My husband and I have been spending a lot of time in our car over the past few weekends as we have been driving around looking for a house to buy. This time-consuming process of checking out neighborhoods and areas in a city that is rather unfamiliar (when it comes to buying a home) can lead to a few extra meals out. One of those "on the go" meals led us to dine at a fast-food restaurant chain here in Oregon called Burgerville. It has made it's stamp as more of a "gourmet" fast-food burger joint, purchasing many of their products from local farmers and businesses in the area.
We each ordered a typical meal consisting of a burger, fries and drink. I looked forward to every bite as we had sufficiently let ourselves get hungry. As I checked the contents of our bag, I pulled out the receipt and was surprised to see more than just a monetary total listed on it. Our receipt had the nutritional values of each item we ordered on it!
My first reaction was to the caloric and fat totals. There were far more calories and fat grams than I would normally eat in a single meal... the thrill of each bite diminished slightly. Then... I reminded myself that I don't eat like this everyday. It's ok to enjoy such things in moderation.
My next reaction was one of excitement that the nutrition facts are at the fingertips of consumers! Awareness of one's choices is the first step towards healthier decisions in the future. Having the numbers stare back at me from my receipt made me think twice about my portion control and about how often I should be eating a meal like that... not in an obsessive way, but in a way that educates me about what I want to be putting in my body. Have you seen other restaurants take this approach when it comes to publishing their nutrition facts?
On that note, check out this article on healthier fast-food places to dine. One of the criteria to make the list is precisely this. You'll be shocked at number 8!
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