts of ice each time. This is usually accomplished with an ice ... Full Article
New FDA Sodium Guidelines for the Food Industry
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stepped in with new, voluntary sodium guidelines to reduce rates of preventable sodium-related chronic diseases. The FDA urges restaurants and food manufacturers to cut the salt in their products to reduce sodium by 12 percent over the next two and a half years. Salt contains sodium, which is necessary for the body to work correctly. Sodium helps to keep fluids balanced and muscles and nerves working properly. Unfortunately, too much sodium can lead ... Full Article
Labeling Laws for Temporary Menu Items
'Tis the season that we're seeing limited time only (LTO) foods added to menus. At the beginning of fall, it's pumpkin, spice, and everything nice. Are you unsure what the labeling laws are for these seasonal, LTO menu items? The FDA has made it very clear and concise, temporary menu items are exempt from menu labeling. According to the FDA (21 CFR 101.11(a)), a temporary menu item means a food that appears on a menu or menu board for less than a total of 60 days per calendar year. The 60 ... Full Article
Alcoholic Beverages Exempt from Menu Labeling
Restaurants and similar food establishments covered under the FDA menu labeling legislation are required to post calories on their menus. Alcoholic beverages listed on a menu must also declare calories. However, there are some exemptions to keep in mind. Alcoholic drinks offered by your establishment but not listed on a menu, such as bottles of alcohol on display that are not self-serve and used for rail or mixed drinks, are exempt from menu labeling. For example, if a customer orders a gin ... Full Article
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