The other day I came across this article on My Yahoo. I really love looking at the articles on there. I learn some interesting things from there. Anyways. I have never really liked fast food or eating out. (it depends on the restaurant we go to) Although recently I have been eating out a bit more. This article reminded me of why I don't like fast food. When you eat out it is really easy to go overboard on calories and all of that stuff. Because you don't actually know what the count is because their is no food label. Anyways there is also alternatives to help make your favorite foods a little healthier. Although some of the things I think could be made even healthier it just depends on your preference. So i hope you enjoy!
Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with creamy ranch sauce
830 calories
55 g fat
(4.5 g trans fat)
48 g carbs
The only thing "premium" about these strips is the caloric price you pay. Add a large fires and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal to
ps out at 1,710 calories.
Change Your Chicken: 20 McNuggets have the same impact. Instead, choose Mickey D's six-piece offering with BBQ sauce and save yourself 530 calories.
19. Worst Drink
Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz)
900 calories
10 g fat
183 g carbs
(166 g sugar)
Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie; we call it a milk shake. In fact, this beverage contains more sugar than two pints of Ben and Jerry's Butter Pecan ice cream.
Turn Down the Power: Seventy-five percent of this chain's "power smoothies" contain in excess of 100 grams of sugar. Stick to Jamba's lower-calorie All Fruit Smoothies, which are the only menu items that contain no added sugar. And always opt for the 16-ounce "small."
18. Worst Supermarket Meal
Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie)
1,020 calories
64 g fat
86 g carbs
The label may say this pie serves two, but who ever divided a small pot pie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.
Pick a Better Pie: Swanson's pot pie has just 400 calories.
17. Worst "Healthy" Burger
Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger
1,145 calories
71 g fat
56 g carbs
We chose this burger for more than its calorie payload: It's name implies that it's healthy.
The Truly Healthy Choice: Skip burgers entirely ( few at Ruby Tuesday come in under 1,000 calories). Instead, order a 9-ounce sirloin with a side of steamed vegetables.
16. Worst Mexican Entree
Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito
1,179 calories
7 g fat
125 g carbs
2,656 mg sodium
Despite a reputation for using healthy, fresh ingredients, Chipotle's menu is liited to king-size burritos, overstuffed tacos, and gigantic salads - all of which lead to a humongous waistline
Make Over the Menu: There are two ways to make a Chipotle bu
rrito healthy enough to eat:
(1) 86 the rice and tortilla and request your meat, vegetables, and beans served in a bowl, or
(2) Bring a friend and saw the burrito in half.
15. Worst Kid's Meal
Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese
1,210 calories
62 g fat
3,450 mg sodium
It's like feeding you kid 1 1/2 boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese.
Your Best Option: The 390-calorie Grilled Chicken and Broccoli.
14. Worst Sandwich
Quizno's Classic Italian (large)
1,490 calories
85 g fat
4,510 mg sodium
96 g carbs
A large homemade sandwich would more likely provide about 500 calories.
Cut the Calories: Isn't it obvious? Order a small - save half for later.
13. Worst Salad
On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef
1,450 calories
102 g fat
78 g carbs
2,410 mg sodium
This isn't anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1,100 calories each.
The Salad for You: The sizzling Chicken Fajita Salad supplies an acceptable 760 calories. But remember to choose a noncaloric beverage, such as water or unsweetened iced tea.
12. Worst Burger
Carl's Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger
1,520 calories
111 g fat
Carl's brags about this, but also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site - so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.
A Simple Solution: The Low Carb Six Dollar Burger has just 490 calories.
11. Worst Steak
Lonestar 20 0z. T-bone
1,540 calories
124 g fat
Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700-calorie blowout.
Make the Cut: Stick to fillets and sirloins on steakhouses - they're the two leanest cuts of beef.
10. Worst Breakfast
Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes.
1,540 calories
77 g fat
(9 g trans fat)
198 g carbs
(109 g sugar)
Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as these sugar-stuffed flapjacks.
Order This Instead: The Western Omelet has 654 calories and 44 grams of protein.
9. Worst Dessert
Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
1,600 calories
78 g fat
215 g carbs
Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.
Don't Overdo It: If you want dessert at Chili's, order one single-serving Sweet Shot; you'll cap you after-dinner intake at 310 calories.
8. Worst Chinese Entree
P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein
1,820 calories
127 g fat
95 g carbs
The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbohydrates it contains. Now do you really need five servings of pasta?
Pick another Noodle: P.F. Chang's Singapore Street Noodles will satisfy your cravings with only 570 calories. Or try the Moo Goo Gai Pan or the Ginger Chicken & Broccoli, which have 660 calories each.
7. Worst Chicken Entree
Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce
2,040 calories
99 g fat
240 g carbs
"Crispers" refers to an extra-thick layer of bread crumbs that soaks up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.
Switch Your Selection: Order the Chicken Fajita Pita: At 450 calories and 43 grams of protein, it's one of the healthiest entrees you'll find a chain restaurant.
6. Worst Fish Entree
On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans
2,100 calories
130 g fat
169 g carbs
4,750 mg sodium
Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories.
Lighten the Load: Ask for grilled fish, choose the corn tortillas instead of flour (they're lower in calories and higher in fiber). and swap out the carbohydrate-loaded rice for grilled vegetables.
5. Worst Pizza
Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza
2,310 calories
162 g fat
123 g carbs
4,470 mg sodium
Downing this "personal" pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.
4. Worst Pasta
Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce
2,430 calories
128 g fat
207 g carbs
5,290 mg sodium
This meal satisfies you calorie requirements for an entire day.
Downsize the Devastation: Ask for a lunch portion of this dinner dish (or any pasta on the menu, for, that matter), and request regular tomato sauce instead of meat sauce. You'll cut the calories in half.
3. Worst Nachos
On the Border Stacked Border Nachos
2,740 calories
166 g fat
191 g carbs
5,280 mg sodium
More fat and sodium than you should be eating in one meal, let alone in a single appetizer.
Nix the Nachos: Start with a Chicken Soft Taco instead. At 250 calories apiece, this entree is as close as you'll come to a healthy starter.
2. Worst Starter
Chili's Awesome Blossom
2,710 calories
203 g fat
194 g carbs
6,360 mg sodium
It takes a special talent to turn a single oversized onion into the fat equivalent of 67 slices of bacon, but the line cooks at Chili's manage this horrific feat with the help of a thick batter, a calorie-loaded dipping sauce, and a vat of bubbling fat.
Sidestep the Calorie Surge: Order a few skewers of lean Garlic & Lime Grilled Shrimp from the sides menu. It's one of the decent ways to start a meal at Chili's
1. The Worst Food in America
Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing
2,900 calories
182 g fat
240 g carbs
This weapon of mass construction is the caloric equivalent of eating 14 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, before you dinner arrives. Even if you split these "starters" with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before your entree arrives.
Super Substitution: Both the seared Ahi and the Shrimp on the Barbie offer a big dose of protein, which helps diminish hunger without putting you into calorie overload.
