http://www.chipotlefan.com/index.php?id=nutrition_calculatora calulator for tallying how much calories from chipolte:
The tortillia is 300 cal by itself.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/what-to-eat-instead-fast-foodJust have a cooler in the car and fill it with healthy items for each different memeber of the family: water, chocolate milk, apple slices, pretzals, crackers, fruit, nuts, etc...
Buy convince food at the grocery: canned, bagged, frozen, pre-cut, or pre-washed.
13 meals you can make at home
Little dippers
Speedy side dishes
Frozen to table main dishes
quick chicken dinner
quick baked potato
black bean soup
veggie soup
super salads
Pasta pronto
cook big, freeze small
omelets
cereal
http://www.webmd.com/diet/guide/fast-food-alternatives?page=3t's late, your kids are hungry, and you don't have time to cook. Put down the phone and pass up the drive-through. You can rustle up a number of fast-food alternatives in minutes.
Not only can you put together a faster, healthier meal -- with fewer calories and less fat and sodium -- but you can save money, too.
"Americans spend nearly half their food dollars on food prepared away from home, but that only accounts for about 21% of the meals they eat," says Joanne Lichten, PhD, RD, author of How to Stay Healthy & Fit on the Road.
Here are tips to show you how -- whether you're at home or on the road.
Healthy Fast Food: For the Road
When you want an alternative to the fast-food joints calling your name, think cool: an insulated cooler, that is. Then stock it with:
* Water, low-fat milk, or 100% juice. But beware of the calories in drinks other than water, says Lichten.Take that cooled milk and douse it over whole-grain cereals that come in their own single-serve cups. A great snack or part of a meal when you're in transit.
* Low-fat cheese sticks to go with rolls and fruit.
* Tubes or cartons of yogurt.
* Cut veggies or washed baby carrots and cherry tomatoes. Add a container of low-fat dip.
* Sliced bananas, apples, grapes and pears.
Other single portion items for portable feasts include:
* Peanut butter in a tube or a small tub to go with crackers or bread sticks.
* Single-serve cans of tuna with easy-open tops and crackers.
* Cans or cups of fruit packed in their own juice.
* Dehydrated bean soups (get hot water at a roadside rest stop).
"Always have fruit and vegetables along for the ride," Lichten recommends. "They are the foods we miss out on when traveling."
Trail mix made from dried fruits, nuts, seeds, pretzels, or cereal with a few chocolate chips thrown in for good measure makes a satisfying snack, adds Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.
And in a pinch -- when you're on the road with children and didn't plan ahead -- pull into the supermarket instead of the fast-food drive-in. You can pick up fresh fruit, cheese, and bread for a satisfying meal to go.
Healthy Fast Food: At Home
Stock Your Cabinets With Fast, Nutritious Food
Planning helps you pull your own fast-food act together. Get out the calendar and figure out your food needs for the week ahead. Make a quick list. Now it's time to shop. Consider stocking:
* Whole-grain breads and cereals, pasta, and prepared pizza crust.
* Milk, reduced-fat shredded cheese, eggs, canned tuna, canned beans, peanut butter, lean ground beef patties, chicken, and meatballs.
* Fresh, frozen, or no-added-salt canned vegetables; fresh and dried fruit; and fruit canned in juice.
* Quick-cooking grains such as 10-minute brown rice and whole-wheat couscous.
* Cartons of 100% orange juice, milk, applesauce, peanut butter, and yogurt in your fridge and cabinets. These work great for road trips, too.
Just a couple of hours spent cooking main courses one or two weekends a month works wonders for whipping up fast and healthy food on hectic weeknights. Tips to try:
* Let your slow cooker save you time. Throw the ingredients for chili or beef stew in and turn to other activities.
* Roast a chicken or turkey. This frees you up to concentrate on projects around the house, too.
* Put together a pan or two of lasagna.
* Make double batches of anything you cook, and freeze half.
Super Sandwich Suppers
Sandwiches can help you get supper on the table super fast. For tasty fast-food alternatives, try:
* Pre-formed lean beef burger patties or veggie burgers. Serve on whole-grain buns. Pair with cooked frozen carrots and peas; fruit; and milk.
* Barbecue pulled pork served on whole grain buns with corn and fruit on the side.
* Tuna melts with reduced-fat cheese on whole-wheat bread, and salad.
* Quesadillas made with low-fat cheese, fat-free refried beans, and leftover chicken served with a green salad.
Breakfast for Dinner
"Eggs are the basis of several quick and nutritious dinners," Neville says. For example, try:
* Scrambled eggs served in whole-wheat pita pockets with salsa and low-fat grated cheese; salad; milk or 100% juice, such as orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
* Whole-grain French toast, applesauce for dipping, and milk.
* Omelets made with leftover cooked vegetables and served with whole-grain rolls, fruit and milk.
* Hard cook a half dozen eggs. Toss them in salads, or use them for grab-and-go snacks or lunch.
Healthy Fast Food: Half-Way Homemade
Supermarkets can save the day when you want fast food and great nutrition. Think of these quick grab-and-go meals as half-way homemade:
* (Practically) No-Cook Chicken Dinner. Pick up two cooked rotisserie chickens (the extra is for meals to come); precut broccoli florets in the produce section or frozen "steamer" vegetable combos from the freezer case, and crusty whole-grain bread from the bakery department. Serve with canned pineapple or Mandarin oranges.
