Attack Of The 2,000 Calorie Appetizers

We all know that eating out can be unhealthy, but would you really imagine that your appetizer had 2,000 calories? Enough calories for a full day? According to the CSPI’s Press Release, there might be more calories in your appetizer, or your entree, than you’d probably imagine. Uh, a lot more. For example, from the CSPI:

Ruby Tuesday’s “Fresh Chicken & Broccoli Pasta.” Pity the poor diner who thinks this healthy sounding entr

e is on the light side: Thanks to its parmesan cream sauce and layer of melted cheese, the 2,060 calories and 128 grams of fat make it the equivalent of two 12-ounce sirloin steaks, two buttered baked potatoes, and two Caesar salads.

We’re sorry, that’s just gross. Or how about this appetizer from Uno Chicago Grill:

Uno Chicago Grill’s “Pizza Skins.” “We start with our famous deep dish crust, add mozzarella and red bliss mashed potatoes, and top it off with crispy bacon, cheddar, and sour cream,” says the menu. The menu doesn’t disclose that this fusion of pizza and potato skins–which is meant to precede a meal of pizza–packs 2,050 calories, 48 grams of saturated fat, and 3,140 milligrams of sodium (more than a day’s worth). “Even if you split it with two other people, it’s like eating dinner before your dinner even hits the table,” Jacobson said.

Nutritional info really should be available, don’t you think?—MEGHANN MARCO

X-treme Eating (PDF) [CSPI]

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