Fast Food Quiz: Calories vs. Nutrition

[Adam's Apple]

1. What would be the best way to trim more than 300 calories from a meal at McDonald's?
A. Order apple dippers with low-fat caramel dip instead of small fries.
B. Hold the crispy chicken on your premium salad.
C. Choose bottled water or a diet soft drink instead of a large soft drink.
D. Use only half the packet of Newman's Ranch or Creamy Caesar dressing.

2. You're looking for a low-cal, fast-food breakfast. What's your best bet?
A. Egg McMuffin from McDonald's.
B. Grande White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks with whipped cream.
C. Chocolate croissant from Au Bon Pain.
D. Classic cinnamon roll from Cinnabon.

3. Which of these national chains does not offer complete nutritional information on its Web site?
A. Bob Evans.
B. Quiznos.
C. Baskin Robbins.
D. Krispy Kreme.

4. The kids are clamoring for a fast-food dinner. You want to cater to them but not blow your family's healthy eating habits. Which dinner will do the least damage to your diet?
A. Two slices of a Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut.
B. Fiesta taco salad from Taco Bell.
C. Chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy from KFC.
D. A medium roast beef sandwich from Arby's with regular order of onion petals.

5. It's been a month of Starbucks grande pumpkin lattes with whipped cream at 480 calories a pop and you can't quite button your pants. Sure, switching to straight coffee would be the least caloric option, but short of that, what can you do to get your caffeine and calcium morning fix?
A. Sub in nonfat milk.
B. Stick with whole milk and order a grande cappucino.
C. Downsize to a tall pumpkin spice latte and give up the whip.
D. Go in a completely different direction with a tall, caramel Frappucino.

6. Which of these over-the-top burger and fries meals tops the scales?
A. Big Bacon Classic and large fries from Wendy's.
B. An Angus Bacon and Cheese and large fries from Burger King.
C. Double Quarter Pounder with cheese and large fries from McDonald's.
D. Double Thickburger and large fries from Hardee's.

7. Many places now offer a full line of salads. But even salads can be hidden calorie bombs. What's your best bet if you're feeling green but want to keep your salad as slender as possible?
A. Go for grilled rather than crispy chicken on an Asian salad from McDonald's with Newman's own low-fat ginger sesame dressing.
B. Splurge on the Asian sesame chicken salad with dressing from Panera Bread.
C. Lose the crispy noodles from Wendy's Mandarin chicken salad, but go with the roasted almonds and dressing.
D. Substitute lite honey mustard dressing for the Asian sesame dressing on the Thai chicken salad from Au Bon Pain.

8. OK, OK, so Jared lost nearly 250 pounds by eating two Subway sandwiches a day, but let's say you have high blood pressure and have to watch your salt intake. How do the calories and sodium stack up on these sandwiches?
A. Subway's 6-inch ham sandwich.
B. Jimmy John's Slim Tom, a plain turkey sub.
C. Lite size grilled vegetarian sandwich from Penn Station East Coast subs.
D. Grilled chicken panini from Fazoli's.

9. Slurp, slurp. There's nothing like a milkshake, especially when it comes to packing on the pounds. If you're craving something cold, sweet and creamy, what's the least caloric way to indulge?
A. Small original vanilla Frosty from Wendy's.
B. Regular Bits n Pieces milkshake with M&M's from Steak 'n Shake.
C. Small Oreo Cookie Blizzard from Dairy Queen.
D. 20-ounce Raspberry Delite smoothie with yogurt from TCBY.

10. You're tired of fast food and want a sit-down meal. Many eateries now bill certain "healthy meals" as alternatives to their better known, higher-calorie fare. How healthy are these meals?
A. Tortilla chicken melt from Applebee's Weight Watchers menu.
B. Grilled chicken with green beans and tomatoes from Denny's Fit Fare.
C. Zen chicken pot stickers from TGIF's low-fat menu.
D. Black angus sirloin sizzling low-carb fajita salad from Don Pablo's.