* The Salad Bar. Let your kids loose on the supermarket salad bar for a great fast-food alternative. Be sure they include a protein source, such as tuna, beans, eggs, cottage cheese, tofu, or cheese; dark leafy greens; and fruit. Keep dressings and toppings to a minimum. Buy whole-grain rolls to serve with the salad at home. You can also pick up shrimp cocktail or sushi, too.
* Fast and Health Stir-Fry. Combine frozen Asian vegetable stir-fry mix, leftover rotisserie chicken, precooked chicken from meat case, tofu, or shrimp and serve over quick-cooking brown rice.
* 20-Minute Pizza. Neville favors whole-wheat Boboli-type crusts, spaghetti sauce or prepared pesto sauce, and part-skim mozzarella cheese and veggies from supermarket salad bars for concocting a quick pizza. You can also use whole-wheat English muffins, tortillas, or pita bread for crust, she says.
* Soup-er Star Main Courses. Start with lower-sodium canned soup and add frozen diced vegetables, cooked macaroni or quick-cooking brown rice, and leftover diced cooked chicken or turkey or beans. Serve with fruit or salad and low-fat milk.
Several soups, such as tomato, lentil, and split pea, double as a serving of vegetables from the food pyramid, Neville notes. Prepare tomato soup with low-fat milk for extra calcium and vitamin D as well as a serving of dairy.
These ideas are just a few healthy alternatives to fast food. Next time you're at the supermarket, shop with an eye toward fast and nutritious and you're bound to come up with great ideas of your own.
Remember, says Neville: "In the time it takes to wait for take-out pizza or Chinese food you could put together a much healthier meal."
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56598With their ability to provide good-tasting, inexpensive meals in a hurry, fast-food restaurants have changed the eating habits of millions of Americans. Now there's something new on their menus: lower-fat and lower-calorie salads, sandwiches, and desserts that are both tasty and nutritious.
Wendy's has Garden Sensations salads, McDonald's has Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait, Burger King has a Veggie Burger, and Arby's has a Light Menu. Every month seems to bring an announcement of something new. Among the latest: Premium Salads with Newman's Own dressings at McDonald's.
Healthy fast food isn't a new idea. Several chains have long offered salads. McDonald's even introduced a McLean burger in the early 90s, but it didn't catch on. But nutritious fare now seems to be a trend, driven by hopes of greater profits, according to industry observers.
Chains hope that by targeting the growing number of health-conscious consumers -- namely, women -- they can bolster sluggish sales, says market analyst Walter Butkus, a partner in the firm Restaurant Research.
That said, he says that the chains aren't about to change their core menu of burgers and fries, and will continue to focus on their main customer base: men ages 18 to 24.
"They're not so worried about their health," Butkus says of this group. "They want cheaper eats that taste good and that they can get on the go."
But competition for those customers is stiff.
"The fast food business has matured," Butkus tells WebMD. "There's not much growth in sales or additional units, so they're offering add-on products like salads to appeal to women and people a bit older."
But just how healthy are these new offerings, coming from restaurants renowned for juicy burgers and deep-fried potatoes?
Jayne Hurley, a senior nutritionist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest who wrote a recent CSPI report on the best and worst fast foods, was pleased to find some truly healthy fast food. Her top picks are McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait, Burger King's BK Veggie Burger and Chicken Whopper Jr., and Wendy's Garden Sensations salads.
"I never thought you'd find luscious strawberries and blueberries layered with low-fat yogurt and granola at McDonald's"
Here's her analysis of those dishes:
* McDonald's Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait (380 calories, 5 fat grams, just 2 of which are saturated fat). "In my wildest dreams, I never thought you'd find luscious strawberries and blueberries layered with low-fat yogurt and granola at McDonald's," she says. "As opposed to some foods that just have an absence of bad, this has a lot of things that are good for you, and it's delicious as well." She cites the calcium in yogurt, the fiber and nutrients in fruit, and fiber in granola. Order the smaller snack size, and you cut the calories in half.
* Burger King's BK Veggie Burger (330 calories, 13 fat grams, 2 of which are saturated fat). "It's the first time a major burger chain put a meatless sandwich on the menu," she says. "They deserve an enormous amount of credit for taking that step. Personally, I don't think it's the best-tasting veggie burger that's come down the pike, but once you put it between a bun with lettuce, tomato and all the other fixings, it's fine."
* Burger King Chicken Whopper Jr. (370 calories, 23 fat grams, 3 of which are saturated fat). Hurley commends the sandwich for its true grilled flavor but cautions against ordering the full-sized version, which packs 580 calories.
* Wendy's Garden Sensations (calories and fat vary). "Prior to these salads, fast food salads were iceberg lettuce with cheese on top," Hurley says. "Now Wendy's offers a base of dark leafy greens topped with interesting, high-end salad ingredients that make them more tempting."
Hurley also gives high marks to Subway, which, strictly speaking, is in the "quick casual" rather than fast-food restaurant category. She praises Subway for pioneering and promoting healthy, delicious sandwiches with fewer than 6 grams of fat.
