You have to know that when you’re tucking into some huge plate of pasta, fried food, bread, sauce, cheese, and meat at a chain restaurant, that’s probably not healthy, but do you know how unhealthy?
That’s why the Center for Science in the Public Interest is once again here to rain on everyone’s pig-out parade with its Xtreme Eating Awards for 2016, in which the organization calls out some of the most calorific, sugary, salty, and fatty meals you’ll find at your local strip mall:
Applebee’s “Build Your Sampler”
•Calories: 3,390 calories total (Cheeseburger Egg Rolls: 630 calories; Brew Pub Pretzels & Beer Cheese Dip: 510 calories; Chicken Quesadilla: 610 calories; Boneless Wings w/Classic Buffalo Sauce: 440 calories [240 calories for bleu cheese dressing]; Spinach & Artichoke Dip 960 calories).
•Saturated Fat: 65 grams
•Sodium: 11,650 mg
Even if you split this handpicked array of apps among four people, you’re still looking at 850 calories each. According to CSPI, that’s about the same as eating an Applebee’s Classic Burger with cheddar cheese.
Maggiano’s “Marco’s Meal For Two”
•Calories: 2,830 calories total per person (Mozzarella Marinara: 1,530 calories; Taylor Street Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage: 1,410 calories; Fettuccini Alfredo: 1,560 calories; Warm Apple Crostada: 1,150 calories)
•Saturated Fat: 77g
•Sodium: 6,400mg
Another build-your-own type meal, this mix at Maggiano’s is meant for two people but even then each person is getting more than a full day’s calories, and four days of saturated fat and sodium.
Cheesecake Factory: Fried Chicken & Waffles Benedict
•Calories: 2,580 calories
•Saturated Fat: 86g
•Sodium: 3,390mg
“Belgian waffle topped with crispy fried chicken strips, poached eggs and Hollandaise” sounds pretty tasty — oh, it also comes with a side of potatoes? Even better!
Of course, unless you’re an NFL defensive end trying to put on weight, you’ve probably already eaten your full calories for the day, not to mention enough sodium for today and tomorrow, and four days of saturated fat.
CSPI says this one meal is like eating two Marie Callender’s one-pound Chicken Pot Pies… topped with half a stick of butter and a quarter cup of maple syrup.
Dave & Buster’s: Short Rib & Cheesy Mac Stack
•Calories: 1,910 calories
•Saturated Fat: 42g
•Sodium: 3,390mg
Short rib meat on “thick slices of sourdough” with a gooey slathering of mac & cheese — and don’t forget the “crispy seasoned tots” on the side. You might as well chow down on three Big Macs and a medium order of french fries for what you’re getting at D&B.
SONIC: Grape Slush with Rainbow Candy
•Calories: 970 calories
SONIC Slushes are already calorific to begin with, so adding a bunch of candy is going over the top. CSPI says this drink is the equivalent of gobbling down 1.25 cups of sugar, or 120 ounces of Fanta Wild Cherry Slurpee from 7-Eleven.
Romano’s Macaroni Grill: Cremini Pork Shank
•Calories: 1,800 calories (add 2,280 for “Rosemary Peasant Bread”)
•Saturated Fat: 43g
•Sodium: 3,700mg
You can feel your mouth watering (and belt busting) as you read about this meal’s “Braised pork shank, marsala wine sauce, caramelized onions, mushrooms, roasted parmesan potatoes.” CSPI says this is the same as eating two Outback Steakhouse 10 oz. Ribeye Steaks, each with a side of seasoned french fries.
Uno Pizzeria & Grill: Whole Hog Burger
•Calories: 2,850 calories
•Saturated Fat: 62g
•Sodium: 9,790mg
With over a full pound of meat — including ground beef, sausage, bacon, prosciutto and pepperoni — four types of cheese, garlic mayo, pickles, fries & onion rings… it’s actually a bit of a surprise to us this one came in under 3,000 calories.
This uno burger is like eating four McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with Cheese and two medium fries.
Jersey Mike’s: Chipotle Cheese Steak
•Calories: 1,850 calories
•Saturated Fat: 30g
•Sodium: 4,330mg
Fourteen inches of “freshly grilled steak, melted white American cheese, peppers and onions… drizzled with our spicy chipotle mayo” is the same as eating 24 inches of Subway Roast Beef subs.
Buffalo Wild Wings: Dessert Nachos
•Calories: 2,100 calories
•Saturated Fat: 64g
Polish off all those wings and beer with a “crispy flour tortilla sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, loaded with ice cream and our gooey breaded cheesecake bites, all topped with chocolate and caramel sauce.”
“It’s like eating four Taco Bell Crunchy Tacos (filled with beef and cheese) topped with a 14 oz. container of Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream and two melted Hershey’s Milk Chocolate bars,” says CSPI.
by Chris Morran via Consumerist
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