Health-conscious The Cheesecake Factory fans rejoice. Starting August 9, the national restaurant chain will unveil its new "SkinnyLicious" menu, according to today's news release. The new menu offers 50 items that rank much lower in calorie count than the currently offered eats. Remember the Cheesecake Factory mentions in the Center for Science in the Public Interest's 2011 Xtreme Eating Awards? more ›

The tagline for the release covering the 2011 Xtreme Eating "awards" list is the very un-ironic phrase "Big eats...big Americans." The annual report put out by the Center for Science in the Public Interest points out a few of the nation's biggest gut buster menu items available around the country from some familiar restaurants. So if you're looking to pack on the pounds (or don't mind a big time gross out) take note of these enormous edibles. more ›

New York City, Boston, Philadelphia have all done it, but California this week will become the first state to ban trans fat from restaurants. Assembly Bill 97, which worked its way through the state legislatures and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008 finally becomes law New Year's Day, reports the Sacramento Bee. more ›

A new nutritional information and menu labeling law will take effect next Wednesday, forcing many restaurants in the state to provide facts about the food they serve. Split into two phases, the first one next week states that restaurants with 20 or more locations in California must provide brochures at the point of purchase with number of calories, grams of saturated fat, grams of carbohydrates and milligrams of sodium for all standard menu items. more ›

"Chain restaurants in California will have to display calorie counts with each menu item -- the first state law of its kind in the nation -- under legislation that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to sign today," reports the LA Times today about a bill by Valley Assemblyman Alex Padilla who says "the way Californians order food is about to change. All Californians will soon be empowered with reliable, accessible nutrition information... that will help them make more informed, healthier choices." The law begins July 1, 2009 for restaurants with 20 or more locations within the state. more ›

In an attempt to give the public more information about the nutritional value of the fast food they're consuming, County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky is presenting a proposal next week that would require fast food restaurants to post calorie counts on menus:

If the measure is successful, Los Angeles County would be following in the footsteps of New York and a handful of other municipalities nationwide that already have implemented calorie counts on the menus at major restaurant chains, or are taking steps to do so. more ›

Real quick, how many calories do you think this measly lunch would be? more ›