Eating out used to be an occasional thing, but today Americans consume about one-third of their total calories in restaurants, says Margo Wootan, DSc, CSPI's nutrition policy director.
"Both adults and children eat about twice as many calories out compared to eating at home," she says. "And they eat more saturated fat, and less calcium, fiber, fruits and vegetables."
She says that healthy fast-food choices often are not obvious, and that consumers need information in order to make good decisions. "One of the policies we're working on is to get the chains -- both (sit-down) restaurants and fast food -- to list calories on their menus or menu boards," she tells WebMD.
Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, WebMD Weight Loss Clinic Dietitian and American Dietetic Association spokesperson, advises limiting visits to fast-food restaurants to a few times a week. "All foods fit, including an occasional burger and fries," she says. "You just can't be living there. Most of the time, try to fill up on salads or grilled chicken." Given the epidemic of obesity among children, Zelman advises parents to request healthy substitutions for kids' meals, like a small salad instead of fries. "You might have to pay a little more, but you don't have to get the standard kid meal," she says.
And by all means, the nutrition experts say, stay away from the chains' "value pricing" promotions, which offer huge portions for a few cents more than regular portions.
"Who doesn't like a bargain?" Hurley asks. "But once it's on your tray, it will probably make it to your mouth."
Future Fare
Of course, this latest healthy fast-food trend could end up going the way of the McLean burger, but industry observers say there are some promising signs.
"Garden Sensations probably accounted for 10 percent of Wendy's sales when it first rolled out early in 2002," Butkus says. "That could have been a honeymoon period, but everybody would like to have an extra 10 percent of sales. If this trend is successful, the chains will roll out more products, promote more chicken products and look for ways to make kids' meals healthier."
And there have been other developments, including:
* In England, McDonald's offers a bag of apples and grapes to customers. The fruit can be purchased separately or substituted for French fries in Happy Meals.
* McDonald's is testing all-white meat Chicken McNuggets.
* Kentucky Fried Chicken will introduce more non-fried products.
* Jack in the Box plans to open an "Innovation Center" in 2004 to develop lighter products to attract more female customers.
* Fast-food chains are paying attention to the appeal of "quick casual" restaurants like Panera Bread, Cosi, and Au Bon Pain, that serve fresh, non-fried foods. Butkus says the fast-food chains might borrow menu ideas.
* CSPI, noting the dangerous increase in obesity among children, is pushing the chains to stop targeting children with ads for unhealthy foods. "We'd like for them to be good corporate citizens," Wootan says, "but if not, we'd like the government to step in and limit the advertising to children of foods that are low in nutrition and high in calories, saturated fat and sugar."
One sure way to know what you're getting at the fast-food counter, nutrition experts say, is to consult the restaurant's nutrition guide. A little knowledge can help you plan your menu selections before you succumb to those yummy-smelling French fries.
These guides, provided by several fast-food chains, contain so much information that they can be daunting. But remember that you don't have to weigh every single value. Zelman advises making choices based on the number of calories and amount of fat. Simply seeing the difference between a Big Mac and a regular hamburger -- 590 vs. 280 calories, and 34 vs. 10 grams of fat -- might tip the scale when you go to place your order. And don't forget, you can ask for nutrition guides at the restaurants you visit, or find them online.
McDonald’s is all over this year’s Olympic games, despite the fact that I guarentee you that no athlete is eating anything from the fast food giant. I have friend’s who are serious athletes nowhere near the level of the Olympians and their diet is so specific it sometimes scares me. Nonetheless, the millions upon millions of folks watching these athletes compete are being told to make their way to the golden arches. It is on that note that we at TakePart give you the Top 5 Organic Fast Food Alternatives.
Because let’s be honest, athlete or no athlete, sometimes we’re in a hurry and we still need to eat. Let me know if I’ve missed any and takepart to learn how you can support a film that is working to explore the ins and outs of organic food.
http://www.takepart.com/blog/2008/08/12/top-5-organic-fast-food-alternatives/Top 5 fast-food alternatives
1) Whole Foods Organic To Go Meals:
Whole Foods is always a great alternative to greasy burgers and fries. They’ve almost all got amazing salad bars, cold bars, hot bars and even a pizza bar for when you’re feeling naughty. But if you don’t have time to make a salad or wait in a line they also have pre-packaged (in the store, not in a factory) Organic To-Go meals. They’re fresh, yummy and feature a variety of foods to work with whatever craving you may be having.
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2) Organic To-Go
Not to be confused with Whole Foods, Organic To-Go is a new fast food chain that is starting to pop up across the country. They’ve got restaurants in California and both Washington’s (state and DC) and are America’s first fast casual café to be USDA certified as an organic retailer. More than that, they’re also a catering service - meaning no more gross sandwiches at your next big work meeting - esp if you’re a vegetarian, I mean does anyone think cold thick not fresh vegetable sandwiches actually taste good?
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3. Gusto Organics
The first USDA certified organic restaurant in New York City, Gusto has meals for everyone - vegans, carnivores, vegetarians and those who can’t do gluten. Just looking at their website makes my mouth water. It may be a little fancier than most fast food but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
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4. Chipotle
Of course not everyone lives in a big city and sometimes you really do need your food in 5 minutes. For you, I recommend Chipotle. The company is the country’s largest restaurant buyer of naturally raised meats and 30 percent of their beans are organic. They’re sour cream is also free of any growth hormones. Not too bad, plus, like another unhealthy fast food giant, you can “have it your way” here and get whatever toppings you choose.
