As part of the restaurant menu labeling regulations the FDA requires restaurants to round calories on menus and menu boards and round the nutrients required in the written nutrition information. At On The Menu, we provide our clients with rounded data that is compliant with the FDA rounding rules. However, it may be helpful to understand the rounding rules. When it comes to rounding rules, one of the most common questions we get is, “Why is the data inaccurate when I apply the common rule to ... Full Article
20-Year Timeline of Nutrition and Menu Labeling
We are thrilled to announce that On The Menu is celebrating 20 years of business. For fun, we'd like to take you down memory lane and cover twenty years of nutrition and menu labeling. That takes us back to 2004. You'll find a timeline for nutrition labeling and one for menu labeling. What a ride it's been! 20 Years of Nutrition Labeling 2004: The Nutrition Facts label was still in its original form, first established in 1990 with the passing of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act ... Full Article
Calorie Rounding Rules on Menus
Restaurant nutrition labeling requires rounding calories on menus and menu boards. The calorie information we present to our clients takes care of this rounding, so no further action is required. However, on occasion, a client will request unrounded nutrition data. If you're working with raw data that requires rounding, then per 21 CFR 101.11(b)(2)(i)(A)(2), the below rules apply. Number of calories in a standard menu itemRound toFewer than 5 calories0 or 5 calories5-50 caloriesNearest ... 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
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
