J Craig
2009-04-28 23:57:22 UTC
http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100237479>
1=31036
The Worst Restaurant Foods for Kids
By Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men's Health
Men's Health
Childhood obesity rates in America have tripled since 1980. Today, 16
percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight or obese.
In addition to those 9 million children who are already in trouble, an
additional 15 percent of American kids are classified as at risk of
becoming overweight or obese.
Were not just talking baby fat here70 percent of overweight adolescents
end up overweight or obese in adulthood. And since obesity increases your
odds of heart attack, stroke, and early death of all causes (sometimes by
as much as 33 percent), consider the impact of an entire generation of
overweight children on our countrys health care systemand families. Its
a chilling thought, especially if one of those children is your own.
In spite of these terrifying statistics, the restaurant industry has done
little to help combat the problem. If anything, the overstuffed, fat- and
calorie-packed kids meals on many chain restaurants menus indicate that
theyre just making things worse. Whats even more frustrating is that its
hard to tell how goodor atrociousany particular food item can be just by
looking at the name. Who knew a kids turkey burger could pack half a days
worth of calories? Or a simple plate of spaghetti and red sauce could have
the sodium equivalent of FOUR large orders of McDonalds french fries?
Luckily, Eat This, Not That! is here to help you order smart and sensible
food for your children when youre eating away from home. Skip these
dietary disasters to help keep your kids lean, strong, and healthy.
Worst Kids Side: Bob Evans Smiley Face Potatoes
524 calories
31 g fat (6 g saturated, 0 g trans)
646 mg sodium
57 g carbs
Not even an extended bath in hot oil could wipe the grins from the faces of
these creepy-looking potatoes. When eating out, side dishes make or break a
meal, and with more fat and calories than Bobs Sirloin Steak, this side
falls woefully into the latter category. Let this be a lesson to all the
kids out there: Just because theyre smiling doesnt mean theyre nice.
Choose the Home Fries instead for a fraction the calories and a quarter the
fat.
Eat This, Instead: Home Fries
86 calories
7 g fat (1 g saturated)
547 mg sodium
27 g carbs
Worst Kids Sandwich: Au Bon Pain Kids Grilled Cheese
670 calories
41 g fat (25 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,060 mg sodium
Au Bon Pain turns a simple sandwich into a complicated messthis grilled
cheese has as much saturated fat as 25 strips of bacon! The Au Bon Pain
kids menu contains just as many items over 500 calories as under, so its
important to be vigilant. Choose the small mac n cheese to satisfy your
kids cheese cravings for a mere one-third the calories and none of the
heart-harming trans fats. And to keep your own diet trans fat-free, avoid
any item on this list of the trans-fattiest foods in America.
Eat This, Instead: Kids Macaroni and Cheese
250 calories
14 g fat (9 g saturated, 0 g trans)
Worst Kids Mexican Meal: On the Border Cheese Quesadilla
850 calories
66 g fat (26 g saturated)
1,250 mg sodium
26 g carbs
This quesadilla accounts for half the calories your child should consume in
an entire day (thats nearly 3 McDonalds cheeseburgers, for comparison).
It also comes super-stuffed with sodium, which is especially bad for kids
because it makes them thirsty, which means theyre more likely to drink an
excess of super-sweetened, high-calorie fruit juice or soda to compensate.
Talk about a real diet disaster. Choose a soft chicken taco, but order it
without the fat- and calorie-packed rice and beans.
Eat This, Instead: Soft Chicken Taco
250 calories
11 g fat (4.5 g saturated)
910 mg sodium
24 g carbs
Worst Kids Healthy Burger: Ruby Tuesday Kids' Turkey Minis and Fries
873 calories
46 g fat
88 g carbs
(Sodium content not listed)
In a perfect world, ground turkey is leaner than ground beef and a turkey
burger is a decent thing to feed your kid. But Ruby Tuesday finds a way to
confound all expectations by cramming half a days worth of calories into
these tiny burgers. We chose the turkey version because it presents itself
as a healthier alternative to the beef burgers, but in reality it has only
44 fewer calories than the mini-cheeseburger with fries. Not exactly a
healthy alternative at all. Discover other atrocious health foods on
our list of the 14 worst healthy foods in America.
Eat This, Instead: Chop Steak with Mashed Potatoes
403 calories
30 g fat
15 g carbs
Worst Kids Spaghetti: Romanos Macaroni Grill Fettuccine Alfredo
890 calories
67 g fat (38 g saturated)
1,450 mg sodium
53 g carbs
This simple dish of spaghetti and white sauce serves up nearly
three-fourths of your kids daily sodium allowanceor, about as much salt
as youd find in 4 large orders of McDonalds french fries. Its also
packed with saturated fat and has the caloric equivalent of 6 Hostess
Twinkies. Order a kids cheese pizza to trim nearly half the calories away.