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5. Dunkin Donuts
OK, so I know Dunkin Donuts isn’t an organic place, the reason they’re on my list though is that beyond food the one thing people need quickly and often is coffee. And if you need to stop at a big chain to get some coffee, the place I will always recommend to you is Dunkin Donuts. Back in 2003, before fair trade was hip, Dunkin Donuts starting using fair trade beans in all of their espresso drinks. And that, if you ask me, is pretty damn cool. Plus, let’s be honest, most of us aren’t Olympic athletes, and once in awhile we just need a donut.
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0714-02.htmSubway: Junk Food, Junk Economy
by Russell Mokhiber and Robert Weissman
What's the largest fast junk food chain in the country?
Wrong.
It's not McDonald's.
It's Subway.
Subway overtook McDonald's last year in the United States and now has 15,874 locations in the U.S. compared to 11,533 for McDonald's.
Worldwide, Subway has 21,528 restaurants in 75 countries.
McDonald's has more than 30,000 restaurants in 119 countries.
Subway founder Fred DeLuca says he wants 30,000 outlets worldwide by 2010.
Of course, Subway would not want you to think that it is not a fast junk food chain.
In fact, the privately held firm has overtaken McDonald's by riding a wave of publicity featuring Jared Fogle, who says he lost 245 pounds on the following diet - coffee for breakfast, Subway sandwich for lunch, and Subway sandwich for dinner.
Soon, the word was out - you could lose weight eating Subway sandwiches.
And tomorrow, on the National Mall, Subway founder and CEO DeLuca will join with Fogle, the American Heart Association, members of Congress (including the corporate liberal Rose DeLauro, D-Connecticut, whose district contains Subway's corporate headquarters), and various "nutritional experts" to "galvanize support for fighting childhood obesity."
We went and visited our local Subway and found that in fact, there was health and diet information displayed, including a nutritional and dietary guide with the American Heart Association's stamp of approval.
But as at most fast junk food outlets, Coke machines, the rows of bags of chips, and the rubbery chicken and unappetizing beef were screaming - unhealthy, stay away.
You could order a salad, or a vegetarian sandwich. The chain markets seven subs with six grams of fat or less.
But for the most part, the staple of this franchise is processed meats and cheeses, soft drinks and chips.
Subway sandwiches include such classics as Steak and Cheese, Subway Melt (a first class blend of turkey breast, ham, crispy bacon, and melted cheese) Italian BMT (pepperoni, genoa salami, and ham) and the Cold Cut Trio (turkey based ham, salami, and bologna) - not your typical heart healthy sandwiches.
Should members of Congress and the American Heart Association be promoting this multinational junk food company?
Of course they shouldn't.
The American Heart Association has sullied its reputation by getting in bed with whatever corporation comes around with its checkbook open.
According to a report from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the American Heart Association has taken big corporate cash from a long list of drug companies, junk food companies, and even from the National Livestock and Meat Board, which gave $189,000 to sponsor a HeartRide cycling series "to help ensure that people don't think that AHA recommends abstaining from meat."
In return for endorsing only Bayer aspirin, AHA gets $500,000 a year from Bayer. Nice deal, if you can cut it.
And how much money has Subway kicked in?
According to the AHA, Subway has given $4 million to the American Heart Association (AHA) since 2002, and will gave an additional $6 million through 2007. That's a total of $10 million.
In exchange, Subway gets to put the AHA "fighting heart disease and stroke" logo on its materials throughout its chain of stores, according to an AHA spokesperson.
In a written statement, the AHA said it will only accept sponsorships from "those restaurants that have a public/market positioning associated with healthy foods or have heart-healthy and non-fried food alternatives on the menu."
"Subway actively promotes low-saturated fat meal options and exercise in their advertising messages," the AHA said in the statement. "Their messaging reinforces that a well-balanced diet and exercise are important tools in maintaining a healthy weight."
We agree with Commercial Alert's Gary Ruskin that it's "not the proper role of the federal government or public health groups to hawk Subway or any other form of fast or junk food."
"This is part of the broader story of the corruption of the American public health movement," Ruskin said. "AHA ought to drop its support for Subway. They have been converted into an auxiliary marketeer for Subway. They are apparently for sale."
"The fast food companies are running in a panic over the obesity epidemic," Ruskin said. "They are striving to do something to make it seem that they are not responsible for it or part of it. This is just one more way that companies like Subway try to hide their tracks and boost their public relation images."
The government and independent public health organizations should be helping the American people fight off the hyperbreeding of fast food outlets cannibalizing the country - not promoting it.
In addition to promoting his beloved Subway and making millions a year doing so, DeLuca wants to bring an Indian gambling casino to Bridgeport, Connecticut.
Call it the junk food/junk economy connection.
According to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, DeLuca invested $10 million in the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation's successful effort to gain federal recognition so they could build a casino in Connecticut. Blumenthal is challenging that recognition.