Answers posted on Thursday. When you read the information given in the answers to the above, you will understand why America is a nation of fat people.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

1. What would be the best way to trim more than 300 calories from a meal at McDonald's?
A. Order apple dippers with low-fat caramel dip instead of small fries.
B. Hold the crispy chicken on your premium salad.
C. Choose bottled water or a diet soft drink instead of a large soft drink.
D. Use only half the packet of Newman's Ranch or Creamy Caesar dressing.
Any of the above 3?

2. You're looking for a low-cal, fast-food breakfast. What's your best bet?
A. Egg McMuffin from McDonald's.
B. Grande White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks with whipped cream.
C. Chocolate croissant from Au Bon Pain.
D. Classic cinnamon roll from Cinnabon.
None of these?


3. Which of these national chains does not offer complete nutritional information on its Web site?
A. Bob Evans.
B. Quiznos.
C. Baskin Robbins.
D. Krispy Kreme.

4. The kids are clamoring for a fast-food dinner. You want to cater to them but not blow your family's healthy eating habits. Which dinner will do the least damage to your diet?
A. Two slices of a Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut.
B. Fiesta taco salad from Taco Bell.
C. Chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy from KFC.
D. A medium roast beef sandwich from Arby's with regular order of onion petals.

5. It's been a month of Starbucks grande pumpkin lattes with whipped cream at 480 calories a pop and you can't quite button your pants. Sure, switching to straight coffee would be the least caloric option, but short of that, what can you do to get your caffeine and calcium morning fix?
A. Sub in nonfat milk - and skip the whipped cream
B. Stick with whole milk and order a grande cappucino.
C. Downsize to a tall pumpkin spice latte and give up the whip.
D. Go in a completely different direction with a tall, caramel Frappucino.

6. Which of these over-the-top burger and fries meals tops the scales?
A. Big Bacon Classic and large fries from Wendy's.
B. An Angus Bacon and Cheese and large fries from Burger King.
C. Double Quarter Pounder with cheese and large fries from McDonald's.
D. Double Thickburger and large fries from Hardee's.

7. Many places now offer a full line of salads. But even salads can be hidden calorie bombs. What's your best bet if you're feeling green but want to keep your salad as slender as possible?
A. Go for grilled rather than crispy chicken on an Asian salad from McDonald's with Newman's own low-fat ginger sesame dressing.
B. Splurge on the Asian sesame chicken salad with dressing from Panera Bread.
C. Lose the crispy noodles from Wendy's Mandarin chicken salad, but go with the roasted almonds and dressing.
D. Substitute lite honey mustard dressing for the Asian sesame dressing on the Thai chicken salad from Au Bon Pain.

8. OK, OK, so Jared lost nearly 250 pounds by eating two Subway sandwiches a day, but let's say you have high blood pressure and have to watch your salt intake. How do the calories and sodium stack up on these sandwiches?
A. Subway's 6-inch ham sandwich.
B. Jimmy John's Slim Tom, a plain turkey sub.
C. Lite size grilled vegetarian sandwich from Penn Station East Coast subs.
D. Grilled chicken panini from Fazoli's.
not sure what you're asking...which is lowest in calories and sodium? if so, I pick B, Jimmy Johns Turkey Tom plain.

9. Slurp, slurp. There's nothing like a milkshake, especially when it comes to packing on the pounds. If you're craving something cold, sweet and creamy, what's the least caloric way to indulge?
A. Small original vanilla Frosty from Wendy's.
B. Regular Bits n Pieces milkshake with M&M's from Steak 'n Shake.
C. Small Oreo Cookie Blizzard from Dairy Queen.
D. 20-ounce Raspberry Delite smoothie with yogurt from TCBY.

10. You're tired of fast food and want a sit-down meal. Many eateries now bill certain "healthy meals" as alternatives to their better known, higher-calorie fare. How healthy are these meals?
A. Tortilla chicken melt from Applebee's Weight Watchers menu.
B. Grilled chicken with green beans and tomatoes from Denny's Fit Fare.
C. Zen chicken pot stickers from TGIF's low-fat menu.
D. Black angus sirloin sizzling low-carb fajita salad from Don Pablo's.
again, not sure what you're asking...which is healthiest? If so, I pick B, then A...

Weight Watchers has made me pretty aware of what you can do to maximize your meals for the least amount of points.

