How can you comply with menu labeling and disclosure requirements?

1 Know the rules

Familiarizing yourself with the FDA's menu labeling and disclosure requirements is the first step. These requirements apply to restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, ice cream shops, convenience stores, movie theaters, and vending machines that sell food. You can find the full guidance document on the FDA's website. Some of the key points to note are that you must display the calorie content of each standard menu item on menus, menu boards, or digital displays in a clear and conspicuous manner. Additionally, you must provide additional nutrition information for standard menu items upon request, either on a written or electronic format. This includes total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrates, fiber, sugars and protein. Furthermore, you must disclose the presence of major food allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans) and gluten in standard menu items either on the menu or menu board or on a separate written or electronic format that is available upon request. Additionally, customers must be informed of their ability to ask for additional nutrition and allergen information through a succinct statement on the menu or menu board. Lastly, you must provide a reasonable basis for the calorie and nutrition information such as nutrient databases, cookbooks, laboratory analyses or nutrition facts labels.

2 Plan your menu

The next step in your menu planning is to ensure that it meets the menu labeling and disclosure requirements, as well as your culinary vision and customer preferences. You can do this by offering a variety of portion sizes and options for standard menu items, such as salads, sandwiches, pizzas, and burgers. Additionally, consider using ingredients and cooking methods that reduce fat, sodium, and sugar in dishes. Incorporate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats into your menu. Highlight the health benefits and nutritional attributes of your menu items with terms like "low-fat", "low-sodium", "high-fiber", "gluten-free", "vegan", or "organic". Finally, test your menu items and recipes for their calorie and nutrition content to ensure accuracy and consistency.

3 Train your staff

The final step is to train your staff on how to comply with menu labeling and disclosure requirements, as well as how to communicate with customers about them. Provide your staff with copies of menus, menu boards, and written or electronic formats that contain calorie, nutrition, and allergen information for standard menu items. Educate them on the importance and benefits of menu labeling and disclosure, and how it can help customers make informed and healthy choices. Teach them how to answer questions and provide information about the calorie, nutrition, and allergen content of standard menu items using clear and respectful language. Additionally, train them on how to handle special requests, substitutions, or modifications for standard menu items. Finally, monitor their performance and compliance with the menu labeling and disclosure requirements, providing feedback and reinforcement as needed. By following these tips, you can comply with the FDA's requirements while still offering a delicious and diverse menu that appeals to your customers.

4 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?