Discover other cool calorie-saving tricks from 10 ways to make fast-food
healthy.
Eat This, Instead: Mona Lisas Cheese Masterpizza
480 calories
14 g fat (8 g saturated)
940 mg sodium
62 g carbs
Worst Kids Drink: Baskin Robbins Made with M&Ms shake (small)
980 calories
36 g fat (22 g saturated, 1 g trans)
129 g sugars
153 g carbs
Its a marvel of modern food science that Baskin Robbins can fit this much
fat and sugar into a 16-ounce cup. To do so, it took a reckless sense of
abandon and over 70 ingredients (including many from this list of the most
controversial food additives). All told, it has more calories than 4 packs
of M&Ms and as much sugar as youll find in 13 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed
Doughnuts! A word of warning about super-sweetened drinks: the average
American consumes an extra 400 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages
every day. The fastest way to see your kids belly grow is to feed him
super-sweetened juices, smoothies, sodas and milkshakes. The Drink This,
Instead: Smoothie should be consumed only as a dessert, and only on very
special occasions.
Drink This, Instead: Strawberry Citrus Fruit Blast (small)
350 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated, 0 g trans)
85 g sugars
89 g carbs
Worst Kids Meal in America: Chilis Pepper Pals Little Chicken Crispers
with Ranch Dressing and Homestyle Fries
1,110 calories
82 g fat (15 g saturated)
1,980 mg sodium
56 g carbs
Most kids, if given the choice, would live on chicken fingers for the
duration of their childhood. If those chicken fingers happened to come from
Chilis, 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 doesnt), find a healthier
chicken alternative. Chilis Pepper Pals menu has one of the most extensive
collections of kids entrees and side dishes in America, all of which prove
considerably healthier than this fried chicken disaster.
Eat This, Instead: Pepper Pals Grilled Chicken Platter with Cinnamon Apples
340 calories
8 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
755 mg sodium
38 g carbs
The trouble with your kids waistlines isnt limited to fat-packed entrees
and oil-dripping sides. Avoid any of these 14 worst healthy smoothies no
matter how much your kid begs. As for food that you can feed your kids,
check out our list of the best foods for kids. It should show you that the
battle with the bulge isnt over yet.
Provided by Men's Health
1=31036
The Worst Restaurant Foods for Kids
By Dave Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Men's Health
Men's Health
Childhood obesity rates in America have tripled since 1980. Today, 16
percent of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight or obese.
In addition to those 9 million children who are already in trouble, an
additional 15 percent of American kids are classified as at risk of
becoming overweight or obese.
Were not just talking baby fat here70 percent of overweight adolescents
end up overweight or obese in adulthood. And since obesity increases your
odds of heart attack, stroke, and early death of all causes (sometimes by
as much as 33 percent), consider the impact of an entire generation of
overweight children on our countrys health care systemand families. Its
a chilling thought, especially if one of those children is your own.
In spite of these terrifying statistics, the restaurant industry has done
little to help combat the problem. If anything, the overstuffed, fat- and
calorie-packed kids meals on many chain restaurants menus indicate that
theyre just making things worse. Whats even more frustrating is that its
hard to tell how goodor atrociousany particular food item can be just by
looking at the name. Who knew a kids turkey burger could pack half a days
worth of calories? Or a simple plate of spaghetti and red sauce could have
the sodium equivalent of FOUR large orders of McDonalds french fries?
Luckily, Eat This, Not That! is here to help you order smart and sensible
food for your children when youre eating away from home. Skip these
dietary disasters to help keep your kids lean, strong, and healthy.
Worst Kids Side: Bob Evans Smiley Face Potatoes
524 calories
31 g fat (6 g saturated, 0 g trans)
646 mg sodium
57 g carbs
Not even an extended bath in hot oil could wipe the grins from the faces of
these creepy-looking potatoes. When eating out, side dishes make or break a
meal, and with more fat and calories than Bobs Sirloin Steak, this side
falls woefully into the latter category. Let this be a lesson to all the
kids out there: Just because theyre smiling doesnt mean theyre nice.
Choose the Home Fries instead for a fraction the calories and a quarter the
fat.
Eat This, Instead: Home Fries
86 calories
7 g fat (1 g saturated)
547 mg sodium
27 g carbs
Worst Kids Sandwich: Au Bon Pain Kids Grilled Cheese
670 calories
41 g fat (25 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,060 mg sodium
Au Bon Pain turns a simple sandwich into a complicated messthis grilled
cheese has as much saturated fat as 25 strips of bacon! The Au Bon Pain
kids menu contains just as many items over 500 calories as under, so its
important to be vigilant. Choose the small mac n cheese to satisfy your
kids cheese cravings for a mere one-third the calories and none of the
heart-harming trans fats. And to keep your own diet trans fat-free, avoid
any item on this list of the trans-fattiest foods in America.
