Do you have any idea about the number of people dine out every day in USA or Globally? The number is huge (1). It was figured out that 44% of respondents dine out once every two weeks (2) while 35.7% of respondents ate at restaurants 2-3 times/week in USA in the year of 2025 and 2024 respectively (3). Here we also need to consider not only the number of people who dine out but also the number of people involved in food producing and selling sectors directly and indirectly to the consumers. Considering the new DGAs (Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030), we really need to assess the contributions/roles of both groups-consumers and producer/seller of foods. All people in general also need to be motivated to make an expected changes in health and nutritional aspects not only in USA but also in global populations. Thus, it is important to consider multiple factors while implementing DGAs and FSG (Food Service Guidelines) which are the two key guidelines (4,5) for consumers and sellers for ensuring healthy foods.
Recent changes in DGAs have triggered mixed feelings in different groups of people, especially professionals. Some of the key professionals such as teacher, doctor, dietician, nutritionist, nurse, food scientist, etc. who are playing critical roles such as disseminating nutritional knowledge as well as dealing with different food and nutritional aspects for a long term with different cultural and educational background and concepts need to be motivated first. If they are motivated then it would be easy to convince others to make the changes by the transitional process of KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practices). It would also be easy to make changes to deliver the right message to the receivers such as school kids, students at colleges and universities, patients in hospitals, food scientists, etc. So, evidence-based supporting data along with proper dissemination approaches using appropriate audio-visual aids to provide UpToDate information are the key steps for making the intervention successful just like force feeding vs on demand feeding justifications.
Here, I would like to focus mainly on new DGAs due to major changes proposed in the context of amount, types and sources of food intake, etc. to make you healthy. It created an opportunity to modify personal and family food easily if people are accepted and challenges to implement are addressed properly using participatory approaches involving all stakeholders.
Let’s first focus on healthy fats that is one of the key changes in DGAs. People who buy food ingredients and prepare own foods, it may be easy for them to manipulate the buying, preparing and consumption options of healthy fats. What about people consuming food outside? The percentage of people who dine out daily in USA are exposed to different restaurants of different cultures, origins, etc. These settings also sell diversified food items to produce desired flavor using different fats and oils or prepare tasty native food with specific ingredients. The consumer who dines out are less or not aware about the ingredients used to prepare the foods such as fats, oils, spices, additives, etc. In addition, consumers/buyers have less time and less influence on the patterns of food serve or sold compared to homemade food served to oneself or to the family members. So, controlling/limiting use of unhealthy fats or increasing the use of healthy fats may promote a change in the use of specific foods thus may draw a change in the system of both cooking, selling, consumption and ultimately health and nutritional sectors. Another focus of DGAs is real foods and avoidance of harmful food additives. If we consider whole milk, whole grain, etc. then we still need to ensure the flow of food supply chain following the recommendation of new guidelines. Otherwise, people having food outside/order online may not get safe and whole ingredients made foods they purchased/ ordered such as ready to eat foods/meals.
(continuing…)
We got many guidelines supporting food and dietary intake overtime that were also modified based on the needs and facts known from research-based evidence. DGAs is one of new among those. A standard guideline is really needed for both sellers and consumers so that it may help to meet both short- and long-term demands of individuals and groups based on multiple factors such as availability, accessibility, purchasing power, religious aspects, etc. In addition, local and global aspects also need to be considered for modifying guidelines, especially dietary guidelines for getting/providing one’s expected foods when someone travels globally. So, National and internation collaboration based on research are warranted to support our food and dietary practices that could not be altered or change in a short period of time. Let’s think of a new way so that we may have a solution that may complement not only DGAs but also other guidelines for properly guiding people to enjoy not only homemade foods but also purchased foods to achieve and maintain their health and nutritional status.
“Let’s think about a complementary guideline for the consumers to dine out align with DGAs (Dietary Guidelines for Americans,2025–2030) and FSG (Food Service Guidelines)” (4-8)
If you are interested, you may visit following links:
Sharing Meals: May Be A Practical Option To Maintain Individual Weight | Learn Nutrition Online
References:
- 2024 Survey Reveals Evolution of American Dining Out Habits
- Frequency of eating at restaurants in the US 2025| Statista
- Eating behavior in the U.S. | Statista
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
- Food Service Guidelines | Nutrition | CDC
- Dine Out/Take Out
- Dining Out Doesn’t Mean Ditching Your Diet | American Heart Association
- Food Safety Tips for Dining Out | Restaurant Food Safety | CDC
*Featured image credit goes to https://www.pexels.com
For further learning you may visit following guidelines:
USDA Food Plans: Monthly Cost of Food Reports | Food and Nutrition Service
Current Dietary Guidelines | odphp.health.gov
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030
Nutrition Guidelines and Recommendations | Nutrition | CDC
Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans | odphp.health.gov
Healthy People 2030 | odphp.health.gov
Food-based dietary guidelines – United States
Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities
State Retail and Food Service Codes and Regulations by State | FDA
FDA Highlights Best Practices on Food Safety for Online Delivery Services | FDA