And the House Government Reform Committee is in the middle of an investigation of how the Schaghticoke Tribe and the Eastern Pequots gained such recognition from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Earlier this year, the Hartford Courant reported that a rival band of Indians charged that the federal recognition of the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation "was hijacked by outside investors and high-priced lobbyists intent on winning a lucrative gambling franchise for their own benefit."
Whether or not the investors and lobbyists hijacked the process we'll leave to federal investigators.
But what is clear is that Subway and DeLuca have hijacked the American Heart Association, Congresswoman DeLauro, and various federal agencies to promote their own brand of fast junk food.
http://www.drgourmet.com/health/fastfood/subway.shtml
Includes a chart that shows a list of food items to get from subway
that are under 15 g of fat and 400 cal. Just remember don't eat a foot long for a meal. A foot long is enough for 2 meals, which means you would be paying $2.50 per meal.
http://living.health.com/2009/02/19/americas-healthiest-fast-food-restaurants/top 10 healthiest fast-food resturants
Panera Bread
Jason's deli
Au Bon Pain
Noodles and company
Corner Bakery
Chipolte
Atlanta Bread
McDonalds
Enistien's bagels
Taco Del Mar
http://www.cawrecycles.org/issues/fast_foodFast Food Waste Threatens our Marine Environment, Drags Down Diversion Rates
America's fast food culture is hurting more than our waist lines. With it's grab-and-go, overly packaged food stuffed with unnecessary condiments, fast food outlets are our country's primary source of urban litter and a significant hurdle to local communities' waste diversion goals.
Litter characterization studies across the country have recognized fast food restaurants as the primary identifiable source of urban litter. The most abundant type of non-cigarette litter is foamed polystyrene ("Styrofoam"). This foamed plastic, a staple of fast food restaurant, becomes a permanent fixture in our environment when littered. Easily travelling through gutters and storm drains, it eventually reaches the ocean. Indeed, plastics from urban runoff is the largest source of marine debris, which in some parts of the ocean is so concentrated that there is six times more plastic than plankton!
Furthermore, fast food restaurants are a drag on local communities' waste diversion rates. Currently, less than 35% of fast food store's waste is diverted from landfills, the vast majority of which is cardboard. Very little food packaging and almost no fast food plastic is currently diverted from landfills. This low diversion rate is surprising considering the vast majority of restaurant waste is not plastic--its main litter culprit--but rather paper, a perfectly recyclable resource. The problem of fast food is not insurmountable. Like many areas of waste generation, a few simple, economical changes in the way the fast food industry handles its waste could change what currently is a major source of unrecyclable, permanent litter to a model for other businesses.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_16_111/ai_112983133Some toxic chemicals may appear where consumers least expect them: on fast-food packaging, says Lauren Sucher, communications director of the nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) of Washington, D.C. Fluorinated telomers, a type of very small polymer with Teflon-like properties, keep grease from seeping through paper and cardboard packaging such as french fry cartons and pizza boxes. And although the telomers themselves may be innocuous in normal use, they can break down upon ingestion into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFOA also is a component in the manufacturing process of fluoropolymers and can be present in trace amounts in fluorinated telomers.
Although the human health effects of PFOA are still unconfirmed, the chemical's ubiquity is cause for concern. Studies submitted in 2001 by the 3M Company (then a PFOA manufacturer) to the government found the chemical in the blood of 96% of 598 children tested in 23 states and the District of Columbia, Sucher says. The EWG is concerned that people could ingest PFOA that transfers from packaging to food, and that as the telomers break down in landfills and other disposal channels, PFOA could enter the environment.
Identifying exactly which products use fluorinated telomers is no simple matter. These telomers aren't regulated, and most packaging doesn't identify their presence. Typically they are applied at paper mills, which supply coated paper to manufacturers that in turn supply packaging to restaurants.
In March 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a priority review under the Toxic Substances Control Act. The review was based on limited data showing some presence of PFOA in people's blood and studies involving laboratory animals that showed potential developmental and reproductive toxicity, liver toxicity, and cancer. In a 14 April 2003 Federal Register notice, the EPA released a preliminary risk assessment for PFOA and outlined a public process for further developing the assessment.
In July 2003 the EWG asked nine of the country's largest restaurant chains--Burger King, KFC, Krispy Kreme, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Subway, Taco Bell, and Wendy's--to report on the types of chemical coatings used in their products. As of October 2003, none of the chains had responded directly to the EWG But some--such as McDonald's, which does use fluorinated telomers for certain products, and Krispy Kreme, which doesn't, and instead uses clay-based products exclusively--have responded to press inquiries following publicity of the EWG's request.
"A question we have to answer," says EPA public affairs officer David Deegan, "is exactly how people are being exposed to PFOA." Scientists are scrambling to find how the chemical finds its way into the bloodstream. Deegan says it's unknown whether food packaging is actually a source of exposure, and that PFOA hasn't been detected in such wrappings.
But Sucher says there is precedent for perfluorochemicals used in paper products ending up in human blood. The internal monitoring studies done by the 3M Company and reviewed by the EPA show that at least one perfluorochemical metabolite specific to paper protection applications is readily found in people, including 85% of the children tested. Sucher says perfluorochemicals such as PFOA have a half-life of an estimated 4.4 years in the human body.
