Restaurant Nutrition Draws Focus of First Lady

The New York Times ^ | February 6, 2011 | Sheryl Gay Stolberg and William Neuman

[2ndDivisionVet]

After wrapping her arms around the retail giant Wal-Mart and trying to cajole food makers into producing nutrition labels that are easier to understand, Michelle Obama, a healthy-eating advocate, has her sights set on a new target: the nation’s restaurants.

A team of advisers to Mrs. Obama has been holding private talks over the past year with the National Restaurant Association, a trade group, in a bid to get restaurants to adopt her goals of smaller portions and children’s meals that include healthy offerings like carrots, apple slices and milk instead of French fries and soda, according to White House and industry officials.

The discussions are preliminary, and participants say they are nowhere near an agreement like the one Mrs. Obama announced recently with Wal-Mart to lower prices on fruits and vegetables and to reduce the amount of fat, sugar and salt in its foods. But they reveal how assertively she is working to prod the industry to sign on to her agenda.

On Tuesday, Mrs. Obama will begin a three-day publicity blitz to spotlight “Let’s Move!,” her campaign to reduce childhood obesity, which was announced one year ago this week.....

[SonOfDarkSkies]

Can this woman really be this effing stupid? The restaurant biz is tough as nails and those who ignore this dimwit and give the customers what they want will live...and those who tailor their menus to this artificial external influence (external to the actual transaction between consumer and supplier) will die.

If and when the consumer decides he wants broccoli, carrots, peas, etc, they will magically turn up on the menu without Michelle "Burger Butt" Obama arm twisting restaurateurs.

[Army Air Corps]

Shut up and go away.

[LibsRJerks]

If restaurants determine through marketing research that customers WANT smaller portions and less calories, then fine. I’d like it if we did have that choice and I could go to a restaraunt and not worry that the dish I’m eating contains 2,000 calories and 200 grams of fat. Or, I could at least CHOOSE the a smaller dish off the menu. Choices would be nice.

But we don’t need the White House DICTATING to the restaraunt business what they should do!

[dalebert]

Mad Mamma Michelle gonna puts somones outa bizness

[aruanan]

On Tuesday, Mrs. Obama will begin a three-day publicity blitz to spotlight “Let’s Move!,”

Her "Eat 5 a Day" bran campaign?

[SonOfDarkSkies]

Michelle thinks the Super Bowl is a bucket of spuds and chicken gravy.

[LibsRJerks]

I noticed this past week that steaks and red meats were far more expensive than turkey cutlets, ground turkey, etc.

I think someone out there IS trying to control the prices of the various categories of meats, poultry, etc. to get people to eat less red meat.

[LostInBayport]

in a bid to get restaurants to adopt her goals of smaller portions

Don't worry, Moochelle, that will happen. Not because anyone gives a bleep what YOU think, but because your moron of a husband has given license to Ben Bernanke to inflate our dollar. When food costs rise, restaurants will lower portions or charge more. That's assuming people will even have discretionary income with which to visit a restaurant. Either way, your commie husband will win his dream of even higher unemployment when those restaurants close their doors.

Now, because I'm ticked, here's a gratituitous picture of your ginormous behind as compared to some rather lovely ones.

[Sacajaweau]

Stop feeding them in school...Just milk. Let the lazy brats make their own lunch.

[LibsRJerks]

Weren’t those french women? The land of croissants, and rich heavy sauces?

[LibsRJerks]

Weren’t those french women? From the land of croissants, and rich heavy sauces?

[Mears]

She wants us to move?

Who the hell does this woman think she is?

[Twinkie]

I spent my childhood and teenage years blown up like a zeppelin with stomach cramps. Only in recent years, I finally figured out it wasn’t normal; that I was lactose intolerant (Cherokee heritage from way back). Now, I get lactose free milk and use chewable Lactaid before I eat regular dairy, even yogurt. It’s like daylight and dark.

[Da Coyote]

Like I give a smelly Obama.

[McLynnan]

Does anybody here ever go to a restaurant hoping to find carrots and apples on the menu? Sounds like snacks for horses.

[sheana]

I still say she looks like a housemaid in that pic

[LostInBayport]

Weren’t those french women? From the land of croissants, and rich heavy sauces?

Yes! Carla Bruni and Princess Letizia. Great point...the French eat stuff that tastes really good and supposedly "unhealthy", yet they live long and (in this photo at least) look great.

[GOPrincess]

Princess Letizia is from Spain...

[LostInBayport]

Yep. Doesn’t her posture, compared to the other two women, speak volumes?

[Paleo Conservative]

Michelle Obama, a healthy-eating advocate, has her sights set on a new target: the nation’s restaurants.