 

[Adam's Apple]

For the answers, go here:

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061017/LIVING01/610170309/1007/LIVING

 

[Nienna]

1. What would be the best way to trim more than 300 calories from a meal at McDonald's?
A. Order apple dippers with low-fat caramel dip instead of small fries.
B. Hold the crispy chicken on your premium salad.
C. Choose bottled water or a diet soft drink instead of a large soft drink.
D. Use only half the packet of Newman's Ranch or Creamy Caesar dressing.

2. You're looking for a low-cal, fast-food breakfast. What's your best bet?
A. Egg McMuffin from McDonald's.
B. Grande White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks with whipped cream.
C. Chocolate croissant from Au Bon Pain.
D. Classic cinnamon roll from Cinnabon.

3. Which of these national chains does not offer complete nutritional information on its Web site?
A. Bob Evans.
B. Quiznos.
C. Baskin Robbins.
D. Krispy Kreme.

4. The kids are clamoring for a fast-food dinner. You want to cater to them but not blow your family's healthy eating habits. Which dinner will do the least damage to your diet?
A. Two slices of a Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza from Pizza Hut.
B. Fiesta taco salad from Taco Bell.
C. Chicken breast, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy from KFC.
D. A medium roast beef sandwich from Arby's with regular order of onion petals.

5. It's been a month of Starbucks grande pumpkin lattes with whipped cream at 480 calories a pop and you can't quite button your pants. Sure, switching to straight coffee would be the least caloric option, but short of that, what can you do to get your caffeine and calcium morning fix?
A. Sub in nonfat milk.
B. Stick with whole milk and order a grande cappucino.
C. Downsize to a tall pumpkin spice latte and give up the whip.
D. Go in a completely different direction with a tall, caramel Frappucino.

6. Which of these over-the-top burger and fries meals tops the scales?
A. Big Bacon Classic and large fries from Wendy's.
B. An Angus Bacon and Cheese and large fries from Burger King.
C. Double Quarter Pounder with cheese and large fries from McDonald's.
D. Double Thickburger and large fries from Hardee's.

7. Many places now offer a full line of salads. But even salads can be hidden calorie bombs. What's your best bet if you're feeling green but want to keep your salad as slender as possible?
A. Go for grilled rather than crispy chicken on an Asian salad from McDonald's with Newman's own low-fat ginger sesame dressing.
B. Splurge on the Asian sesame chicken salad with dressing from Panera Bread.
C. Lose the crispy noodles from Wendy's Mandarin chicken salad, but go with the roasted almonds and dressing.
D. Substitute lite honey mustard dressing for the Asian sesame dressing on the Thai chicken salad from Au Bon Pain.

8. OK, OK, so Jared lost nearly 250 pounds by eating two Subway sandwiches a day, but let's say you have high blood pressure and have to watch your salt intake. How do the calories and sodium stack up on these sandwiches?
A. Subway's 6-inch ham sandwich.
B. Jimmy John's Slim Tom, a plain turkey sub.
C. Lite size grilled vegetarian sandwich from Penn Station East Coast subs.
D. Grilled chicken panini from Fazoli's.

9. Slurp, slurp. There's nothing like a milkshake, especially when it comes to packing on the pounds. If you're craving something cold, sweet and creamy, what's the least caloric way to indulge?
A. Small original vanilla Frosty from Wendy's.
B. Regular Bits n Pieces milkshake with M&M's from Steak 'n Shake.
C. Small Oreo Cookie Blizzard from Dairy Queen.
D. 20-ounce Raspberry Delite smoothie with yogurt from TCBY.

10. You're tired of fast food and want a sit-down meal. Many eateries now bill certain "healthy meals" as alternatives to their better known, higher-calorie fare. How healthy are these meals?
A. Tortilla chicken melt from Applebee's Weight Watchers menu.
B. Grilled chicken with green beans and tomatoes from Denny's Fit Fare.
C. Zen chicken pot stickers from TGIF's low-fat menu.
D. Black angus sirloin sizzling low-carb fajita salad from Don Pablo's.


Answers posted on Thursday. When you read the information given in the answers to the above, you will understand why America is a nation of fat people.