"We are looking at paper applications as just one of several possible pathways to PFOA exposure [in] the environment," says Michelle Reardon, a spokesperson for DuPont, a current PFOA manufacturer. But, she says, many other pathways are under investigation as well. Fluorinated telomers are also used in the manufacture of fire-fighting foam, leather products, carpeting, garments such as stain-resistant trousers, and many other applications. Sorting out these potential sources and pathways of PFOA exposure is one of the priorities of the EPA's review, Deegan says.
In the meantime, Sucher says, environmental groups hope that companies, especially those in the food business, will move away from products with the potential to spread PFOA. "They have every right to use them," she says. "They are abiding with federal law. On the other hand, as a public health advocacy group, we want them to try to find alternatives."
http://environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/fast_food_waste.htmWhat fast food can do to help the environment
Currently there are no federal laws or regulations in the U.S. specifically aimed at getting fast food chains to reduce, reuse or recycle their waste. Businesses of all kinds must always obey local laws pertaining to what must be recycled versus what can be discarded. And a small number of cities and towns have local laws specifically designed to force businesses to do the right thing, but they are few and far between.
Voluntary Fast Food Waste Reduction Makes Headlines
There have been some strides in the fast food business with regard to packaging materials and waste reduction, but it has all been voluntary and usually under pressure from green groups. McDonald’s made headlines back in 1989 when, at the urging of environmentalists, it switched its hamburger packaging from non-recyclable Styrofoam to recyclable paper wraps and cardboard boxes. The company also replaced its bleached paper carryout bags with unbleached bags and made other green-friendly packaging advances.
Some Fast Food Chains Offer Vague Policies on Waste Reduction
Both McDonald’s and PepsiCo (owner of KFC and Taco Bell) have crafted internal policies to address environmental concerns. PepsiCo states that it encourages “conservation of natural resources, recycling, source reduction and pollution control to ensure cleaner air and water and to reduce landfill wastes,” but does not elaborate on specific actions it takes. McDonald’s makes similar general statements and claims to be “actively pursuing the conversion of used cooking oil into biofuels for transportation vehicles, heating, and other purposes,” and pursuing various in-store paper, cardboard, delivery container and pallet recycling programs in Australia, Sweden, Japan and Britain. In Canada the company claims to be the “largest user of recycled paper in our industry” for trays, boxes, carry out bags and drink holders.
Fast Food Recycling Programs Can Reduce Waste and Save Money
Some smaller fast food chains have garnered accolades for their recycling efforts. Arizona-based eegee’s, for instance, earned an Administrator’s Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for recycling all paper, cardboard and polystyrene across its 21-store chain. Besides the positive attention it has generated, the company’s recycling effort also saves it money in garbage disposal fees every month.
A Few Communities Require Fast Food Waste Recycling
Despite such efforts, though, the fast food industry is still a large generator of waste. Some communities are responding by passing local regulations requiring recycling where applicable. Seattle, Washington, for example, passed an ordinance in 2005 prohibiting businesses (all businesses, not just restaurants) from disposing of recyclable paper or cardboard, though violators only pay a nominal $50 fine.
Taiwan Takes a Hard Line on Fast Food Waste
Perhaps policymakers in the U.S. and elsewhere could take a lead from Taiwan, which since 2004 has required its 600 fast-food restaurants, including McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC, to maintain facilities for proper disposal of recyclables by customers. Diners are obliged to deposit their garbage in four separate containers for leftover food, recyclable paper, regular waste and liquids.
“Customers only have to spend under a minute to finish the trash-classification assignment,” said environmental protection administrator Hau Lung-bin in announcing the program. Restaurants that don’t comply face fines of up to $8,700 (U.S.).
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/531177/cutting_down_on_fast_food_waste.html?cat=58Cutting Down on Fast Food Waste
The average restaurant produces about 8,200 pounds of waste a month, which is more than 98,000 pounds a year. About 15 percent of that waste is in the form of reusable materials. That means nearly 15,000 pounds of waste per month can be completely eliminated. That's
a staggering amount once you factor in the amount of fast food restaurants that are out there. So what are the best ways to recycle all the waste created by fast food?
Fast food waste comes in several forms. Plastic eating utensils, Styrofoam cups and containers, wrappers and napkins make up the bulk of recyclable material that is tossed into the trash in fast food joints. There's also a lot of waste being generated on the other side of the counter. Packing materials, cleaning products, gas, water and electricity are a few examples.
With the enormous amount of waste produced by fast food restaurants, one would think that there would be a set of laws in place to curb it. Currently, there are no federal laws to mandate the recycling of waste from any restaurant. Any recycling done is purely on a volunteer basis. The cost of recycling food- contaminated waste is steep and many cities simply don't have the resources to accomplish it. Right now, customers have only two options: take the materials home and recycle them or throw them away at the restaurant.
Between the store, the government and the customer, there are a number of ways to recycle fast food. Most of the effort must be from the restaurant itself, however. While many view recycling as inefficient and cost prohibitive, there are enough ways to save money to make it all worthwhile to owners.
