Why Get a Nutrition Analysis for Your Restaurant Menu

From the start of my career, I’ve been immersed in kitchens, collaborating with chefs to create from-scratch menus and developing allergy training for staff. One thing that stood out early on was the growing demand for nutrition information—from both customers and employees. It quickly became clear to me just how essential a comprehensive nutrition menu analysis truly is.

This need makes perfect sense. Not everyone cooks from scratch, and many people simply want to know how “healthy” their meal is. When working with my patients, we often review menus from various restaurants. Thankfully, many now provide easy access to nutrition details, offering an opportunity to guide patients in making healthier choices when dining out.

In today’s market, your menu is the heart of your brand and mission. By offering a detailed nutrition analysis, you empower customers to make informed decisions that align with their health goals, enhancing their overall dining experience.

FDA Restaurant Menu Labeling: What Is It?

Restaurants don’t necessarily have to have the actual nutrition facts panel on their menu. This is more advised for food manufacturers developing a product where they need to submit a label with more detailed information. For restaurants they do need to have the calories clearly displayed on their menus according to the the FDA ruling. These items can include:

• Beverages
• Entrees
• Sides
• Buffet served foods

Why Get a Nutrition Menu Analysis Done?

When you hit 20 locations the FDA guidance states you must have a nutrition analysis done. However, what if you’re not at 20 locations yet? Let’s say you want to have a healthy menu option and in product development, a Nutritional Menu Analysis becomes vital. Here are just a few reasons why hiring a professional with a nutrition background (like me!) during your development process is just essential based on your business needs. These are just a few ideas!

1. Menu Optimization: A dietitian can enhance menu items to be healthier without losing flavor, attracting health-conscious customers during the production process.
2. Regulatory Compliance: Dietitians ensure that nutritional information complies with legal standards, avoiding potential legal issues.
3. Customer Trust: Verified nutritional information builds customer trust and fosters loyalty.
4. Catering to Special Diets: Dietitians help create menu options for customers with specific dietary needs, expanding the customer base.
5. Marketing Advantage: A dietitian helps position the restaurant as a health-conscious establishment, appealing to wellness-focused consumers. This can support all PR and communications messaging.
6. Employee Training: Dietitians can train staff on maintaining nutritional quality, ensuring consistent and healthy menu offerings.

You may not be at 20 locations just yet, but you can always be ahead of the game!

What Does a Restaurant Need to Have on Their Menu Nutritionals

It’s always nice to know what you need versus what is a luxury, when it comes to a budget! The FDA Ruling Section 4205 called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will help guide us in what we need to have available to the public as a restaurant. The following are the 10 macronutrients and micronutrients that are required in every nutrition analysis per serving item:

• Total calories (cal)
• Total fat(g)
• Saturated fat (g)
• Trans fat (g)
• Cholesterol (mg)
• Sodium (mg)
• Total carbohydrate(g)
• Dietary fiber (g)
• Sugars (g)
• Protein (g)

When Do I Not Need a Nutrition Analysis?

According to the FDA Menu Labeling there are a few instances where you do not need to provide the nutrition content of the food items. These include:

• Custom orders
• Daily Specials
• Foods that are not standard menu items
• General use condiments
• Temporary menu items

What Needs to Be Included on a Nutrition Label?

A nutrition label is an essential tool for knowing exactly what’s in your packages food. For restaurants who have those niche vendors can pull these labels and a dietitian can create a new ingredient in their database to include in your recipe. Here’s what you need to know for an effective Nutritional Menu Analysis when inputting it into a nutrition software:

1. Serving Size
2. Calories
3. Total Carbohydrates
4. % Daily Value (%DV)
5. Ingredient List
6. Total Fat 
7. Cholesterol
8. Sodium
9. Protein
10. Vitamins and Minerals (Vitamin D, Calcium, Potassium and Iron)

Remember, this information is required by the food manufacture. They also need to list the ingredients of the product in descending order by weight and mention if there are any allergens within the product. Being a restaurant you will have these labels already but it’s just good to know the requirements food manufacturers must meet in order to sell a product in the USA.

