| The new year brought with it the normal resolutions, | | | | I can remember when dieting meant salads with rally |
| many of which have already been broken. One at the | | | | horrible tasting dressing and bland chicken or fish with |
| top of most peoples' lists is to lose weight. Of course, | | | | steamed vegetables at home or at a restaurant. The |
| eating better along with exercise is the best way to | | | | fast food chains have items for the diet-conscience, |
| reach this goal. The eating part of the equation has | | | | but with the ongoing price wars aimed at attracting the |
| gotten easier thanks to the menus now being offered | | | | budget-conscience consumer, the emphasis is on the |
| by the very restaurant chains who may have added | | | | discounted regular menu. The do-gooders continue to |
| to Americans' waistlines growing at an alarming rate. | | | | target fast food as bad food, particularly burger and |
| Wasn't it just last year when the fast food giants | | | | fries. |
| were being demonized by well-meaning folks who | | | | Some popular-priced establishments that have jumped |
| wanted to tell us what to eat and how much to eat | | | | on the healthier food band wagon, believing this will |
| and where to eat? It seems America's favorite fare | | | | give them a competitive edge in this all-too-crowded |
| was killing us and before it did, we would be so fat | | | | segment of the marketplace. With federal nutritional |
| (yes, I said fat, because this is what it was called | | | | labeling laws posed to become a reality, this move |
| before the politically correct crowd labeled this word | | | | could provide them with a huge advantage. But what |
| as insensitive) that we would happily die because | | | | about the food? Applebee's, a sit-down restaurant |
| everyone would abandon us due to our lack of control | | | | chain of more than 1,900 units, has added 5 items, all |
| when it came to food intake. | | | | 550 calories or less, to the regular menu line up. While |
| As a pre-boomer, the generation born between 1930 | | | | these are said to be regular portion sized dishes, the |
| and 1945, I never thought of restaurants as the place | | | | gooey and decadent desserts are strictly off limits. |
| for dieters. From delis, coffee shops and diners to | | | | Starbuck's, the over-priced coffee leader, is offering |
| family restaurants to fine dinning these were always | | | | reduced calorie versions of their specialty drinks. The |
| places where you enjoyed eating. We always | | | | coffee house is also featuring low-cal sandwiches and |
| consumed more when eating away from home. And | | | | snacks. |
| dessert was always part of the meal. If someone was | | | | It's too soon to tell if the healthier menus will catch on. If |
| watching their weight they'd often forego a trip to a | | | | the patrons do as they did in the past, most will be |
| restaurant. That's the way it was. But times have | | | | back to the regular fare, soon. And the "eat healthier, |
| changed, and restaurants don't want to lose out on a | | | | lousy-tasting food police" will redouble their efforts to |
| single customer. In fact, promoting low-calorie, low-fat | | | | make us consume what they believe will make us live |
| and low-carb meals allows them to give the customer | | | | longer. If they succeed, we probably won't live longer; |
| less food for the same amount of money or more. | | | | it'll just seem that way. |