Band 7 essay sample: restaurant calorie labels.

Many people now eat in restaurants several times a week, so their choices there affect their health. Some argue that every restaurant should be required by law to show the calorie count of each dish on its menu. I agree with this idea to a large extent, although small businesses would need some support.

The main reason is that calorie labels allow customers to make informed choices. At the moment, it is hard to guess how much energy a restaurant meal contains, because a big amount of oil and sugar is hidden in sauces. For instance, a chicken salad with a creamy dressing can contain more calories than a simple burger, and few diners would expect this. This information help people who are trying to lose weight, and others would at least know what they are eating.

In addition, a legal requirement would make restaurants to rethink their recipes. All companies care about their image, so no restaurant wants its most popular dish to look unhealthy. As a result, some chains may reduce portion sizes or use less sugar in desserts. In this way, the law would protect even customers who never read the labels.

However, the law could be a burden for small family restaurants. Unlike large chains, they often change their menu every day and cannot afford to send each dish to laboratory. However, this problem would be smaller if the government offered a free online calculator or gave them more time to adapt.

In conclusion, I think that a law on calorie labels is sensible, because it helps customers choose wisely and pushes restaurants to cook healthier food. As long as small businesses recieve some help, the benefits are clearly bigger than the costs.