The first step is to set up a recycling program for grease, cardboard products, plastic and glass with a local collector. Then put bins in areas of eating establishments where customers can access them easily. Keep in mind that most cities don't currently
accept food-tainted materials, which often makes recycling very expensive for restaurants. Also, put bins and receptacles behind the counter for employees to use. You can't recycle material unless you collect it first. Also, contact local farms and compost facilities about donating or selling food waste. Many fast food places throw out any uneaten food at the end of the day. Instead, edible food can be donated to local shelters.
The best way to cut down on the amount of waste created by restaurant is to reduce the amount available in the restaurant. Businesses can cut down on the amount of packaging they use and use straw dispensers instead of using individually wrapped straws to help reduce paper consumption. Instead of using little plastic packets of ketchup and mustard, restaurants could use condiment dispensers. Restaurants can also give discounts on drink prices if they use their own cup. Changing take-out bags from colored paper to unbleached will help make restaurants a little greener as well. Many people don't pay attention to the tiny little recycle symbol on things like cups and packaging. Clearly labeling these items will help remind folks how to best dispose of them.
There are ways for restaurants to recycle behind the scenes that customers won't even know about. Fast food restaurants can purchase supplies made with post-consumer recycled content. Stop using paper hats and go with reusable ones. Instead of paper towels, use cloth ones for cleaning. Purchase products in bulk and rotate perishable food items to reduce spoilage. Businesses can also use fluorescent lights instead of incandescent ones. Also, installing motion-sensing lights in freezers and restrooms will curb excess waste. Installing water-conserving fixtures will help reduce water consumption. Using a monthly maintenance schedule for appliances and equipment will help them run more efficiently. Eating establishments can also use polypropylene based materials instead of polystyrene. While this doesn't sound like a big deal, it can save countless thousands of barrels of oil per year. Better still; businesses can switch to biodegradable materials like cornstarch for all their cutlery and packaging, reducing waste to almost nothing. Lastly, restaurants can ask their vendors to ship materials in recycled materials.
We've looked at how restaurants and their customers can help recycle fast food, but what about governments? Governments can enact laws and levy fines on establishments that don't toe the line. While there are many local governments that already have laws on the
books regarding recycling, most aren't enforced and those that are often don't carry heavy enough fines to discourage wayward businesses.
Local and federal governments can enact and enforce laws banning businesses from dumping recyclable materials. Even if restaurants start small, by recycling only certain items and educating their customers, it will go a long way to getting folks involved. Officials can also stiffen fines significantly. Typically, only token fines of a few dollars are issued. If these fines were raised, it would encourage fast food restaurants to put more effort into their recycling programs. Governments can also offer subsidies to recycling centers that will take on more difficult materials like food-contaminated items. Monies from fines raised could help pay for those subsidies.
In the end, while most restaurants will claim that recycling is just too costly, it doesn't have to be. Using more energy-efficient equipment will help offset the cost of recycling. Implementing biodegradable materials and selling non-edible foods to local animal farms will go a long way towards cutting the costs of waste removal. Most businesses will find that voluntarily getting a little greener and recycling doesn't cost as much as they think.
http://www.commercialexploitation.org/news/2008/11/fastfoodads.htm
CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- A ban on fast-food advertising to children would cut the national obesity rate by as much as 18%, according to a new study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research and funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The study measured the number of fast-food ads kids watched and found a fast-food TV-ad ban for children's programming would reduce the number of overweight children aged 3 to 11 by 18%, and for adolescents (12- to 18-year-olds) by 14%. Data also revealed a more pronounced effect on males than females.
Extensive data
The National Bureau of Economic Research describes the study as "the largest of its kind to directly tie childhood obesity to fast-food advertising on American television," based on viewing habits of 13,000 children, using data from U.S. Department of Labor research carried out in 1979 and 1997. The study also reports that eliminating tax deductions associated with TV advertising would result in a reduction of childhood obesity, though in smaller numbers.
"We have known for some time that childhood obesity has gripped our culture, but little empirical research has been done that identifies television advertising as a possible cause," Shin-Yi Chou of Lehigh University, one of the study's authors, said in a statement. "Hopefully, this line of research can lead to a serious discussion about the type of policies that can curb America's obesity epidemic."
The other authors of the study, which appears in The Journal of Law and Economics this month, were Inas Rashad of Georgia State University and Michael Grossman of City University of New York Graduate Center. It's important to note that even the study's authors question the practicality of so much governmental interference in advertising.
"What it all comes down to is the choices parents make for their kids," said Ellen Davis, a spokeswoman for the National Council of Chain Restaurants, which represents the industry. "Parents choose what their children eat and where their children eat. We all know that children have strong opinions, but parents make the choices."
Cause and effect
Amandine Garde, a law lecturer at the University of Exeter who focuses on legal issues surrounding ad bans, said the biggest hurdle to instituting limitations on messaging to children has been proving the relationship between ads and weight. "Now we're seeing the issue being addressed, the causal relationship, which was denied by the food industry for many, many years," she said. "If you have a causal relationship, it makes the case even stronger that there is a need for regulation."
Sweden and Norway instituted bans on all ads to children in the early 1990s, but the legislation sought to avoid exploitation rather than prevent obesity. Quebec has banned food advertising to children during programs geared toward kids, and the Canadian province has shown lower childhood obesity rates than surrounding areas, although there may be a variety of contributing factors.
