A third of the calories Americans are eating are consumed outside the home. That's why the FDA will require all restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters and amusement parks with 20 or more locations to put calorie counts on their menus by December 1.
The Wegmans grocery chain has been doing just that on their prepared food labels -- for more than a decade.
"People really appreciate the information we put on our pin tags. If they're deciding between a broth based soup or a cream based soup, it really spells out the difference for you," said Mallary Whipple, a registered dietitian and Wegmans nutritionist.
While the general recommendation is about 2,000 calories a day, it does vary based on age, sex and lifestyle.
But a good rule to follow is making sure half your plate consists of fruits and vegetables. But calorie counts don't give you the whole picture. That's why the legislation also requires all the nutritional information be available in stores upon request.
At Wegmans, that's been available on their website for years. But ultimately it comes down to what you choose to do with that information.
"There's nothing wrong with a splurge here and there, but just being aware of that splurge is what's important," said Whipple.
Dietitians say there are a few things to watch out for.
"Saturated fat is going to be a major concern because saturated fat affects heart health. The more saturated fat you eat, the less healthy your heart is going to be. Sodium is something everybody needs to watch out for as well. You want to keep that about 500 milligrams per meal," said Whipple.
But you should actually seek out some items on the label, including protein and fiber.
"It helps you to feel full throughout the day. So it will help with weight management. But fiber also helps with heart disease prevention," said Whipple.
And the good news is once you start making healthier choices, the easier it gets.
"Our body will slowly adapt our taste buds to become used to a particular taste. You can slowly change your taste buds back to not needing so much sweet, so much salt, and so much fat," said Whipple.
In preparation for this legislation, many restaurants have already put the calorie counts on their menus, and they're noticing people starting to choose healthier options.