Calories on Menues - A Rant

I love to rant - about anything and nothing really (just kidding) and in the last few weeks I have been ranting about the latest fab idea of Food Safety Authority of Ireland  (also knows as FSAI) who are planning to force all restaurants to display calories on their menus. 

This might work for restaurants like Luigi Malones that never really changes their menu but what about restaurants like Fenn's Quay, Cafe Paradiso & Jaques who are changing their menus regularly. They will have to create their daily menu months in advance and hire a nutrionist to calculate the calories. Yeah, I can see that working out nicely.

I understand and appreciate that the minister for health, Dr. Reilly (who in my opinion could loose a few pounds himself) and FSAI are trying to improve obesity in Ireland (and it is needed) but lets face it, we are not overweight because we don't know the calories of the dishes we eat in restaurants. Going out for a meal is a treat and who is eating out every day (apart from critics)?? When I treat myself or get treated I don't want to feel guilty about cause the cream sauce in my pasta is actually made of cream. 

Obesity has different reasons, people need to understand food - we need to get a healthy relationship with the food we eat. And for that, education is the key. How many kids do actually know that Taytos crisps are actually potatoes (and that it is easy to make at home)?? And which child has drank proper milk from the farm. Can they difference between the types of vegetables? Would they recognise some of them if they saw them in the garden?? Here is where we have to start - eating habits start when we are young. Petra - one of the girls who joined our baking class - said that she gave her 2 daughters the sliced pan  for years because it was convenient and now she is trying to get her girls to eat proper food - they don't like it because they got used to the tasteless bread of the supermarket.

Our Minister of Health - A picture of health??

People like Lucy Hyland of Food for Living have the right approach. Teach rather than preach. We should be listening to them rather than some office poopers (sorry for the bad language) who don't even do what they preach.

Let's face it, it is the fast food chains that need to be overhauled. As restaurants are treats, fast food outlets are the norm. It is easy, fast and still cheap enough.Convenient for the busy mum and dad - and who could blame them (ok I do but that is a different rant altogether). Educate the kids and you have half the battle won. 

Phew, I could go on and on and on.....but have your say yourself. Go onto www.fsai.ie and fill in the questionnaire and please let me know what you think