Prepackaged Meals: On a Diet and Counting Calories? Buyer Beware!

“Reduced Energy” and “Lower in Calories” Food Labels on both Restaurant Menus and Prepackaged Meals — Just Plain Wrong.

Tuft’s University researchers published a study in this month’s issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association showing that many entrees, both from restaurants and the frozen aisle of supermarket shelves, contain more calories than stated on labels. This is a real problem for those of us trying to lose weight and counting calories. After all, nutritional labels are meant to empower us as consumers, helping us make better choices. What’s worse, is that the meals tested for this study were labeled as “lower in calories” and aimed directly at dieters. It seems as if the food industry wants us to stay fat…

Brief description of study:

• 29 quick-serve and sit-down restaurants along with 10 frozen prepackaged complete meals were tested.
• Foods were supposed to be less than 500 kcal/serving, according to their labels.
• Foods and meals tested were “typical American foods.” Unfortunately the exact products and restaurants are not named (all were in the Boston area) yet, the study notes that the restaurant chains tested are also popular throughout the rest of the U.S.
• The foods chosen were among those with the lowest-stated calorie content on the restaurant menus.

Results:

• On average, the restaurant meals contained 18% more calories than reported by their respective establishments.
• The frozen meals averaged 8% more calories than their labeling indicated.

How is this possible?

The big answer to this question may be that the US Food and Drug Administration allows for a whopping 20% excess calorie content from what is reported on labels. Instead, the FDA strictly enforces the weight of food products to within 99%. So essentially, manufacturers will add more food to their packaged products to meet these strict weight standards, without worrying about changing the labels for total caloric content since they have a 20% leeway.

Another factor that added to calorie content was that many restaurants offered free side dishes (“extras”) along with the main meals. Some of these extras contained even more calories than the entrees they accompanied.

So what’s this mean for those of us who are counting calories and trying to lose weight?

• All the more reason to eat out less, cut back on convenience foods, and prepare meals more often at home. This leaves us in total control, from what goes in to what stays out, and particularly how much oil, salt, and extras are added. Simple is often better when it comes to convenience food — try making it a habit to throw together a fresh salad, or quick, low-calorie sandwich for lunch.
• Avoid adding “extras” when eating at a sit-down restaurant or fast-food establishment, or make it a point to ask specifically how many calories are in those free “extras.”
• Pay attention to serving sizes and use your own judgment. Remember the old adage: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If a huge plate of pasta, smothered in cream sauce, and complemented with a thick slab of buttery, garlic bread is supposed to be less than 500 calories, be skeptical!

Reference to the original study:

Journal of the American Dietetic Association
The Accuracy of Stated Energy Contents of Reduced Energy, Commercially Prepared Foods

http://www.adajournal.org/article/S0002-8223(09)01679-4/abstract

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