Worst Foods in America 2008

Worst Foods In America 2009

Provided by Men's Health

Can an appetizer with the caloric equivalent of 13 Krispy Kreme doughnuts be justified? No. The 2,710-calorie Awesome Blossom has been purged from Chili's menu--maybe the fat-drenched appetizer couldn't withstand the scrutiny of being named one of the worst foods in America last year. No matter the reason, we applaud this waist-expanding starter's retirement.

The deep-fried onion wasn't the only thing to withdraw from this year's race-seven other items from 2008's lineup have been removed from menus. That's a step in the right direction, and it's good news for your waistline.

But three gut-bombs remain: Uno Chicago Grill's individual 2,310-calorie Classic Deep Dish is still the worst pizza that could pass your lips. Romano's Macaroni Grill's 2,430-calorie spaghetti and meatballs is a truly lethal plate of pasta. And Bob Evans' 1,543-calorie banana pecan pancakes won't just break your fast-they'll destroy it.

What's more, we found 17 more deplorable dishes worthy of spots on our "worst" list. For now, be sure to avoid them-but here's to hoping these are 20 foods we won't see on restaurant menus next year.

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20. Worst Breakfast Sandwich: Hardee's Monster Biscuit

710 calories
51 g fat (17 g saturated)
2,250 mg sodium
37 g carbohydrates

When they say "Monster," they mean it. This 700-calorie behemoth should be enough to scare anyone: It contains nearly a full day's worth of sodium and saturated fat. Instead, try the Sunrise Croissant with Bacon. It's not exactly diet-friendly, but if you're stuck at Hardee's, it's a way to escape without too much damage.

Eat This Instead!
Hardee's Sunrise Croissant with Bacon

450 calories
29 g fat (12 g saturated)
900 mg sodium
28 g carbs


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19. Worst Supermarket Meal: Marie Callender's Creamy Parmesan Chicken Pot Pie

1,060 calories
64 g fat (24 g saturated fat)
1,440 mg sodium

Marie Callender's perpetrates the ultimate sleight of hand here: the nutrition information says this medium-size entrée has two servings, but honestly, when have you ever split a potpie? Lard-strewn pastry tops and cream-based fillings are the lowest common denominators of the nutritionally nefarious potpie, and this one, with an ingredient list that reads like an O-Chem final, beats out dozens of horrendous iterations to earn this special place on our list.

Eat This Instead!
Marie Callender's Oven Baked Chicken (369 g)

320 calories
12 g fat (3 g saturated)
990 mg sodium


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18. Worst "Healthy" Sandwich: Blimpie Veggie Supreme (12")

1,106 calories
56 g fat (33 g saturated fat)
2,831 mg sodium
96 g carbohydrates

Sure, a Veggie Supreme sandwich sounds healthy, but this foot-long comes with three different kinds of cheese, and it's drenched in oil.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Sub (6" regular) and Seafood Salad

456 calories
10 g fat (2 g saturated fat)
1,260 mg sodium



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17. Worst Kids' Meal: Chili's Pepper Pals Country-Fried Chicken Crispers with Ranch Dressing and Homestyle Fries

1,110 calories
82 g fat (15 g saturated)
1,980 mg sodium
56 g carbohydrates

Most kids, if given the choice, would live on chicken fingers for the duration of their adolescent lives. If those chicken fingers happened to come from Chili's, it might be a pretty short life. A moderately active 8-year-old boy should eat around 1,600 calories a day. This single meal plows through 75 percent of that allotment. So unless he plans to eat carrots and celery sticks for the rest of the day (and we know he doesn't), find a healthier chicken alternative.

Eat This Instead!
Pepper Pals Grilled Chicken Platter with Cinnamon Apples

350 calories
11 g fat (3 g saturated)
870 mg sodium
38 g carbohydrates


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16. Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal: Dairy Queen 6-Piece Chicken Strip Basket

1,270 calories
67 g fat (11 g saturated fat)
2,910 mg sodium

The strips deliver more grams of fat than four DQ Homestyle Burgers, and nearly 300 more calories than a Large Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard.

Eat This Instead!
Grilled Chicken Salad with Fat-Free Italian Dressing

280 calories
11 g fat (5 g saturated)
1,550 mg sodium


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15. Worst Salad: T.G.I. Fridays Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad

1,360 calories
Fat: unknown (The company refuses to disclose the nutritional content of the food they're serving you.)
Sodium: unknown

Turns out Friday's monster salads aren't much better than their burgers. Six out of the seven we analyzed topped out with more than 900 calories, which means that lunchtime can be the start of something big--namely, your belly.

Eat This Instead!
Cobb Salad

590 calories
Fat: unknown (The company refuses to disclose the nutritional content of the food they're serving you.)
Sodium: unknown


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14. Worst Breakfast: Bob Evans Stacked and Stuffed Caramel Banana Pecan Hotcakes

1,543 calories
77 g fat (26 g saturated; 9 g trans)
2,259 mg sodium
198 g carbs
109 g sugars

It's not a good sign when it takes you nearly five seconds to spit out the name of your breakfast. This bad boy packs in more than 75 percent of your calories for the day, along with more sugar and fat than nine glazed Dunkin' Donuts, and nearly as much sodium as five Bloody Marys. That's why it's back on our list of the 20 Worst Foods in America again this year.

Eat This Instead!
3 Scrambled Egg Beaters with 2 slices of bacon and fresh fruit

314 calories
19.5 g fat (5 g saturated)
700 mg sodium
21 g carbs
18 g sugars



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13. Worst Fish Entrée: On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Chipotle Sauce and Refried Beans and Rice

2,440 calories
159 g fat (36 g saturated)
184 g carbohydrates
5,390 mg sodium

Fish is normally a wise, lower-calorie meat option than heavy burgers or steaks, but these tacos defy that logic. There's only three of them in this dish, but together they account for the caloric equivalent of 43 Chicken McNuggets. Add the carbohydrate-loaded refried beans and Mexican rice, and you're looking at over a full day's worth of calories in one sitting.

Eat This Instead!
Pica Shrimp Tacos

490 calories
5 g fat (1 g saturated)
78 g carbohydrates
1,650 mg sodium


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12. Worst Dessert: Romano's Macaroni Grill Dessert Ravioli

1,630 calories
74 g fat
33 g saturated fat
1150 mg sodium
223 g carbohydrates

Would you eat a Quarter Pounder for dessert? How about four? That's how many it takes to match to calorie-load of this decadent dish. It's the quickest way to ruin what may have been a sensible dinner.

Eat This Instead!
Italian Sorbetto with Biscotti

330 calories
4 g fat
0 g saturated fat
80 mg sodium
71 g carbohydrates


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