Eat This, Instead: Kids Macaroni and Cheese
250 calories
14 g fat (9 g saturated, 0 g trans)
Worst Kids Mexican Meal: On the Border Cheese Quesadilla
850 calories
66 g fat (26 g saturated)
1,250 mg sodium
26 g carbs
This quesadilla accounts for half the calories your child should consume in
an entire day (thats nearly 3 McDonalds cheeseburgers, for comparison).
It also comes super-stuffed with sodium, which is especially bad for kids
because it makes them thirsty, which means theyre more likely to drink an
excess of super-sweetened, high-calorie fruit juice or soda to compensate.
Talk about a real diet disaster. Choose a soft chicken taco, but order it
without the fat- and calorie-packed rice and beans.
Eat This, Instead: Soft Chicken Taco
250 calories
11 g fat (4.5 g saturated)
910 mg sodium
24 g carbs
Worst Kids Healthy Burger: Ruby Tuesday Kids' Turkey Minis and Fries
873 calories
46 g fat
88 g carbs
(Sodium content not listed)
In a perfect world, ground turkey is leaner than ground beef and a turkey
burger is a decent thing to feed your kid. But Ruby Tuesday finds a way to
confound all expectations by cramming half a days worth of calories into
these tiny burgers. We chose the turkey version because it presents itself
as a healthier alternative to the beef burgers, but in reality it has only
44 fewer calories than the mini-cheeseburger with fries. Not exactly a
healthy alternative at all. Discover other atrocious health foods on
our list of the 14 worst healthy foods in America.
Eat This, Instead: Chop Steak with Mashed Potatoes
403 calories
30 g fat
15 g carbs
Worst Kids Spaghetti: Romanos Macaroni Grill Fettuccine Alfredo
890 calories
67 g fat (38 g saturated)
1,450 mg sodium
53 g carbs
This simple dish of spaghetti and white sauce serves up nearly
three-fourths of your kids daily sodium allowanceor, about as much salt
as youd find in 4 large orders of McDonalds french fries. Its also
packed with saturated fat and has the caloric equivalent of 6 Hostess
Twinkies. Order a kids cheese pizza to trim nearly half the calories away.
Discover other cool calorie-saving tricks from 10 ways to make fast-food
healthy.
Eat This, Instead: Mona Lisas Cheese Masterpizza
480 calories
14 g fat (8 g saturated)
940 mg sodium
62 g carbs
Worst Kids Drink: Baskin Robbins Made with M&Ms shake (small)
980 calories
36 g fat (22 g saturated, 1 g trans)
129 g sugars
153 g carbs
Its a marvel of modern food science that Baskin Robbins can fit this much
fat and sugar into a 16-ounce cup. To do so, it took a reckless sense of
abandon and over 70 ingredients (including many from this list of the most
controversial food additives). All told, it has more calories than 4 packs
of M&Ms and as much sugar as youll find in 13 Krispy Kreme Original Glazed
Doughnuts! A word of warning about super-sweetened drinks: the average
American consumes an extra 400 calories from sugar-sweetened beverages
every day. The fastest way to see your kids belly grow is to feed him
super-sweetened juices, smoothies, sodas and milkshakes. The Drink This,
Instead: Smoothie should be consumed only as a dessert, and only on very
special occasions.
Drink This, Instead: Strawberry Citrus Fruit Blast (small)
350 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated, 0 g trans)
85 g sugars
89 g carbs
Worst Kids Meal in America: Chilis Pepper Pals Little Chicken Crispers
with Ranch Dressing and Homestyle Fries
1,110 calories
82 g fat (15 g saturated)
1,980 mg sodium
56 g carbs
Most kids, if given the choice, would live on chicken fingers for the
duration of their childhood. If those chicken fingers happened to come from
Chilis, 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 doesnt), find a healthier
chicken alternative. Chilis Pepper Pals menu has one of the most extensive
collections of kids entrees and side dishes in America, all of which prove
considerably healthier than this fried chicken disaster.
Eat This, Instead: Pepper Pals Grilled Chicken Platter with Cinnamon Apples
340 calories
8 g fat (2.5 g saturated)
755 mg sodium
38 g carbs
The trouble with your kids waistlines isnt limited to fat-packed entrees
and oil-dripping sides. Avoid any of these 14 worst healthy smoothies no
matter how much your kid begs. As for food that you can feed your kids,
check out our list of the best foods for kids. It should show you that the
battle with the bulge isnt over yet.
Provided by Men's Health