Posted: Jun 11, 2021 / 5:52 pm EDTUpdated: 6/11/2021 / 5:52 PM EDT
CONSUMER REPORTS – In many ways, the days of paper take-out menus are over. Ordering dinner is now as easy as using an app on your smartphone. Sometimes when you’re busy and hungry, the results can mean an unhealthy meal when ordering takeout.
Nutritional information and calories can help you choose healthy options. The Food and Drug Administration requires restaurants with 20 or more locations to post calorie counts for standard dishes on the menu, both in the restaurant and online.
However, the same nutritional information isn’t always carried over from the chain’s website to the menus on third-party websites like DoorDash, UberEats, and Grubhub.
“The FDA’s menu rule helps consumers make more nutritious choices while eating out, but when online ordering and the use of third-party delivery apps exploded during the pandemic, that information is suddenly no longer as easy for consumers to find. Said Catherine Roberts of Consumer Reports.
Uber and Doordash both told CR that they are giving restaurants control over their menu and nutritional information in their respective apps. Grubhub says it is actively working on innovative new ways to help consumers make informed choices.
Consumer Reports nutritionist Amy Keating says it’s possible to place a healthy take-away order even if a calorie count isn’t available.
“Skip drinks like soda that add extra calories, not nutrients, and look for products that contain vegetables, whole grains, or beans. And because restaurant portions are often oversized, plan to share them with a family member or pack half of them to eat another day, ”Keating said.