Voluntary efforts under way
The industry, of course, has been taking steps on its own, hoping to avoid a ban. Major food-industry players, including McDonald's, Burger King, Kraft and Kellogg, have signed on to the Council of Better Business Bureaus' Childrens' Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative. As part of the voluntary program, participants have agreed to devote 50% of advertising dollars geared at children under 12 to messages that promote healthier dietary choices or more-active lifestyles. Healthful-product messages must be consistent with USDA and FDA standards.
http://www.fastcompany.com/blog/saabira-chaudhuri/itinerant-mind/fast-food-ads-make-fat-childrenads=fat children
fat children=fat america
A causal relationship between fast food ads on TV and obesity rates in children has been established. This according to a study conducted by the National Bureau of Economic Research, which revealed that a fast food TV ban for children's programming would reduce obesity rates by 14-18%, with effects being more pronounced for males and younger children.
According to Adage, the National Bureau of Economic Research has described the study as "the largest of its kind to directly tie childhood obesity to fast-food advertising on American television."
"Hopefully, this line of research can lead to a serious discussion about the type of policies that can curb America's obesity epidemic," stated Shin-Yi Chou, one of the study's authors.
The big question of course is whether government intervention should go quite so far as to ban fast food advertising for children's programs, or whether the onus should be on parents. The BBC ran a poll on the issue in 2004 – while the conversation was sharply divided, the majority seemed to think parents, and not advertising, are to blame. Here's a snapshot from the poll of how parents see the issue:
"Anyone who blames TV for their children's' dietary related health problems is just looking for an excuse to shift responsibility away from themselves for their failure to exercise parental control. All the government reviews of advertising in the world won't fix that."
Mark, USA
"Personally I think those who want adverts banned are the ones whose children pester them into submission. Banning these adverts would make their lives 'easier' - no pestering children to contend with. Parents appear to be getting lazier and as a consequence their children grow up spoilt and rude. Parents need to wise up and realise that they have to the power to say no and to turn the television off.
" Kerry, Ulverston, Cumbria, UK
"What a load of rubbish. Kids get fat (or do we have to say 'obese' now?) because they eat what their parents buy and feed them on. When are parents going to start taking responsibility for their own children's health?"
Dave, Doncaster, UK
On the flip side however, exist parents who support the idea:
"The more television our children watch, the more they are bombarded with advertising directed at senseless consumerist behaviour. These days, it seems that our economy is based on an insatiable appetite for personal luxuries. Where else would children learn this culture besides television?"
Joey Di Venosa, Montreal, Canada
"All non-parental types say they will not let their children watch TV when they have them. Have children and then stay home and care for them 24/7. You'll change your mind about TV. Trust me."
Kathy, USA
"Why should there be any advertising during children's programming? They shouldn't be viewed as a lucrative consumer market because it is only 'pest power' that turns the advertising into sales. Admittedly parents should be tougher with their kids and teach them that they can't have everything they want, but some parents don't have the strength to do that and they shouldn't be held to ransom by the advertisers."
Steve, Reading, England
http://www.hartman-group.com/upcoming-studies/methodology-and-research-scope/8Healthy Eating Trends 2009
Methodology
The Healthy Eating Trends 2009 syndicated study integrates the strengths of a quantitative nationally representative sample of 1,500 adult primary household shoppers with in-depth qualitative ethnographic consumer immersions across three U.S. markets to provide the most accurate picture to-date on the shifts occurring in food consumption and what it portends for food manufacturing, retailing and marketing in the future.
Study Scope
Areas of investigation include, but are not limited to:
The Hottest Food Shopping Trends
* The most popular channels for fresh food, fresh prepared foods, highest quality foods, convenience and ethnic foods.
* Purchase of healthy foods and beverages by channel (discount superstores, drug, and convenience vs. conventional grocery)
Top Ranked Healthy Ingredient Trends
* Antioxidants
* Calcium
* Cholesterol
* Fat
* Fiber
* Gluten
* HFCS
* Omegas
* Protein
* Salt
* Sugar
* Trans Fat
* Vitamin C
* Vitamin D
* Whole Grain
(add your own ingredient trend for an additional $1,500 — limited to first 5)
Functional Foods & Beverages Benefits Trends
* Cognitive function
* Digestive regularity
* Energy (sustained, immediate, etc.)
* Heart healthy
* Improved mobility
* Immunity boost
* Regular blood sugar
(add your own ingredient trend for an additional $1,500 — limited to first 5)
Eating Away from Home Trends
* Most popular channels for healthy eating away from home
* Sources for healthy on-the-go snacks
* Sources for healthy meals
* Organic on the menu – demand for organic when eating out
Top Ranked Claims Trends
* Artisan
* Local
* Mediterranean Diet
* Minimally processed
* Natural
* No artificial ingredients
* No preservatives
* Organic
* Premium
(add your own claim/marketing message trend for an additional $1,500 – limited to first 5)
Long-Term Healthy Eating Trends
* Relative impact of food quality dimensions in explaining: nutritional benefits, health benefits, freshness, distinctive flavor, real food narrative, etc.
* Brand perception scorecard
* Shifts in breakfast, lunch and dinner mealtime
* Portion sizing
* Snacking
* Special occasion vs. everyday occasion eating (at work, with family and friends, holidays, entertaining, going to movies, etc.)
