AMERICA IS KNOWN for its excesses when it comes to food.
It’s not unusual to see stories of 10 or 12 patty burgers and 3,000 calorie feasts being eaten for lunch. Despite the boom in obesity levels in the States, these meals are getting more and more unhealthy.
The Center For Science In The Public Interest has sought to bring attention to this trend since 2007 with their Xtreme Eating awards. They say that when they started in 2007, they were shocked to find 1,500-calorie entreés, but all of this year’s “winners” come close to 2,000 and some hit the 3,000 mark.
The sad truth is that it’s not hard to find Xtreme Eating winners. Virtually every chain has viable contenders. But this year, we’re giving a special XXXtreme Eating award to The Cheesecake Factory. It took three of our nine coveted spots…and, as usual, it could easily have filled all nine. Congrats!
Here are the nine winners:
Bruléed French Toast – The Cheesecake Factory
“Our Extra Thick Slices of Rustic French Bread Baked and Grilled Golden Brown. Topped with Powdered Sugar and Served with Maple- Butter Syrup with Bacon or Grilled Ham.”
That is how the restaurant chain describes its 2,780-calorie breakfast which also contains 93 grams of saturated fat (almost a full work week’s worth), 2,230 milligrams of sodium, and 24 teaspoons of sugar.
To neutralise the calories in your brunch, you’d have to swim laps for seven hours.
The A1 Peppercorn Monster Meal- Red Robin Burgers
“Hardwood-smoked bacon, melted Pepper-Jack, A.1. Peppercorn Spread, tomatoes and crispy onion straws (fried breaded onion strips)”.
All “burgers are proudly served with Bottomless Steak Fries,” so you can “proudly eat as many as you want.” You can also “Make it a Monster” by adding another (6 oz) beef patty for just $1.99 more.
Adding in a milkshake makes your Monster Meal deliver almost two days’ worth of calories (3,540), 3½ days’ saturated fat (69 grams), and four days’ sodium (6,280 milligrams), not to mention 38 teaspoons of added sugar.
It’s the equivalent of eating seven McDonald’s Double Cheeseburgers washed down with a litre of Coke.
The Big Slab – Famous Dave’s
Each slab, which is “slathered with sauce over an open flame,” yields nearly 1½ pounds of meat.
You also get two sides and a corn-bread muffin. If you choose the fries and baked beans as your sides, you’re looking at 2,770 calories (more than a day’s worth) and 54 grams of saturated fat seasoned with 4,320 milligrams of sodium and 14 teaspoons of sugar.
Deep Dish Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza – BJ’s Restaurant
“Grilled garlic chicken, Applewood smoked bacon, jack and cheddar cheese, red onions, diced tomatoes and a drizzle of ranch” doesn’t sound so heavy.
But the pound of pizza dumps 2,160 calories, 30 grams of saturated fat, and 4,680 milligrams of sodium (three days’ worth) in your lap.
Chevys Super Cinco Combo - Chevys Fresh Mex
“Two enchiladas: one beef, one chicken, a crispy or soft beef taco, a hand-rolled pork tamale and a handcrafted chile relleno.”
With that, and the rice, sweet corn and beans, the Super Cinco delivers 1,920 calories, 36 grams of saturated fat, and 3,950 milligrams of sodium.
Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic – Cheesecake Factory
It’s pasta, chicken and veg. How could it possibly be bad for you?
With the cream sauce, and because the serving size is so massive, it packs in 2,410 calories and 63 grams of saturated fat a three-day load.
The Big “Hook” Up Platter – Joe’s Crab Shack
This is a meal for one person: Great Balls of Fire (“seafood and crab balls full of jalapeños and cream cheese coated in panko breadcrumbs…served with ranch”), Fish & Chips (“flaky white fish hand dipped in a classic Samuel Adams beer batter…served with fries”), Coconut Shrimp (“jumbo shrimp hand dipped in shredded coconut with pineapple plum sauce for dipping”), Crab Stuffed Shrimp (“plump shrimp hand stuffed with crab”), hushpuppies, and coleslaw.
It works out at 3,280 calories (your fill for today and half of tomorrow), 50 grams of saturated fat, and 7,610 milligrams of sodium (no more for you for the next five days).
Prime New York Steak Contadina style - Maggiano’s Little Italy
The Italian chain offers patrons the choice of having any steak “Contadina style”. Which means you add the following, according to their website:
Two Italian Sausage links, Crispy Red Vesuvio-Style Potatoes, Roasted Red & Yellow Peppers, Roasted Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Steak Jus, and Garlic Butter.
If you clear the plate, you’ll have ingested 2,420 calories, 66 grams of saturated fat and 5,620 milligrams of sodium.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake – Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory alone could fill this list several times over. From just its dessert menu.
This is the worst offender with its 1,500 calories, 43 grams of saturated fat, and 21 teaspoons of (mostly) added sugar.
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