I guessed at all of these. I think counting carbs, fat grams, calories, is all just a crock-- unless you're diabetic or something. Just eat when you're hungry, STOP eating when you're satisfied, not stuffed, and try to eat a variety of normal foods (ie, not all junk food, all meat, all salads). People in America spend WAY too much time and energy thinking about their food.

 

[Adam's Apple]

Just eat when you're hungry, STOP eating when you're satisfied, not stuffed, and try to eat a variety of normal foods (ie, not all junk food, all meat, all salads). (

Good advice, Nienna. All I would add to it is: "and get plenty of exercise." Too many Americans lead sedentary lives, so their bodies don't use up the food they consume. Before long they're walking around with "bowling balls" under their skin. (For every 10 pounds you are overweight, you can think of that as carrying around one bowling ball under your skin.)

Getting back to the substance of the article that fast food is more calorie than nutritious, one of the guys who works at our local newspaper became very curious about the move "Supersize Me!" He went on the "MacDonald diet" for 30 days and gained 35 pounds. All I can say is, if you have to eat at a fast food restaurant, be very aware of the choices you make. They can--and will--make you fat.

 

[Nienna]

Good advice, Nienna. All I would add to it is: "and get plenty of exercise." Too many Americans lead sedentary lives, so their bodies don't use up the food they consume. Before long they're walking around with "bowling balls" under their skin. (For every 10 pounds you are overweight, you can think of that as carrying around one bowling ball under your skin.)

This is SOOO true, AA. A few years ago, my husband & I used to watch a ton of tv. Coupled with the fact that he has a desk job, and used to eat out almost every day, he was about 30 pounds overweight. We made the choice to stop watching tv (Except for 1 show and an occasional movie or football game). Instead, he would wash his car or mow the lawn or stuff like that. And he started playing/coaching soccer. Also, he doesn't eat out NEARLY as much as he used to. Just those few simple changes made him drop about 30 pounds, and he is looking GOOD, if I do say so!

Exercise doesn't have to be lifting weights at the gym or running 5 miles a day. Just simply getting off your butt and doing stuff around the house or playing with the kids is great for you... and USEFUL because you have better-behaved children and more stuff accomplished around your house!

 

[Adam's Apple]

Good for you and your husband! Burning up those calories that we eat can solve a lot of health problems down the road.

My nephew has a desk-jockey job and lost 30 pounds last year by cutting soda pop out of his diet. I'm working on that now, but it's quite hard to do. I have an acquired habit of drinking Diet Coke from about the time it came on the market.

 

[fuzzykitten99]

This is SOOO true, AA. A few years ago, my husband & I used to watch a ton of tv. Coupled with the fact that he has a desk job, and used to eat out almost every day, he was about 30 pounds overweight. We made the choice to stop watching tv (Except for 1 show and an occasional movie or football game). Instead, he would wash his car or mow the lawn or stuff like that. And he started playing/coaching soccer. Also, he doesn't eat out NEARLY as much as he used to. Just those few simple changes made him drop about 30 pounds, and he is looking GOOD, if I do say so!

Exercise doesn't have to be lifting weights at the gym or running 5 miles a day. Just simply getting off your butt and doing stuff around the house or playing with the kids is great for you... and USEFUL because you have better-behaved children and more stuff accomplished around your house!

this is another reason I refuse to have cable. the main reason is because I don't want to pay for channels I wont watch. I figure if the shows on suck, it means get off your butt and do something else.

I joined weight watchers before I had Ben and dropped 25lbs, just so I would have a better chance at a normal pregnancy, and it did help. I gained about 50 back total, so I am now back on the program and have dropped 25lbs again. My goal weight is 130, and I am 5'6", so I have about 30 lbs more to go. Now because I am home all day rather than the office, I have found it is much harder not to snack and graze on stuff that is not good for you, only because they are much more readily available. But I am doing pretty good. If I am ravenous, because chasing the kids and refereeing them really burns the calories, I will make a huge wok full of veggie stir fry and add a small chicken breast in, and graze on it through the afternoon.

I stick to diet drinks if I need something sweet, and have embraced crystal light and other brands of calorie free drinks to get me through that time of the month when I crave sweet stuff. I also find that with really good desserts and cookies, I find that I am not really hungry for them, but it is just the taste of a chocolate chip cookie or a few bites of ice cream or a nibble of cake that I need.