Calorie Tallies Will Now Appear On Menus At Approximately 80 Local Food Premises

Local residents will now be able to make more informed food decisions at certain food premises thanks to Ontario’s new “Healthy Menu Choices Act” that took effect January 1, 2017.

The new legislation only affects food service providers with 20 or more locations in the province. This means calorie tallies will now be seen on menus at approximately 80 local food premises, according to Peterborough Public Health.

EASIER TO GET CALORIE INFORMATION NOW

“More and more people are paying close attention to what they are eating, so providing this calorie information is one way to encourage healthier food choices,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “For those who aren’t aware of how many calories are in certain foods, providing this information directly on the menu will help them better understand how to balance out their caloric intake throughout the day.”

Residents will now see the number of calories for each food and beverage item included on the menus, labels or tags at several local food service providers, such as restaurants, coffee shops, convenience stores, grocery stores and movie theatres.

Food service providers are also required to post an educational statement for customers about average daily caloric needs. For an updated list of local food premises affected by the legislation, visit peterboroughpublichealth.ca.

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