Archive for March 2008
photo credit: VirtualErn
It’s official… Men’s Health has declared Outback Steakhouse’s Chili Cheese Fries as the worst food in America. But Outback’s Chili Cheese Fries on are on the same list as Chili’s Awesome Blossom appetizer. Even a burger promoted as “healthy” (the Bella) by Ruby Tuesday is on the list.
I like that Men’s Health gives you alternatives to the food on the list. They don’t just say “This is bad, don’t eat it.” But they give an alternative so you’re not guessing as to what would be okay to eat. I have to confess- I have eaten the Chili Cheese Fries from Outback, and definitely paid for it with indigestion and an overall feeling of “blehhh”. It reminded of this place where my wife and I eat would back in college- Molly McGee’s. The Chili Cheese fries at McGee’s came out in a yellow plastic wheelbarrow. The fries were covered with cheese, chili, bacon, sour cream, and a layer of goodness right on top 
Go visit the Men’s Health site if you want to see what other foods made the list.
Eat This, Not That! — Men’s Health.com
If you dine out regularly, you know that the most important thing is portion control- not so much what you eat, but HOW MUCH you eat. These days, as America’s collective waistline get bigger, our plates and portions get bigger as well. When I was kid, I remember dining out with my family getting desert. Why? Because we weren’t soooo full that we felt like we were going to burst. The portions were smaller then, and we rarely took home leftovers. Appetizers were a small basket of fries or maybe some bread. Nowadays, the appetizers are as big as the main courses used to be. It’s no wonder that we are all getting bigger. Combine that with a more sedentary lifestyle, and it’s obvious why we are having weight issues.
Whenever I dine out and see the ginormous portions, I’m reminded of a South Park parody of Suzanne Struthers’ campaign to feed children in Africa. Due to a shipping mistake, the boys in South Park receive an African child instead of the watch they should have received. At one point in the show, they take the child to a restaurant, at try to explain the concept of an appetizer. As Eric Cartman explains it, “This is what you eat before you eat, so that you’ll be more hungry.” I couldn’t find the scene in question online, but I found a synopsis of the episode at tv.com.
Kimberly Palmer, on U.S. News’ Alpha Consumer blog, has the same idea.
As I found myself purchasing a monstrous 24-ounce smoothie yesterday, I had to wonder: When did 24 ounces become a “normal”-size drink?
We Americans must train ourselves to feel full on smaller portions, but we need the restaurant industry to help us out. So to the restaurant industry I say this, “Throw us a bone, here! Help us out!” (But not a large bone, or one inside a 20-ounce T-bone.)
Hefty Portions Hurt Waists and Wallets – Alpha Consumer (usnews.com)
