MEMPHIS, Tenn. — If you’re counting calories the math will soon get easier.
The Food and Drug Administration is finalizing rules that will put calorie content on menus and some vending machine items.
The rule mainly applies to chain restaurants. It also requires calorie labeling for certain alcoholic beverages and foods sold at entertainment venues such as movie theaters and amusement parks.
The vending machine rule requires companies that own or operate 20 or more vending machines to disclose calorie information.
Many restaurants have already started providing calorie information on menu items and some states have their own requirements.
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The FDA rules stem from the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
What’s covered?
- Sit-down and fast-food restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops and restaurant-type foods in certain grocery and convenience stores.
- Take-out and delivery foods, such as pizza.
- Foods purchased at drive-through windows.
- Foods that you serve yourself from a salad or hot-food bar.
- Alcoholic drinks such as cocktails when they appear on menus.
- Foods at places of entertainment, such as movie theaters.
What’s not covered?
- Foods sold at deli counters and typically intended for more than one person.
- Bottles of liquor displayed behind a bar.
- Food in transportation vehicles, such as food trucks, airplanes and trains.
- Food on menus in elementary, middle and high schools that are part of U.S. Department of Agriculture school feeding programs (although vending machines in such locations are covered).
