Worst fast-food chicken meal
"Chicken Selects" Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with creamy ranch sauce
830 calories
55 grams (g) fat (4.5 g trans fat)
48 g carbohydrates
The only thing "premium" about these strips is the caloric price you pay. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.
Change Your Chicken: 20 McNuggets have the same impact. Instead, choose Mickey D's six-piece offering with BBQ sauce and save yourself 530 calories.
Worst drink
"Jamba Juice" Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz)
900 calories 10 g fat
183 g carbs (166 g sugar)
Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie; we call it a milk shake. In fact, this beverage contains as much sugar as 2 pints of Ben & Jerry's butter pecan ice cream.
Turn Down the Power: Seventy-five percent of this chain's "power smoothies" contain in excess of 100 grams of sugar. Stick to Jamba's lower-calorie All Fruit Smoothies, which are the only menu items that contain no added sugar. And always opt for the 16-ounce "small."
Worst supermarket meal
"Pepperidge Farm" Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie)
1,020 calories 64 g fat
86 g carbs
The label may say this pie serves two, but who ever divided a small pot pie in half? The sad truth is, once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping -- which makes this 300 calories worse than anything else you'll find in the freezer case.
Pick a Better Pie: Swanson's chicken pot pie has just 400 calories.
Worst 'healthy' burger
"Ruby Tuesday" Bella Turkey Burger
1,145 calories 71 g fat
56 g carbs
We chose this burger for more than its calorie payload: Its name implies that it's healthy.
The Truly Healthy Choice: Skip burgers entirely (few at Ruby Tuesday come in under 1,000 calories). Instead, order a 9-ounce sirloin with a side of steamed vegetables, and keep things under 1,000 calories.
Worst kids' meal
"Macaroni Grill" Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese (good thing we NEVER go there to eat)
1,210 calories 62 g fat
3,450 mg sodium
It's like feeding your kid 1 1/2 boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese.
Your Best Option: The 390-calorie Grilled Chicken and Broccoli.
Worst sandwich
"Quiznos" Classic Italian (large)
1,528 calories 92 g fat
4,604 mg sodium 110 g carbs
A large homemade sandwich would more likely provide about 500 calories.
Cut the Calories: Isn't it obvious? Order a small -- or save half for later.
Worst salad
"Taco Bell" Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef
1,450 calories 102 g fat
78 g carbs 2,410 mg sodium
This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1,100 calories each.
The Salad for You: The Sizzling Chicken Fajita Salad supplies an acceptable 760 calories. But remember to choose a noncaloric beverage, such as water or unsweetened iced tea.
Worst dessert
"Chili's" Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream
1,600 calories
78 g fat
215 g carbs
Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.
Don't Overdo It: If you want dessert at Chili's, order one single-serving Sweet Shot; you'll cap your after-dinner intake at 310 calories.
Worst chicken entree
"Chili's" Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce
2,040 calories
99 g fat
240 g carbs
"Crispers" refers to an extra-thick layer of bread crumbs that soaks up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.
Switch Your Selection: Order the Chicken Fajita Pita: At 450 calories and 43 grams of protein, it's one of the healthiest entrées you'll find in a chain restaurant.
Worst pizza
"Uno's" Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza
2,310 calories
162 g fat
123 g carbs
4,470 mg sodium
Downing this "personal" pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.
Swap Your Slices: Switch to the Sausage Flatbread Pie and avert deep-dish disaster by nearly 1,500 calories.
Worst pasta
"Macaroni Grill" Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce
2,430 calories
128 g fat
207 g carbs
5,290 mg sodium
This meal satisfies your calorie requirements for an entire day.
Downsize the Devastation: Ask for a lunch portion of this dinner dish (or any pasta on the menu, for that matter), and request regular tomato sauce instead of meat sauce. You'll cut the calories in half.
Worst starter
"Chili's" Awesome Blossom (oh man that's a bummer, the awesome blossom is bangin!)
2,710 calories
203 g fat
194 g carbs
6,360 mg sodium
AND THE WINNER OF THE WORST FOOD IN AMERICAN IS................. DRUM ROLL PLEASE........
"Outback Steakhouse" Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing
2,900 calories
182 g fat
240 g carbs
Even if you split these "starters" with three friends, you'll have downed a dinner's worth of calories before your entrée arrives.
Super Substitutions Front-load your meal with a protein-based dish that's not deep-fried. A high-protein starter helps diminish hunger without putting you into calorie overload. And remember: Appetizers are meant to be shared.
At On the Border: Chicken Soft Tacos (250 calories each). This entrée is as close as you'll come to a healthy starter.
At Chili's: Garlic & Lime Grilled Shrimp. Look for this item in the "sides."
At Outback: Seared Ahi or Shrimp on the Barbie.
I CAN FEEL MY ARTERIES CLOGGING AS WE SPEAK!