What are Nutrient Claims?

Nutrient claims are those eye-catching statements on food packages that tell you all about the nutritional goodness (or lack thereof) inside. Nutrient claims are tightly regulated by agencies like the FDA in the U.S. to ensure they’re accurate and don’t mislead you. Incorporating these claims effectively requires a precise Nutritional Menu Analysis. Here is an example of what one would look like on a box and explain what would determine the claim.

There are others that are allowed and they are below:

Calorie Claims

• “Calorie-Free”: Less than 5 calories per serving.
• “Low-Calorie”: 40 calories or less per serving.
• “Reduced-Calorie”: At least 25% fewer calories than the regular product.

Fat Claims

• “Fat-Free”: Less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
• “Low-Fat”: 3 grams or less of fat per serving.
• “Reduced-Fat”: At least 25% less fat than the regular product.
• “Saturated Fat-Free”: Less than 0.5 grams of saturated fat per serving.
• “Low-Saturated Fat”: 1 gram or less per serving, and no more than 15% of calories from saturated fat.
• “Reduced Saturated Fat”: At least 25% less saturated fat than the regular product

This isn’t an exhaustive list as there are others such as: low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low in sodium, sugar-free, and even the term “healthy.” Imagine having a registered dietitian, like me involved in the production of your product or menu item so that you can use these classifications appropriately.

What are Health Claims?

Health claims are those statements on food labels that connect what you’re eating to a potential benefit for your health, like reducing the risk of certain diseases. These claims are carefully regulated by agencies like the FDA to ensure they’re accurate and backed by science. A detailed Nutritional Menu Analysis ensures these claims are well-founded.

Here’s a breakdown of a few of the approved health claims that can be used on the label surrounding the following topics:

If you have a menu item that focuses on whole grain food products, you can call your menu item heart-healthy. This can be essential in any press releases or marketing campaigns stating your company is health conscious.

Menu Labeling for Food Allergies

I remember when working in the school food service setting we had to have robust training on food allergies for students. We were limited in what we could reasonably offer but there were options! The 8 common allergens include milk, eggs, fish, Crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. The FDA 2022 Food Code added a new allergen according to the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act: Sesame. Making it a total of nine.

The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) mandates that food labels must clearly state the source of any ingredients that are among the eight major food allergens or contain protein derived from these allergens. Accurate labeling helps consumers with allergies identify and avoid foods or ingredients that may trigger an allergic reaction.

In food manufacturing, you’ll see on the label underneath the ingredients panel statements like:

• Contains
• May contain
• Made in a facility with

As for labeling on your restaurant menu, the Food Code, updated by the FDA every four years, is not federal law or regulation but serves as a set of guidelines offering the FDA’s best recommendations to ensure the safety of food sold at retail or food service establishments (a new one should be coming out in 2026). It is up to state, local, and federal authorities to decide whether to adopt the Food Code.

The 2022 Food Code states that “written notification” of top allergens can be provided through various means, such as menu statements, websites, placards, and decals on display cases, among others. Now of course an establishment does want to be careful what they are committing to and can leave disclaimers on their menus such as:

• Allergy Alert: Menu items may contain or come into contact with wheat, eggs, nuts, and milk. Please ask our staff for more details.
• Caution: We use shared fryer oil, so we cannot guarantee that your menu item is free of common allergens.
• Cross-Contamination Warning: Please be aware that our kitchen handles ingredients that may contain gluten, soy, shellfish, and other allergens. While we take precautions to prevent cross-contamination, we cannot guarantee that any dish is completely free of allergens.

Bottom Line

The bottom line is that hiring a professional can optimize a restaurant’s menu, ensure regulatory compliance, build customer trust, cater to special diets, enhance marketing, and improve staff training—ultimately boosting the restaurant’s appeal and success. Just know that there are differences in regulations for food manufacturers versus restaurants! Look at this as an investment if you’re looking for health-conscious labeling and want the public to trust your menu items!

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