Post 'em here. All those disappointing meals you thought were healthy but are really high calorie

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Replies

  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Veggie sides at some restaurants. 190 calories for a side of fresh veggies at Texas Roadhouse... WTF?

    I think the green beens are the only item on their menu with fewer calories than the 6 oz steak.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    Orlly?!
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Ruatine wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    timtam163 wrote: »
    Muffins. I used to love muffins.

    For real! I had a muffin from Tim Hortons that was almost 500 calories. That was astounding.

    even the muffins you buy in the store (Otis Spunkmeyer) - the calorie count is for HALF a muffin - I mean who easts just HALF a muffin! :)

    Ran into this on a package of naan. I thought the calorie count was for one not half of one. So consuming 380 calories instead of 190! I was not a happy camper when I realized my "healthy" homemade pizza was way more calories than I thought.

    I'm hoping the new US nutrition labels fix stuff like that. No reasonable person would expect the serving to be half of what's in the package. Ridiculous.


    Some fruits used to astonish me with how many calories they have for the serving size - particularly bananas. I can easily eat a banana that's over 100 calories. I used to eat 2 or 3 of them, especially if they're nice and brown and sweetly delicious. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised at how few calories per serving berries are.

    Bread was another one for me. I was never caught up in the "bread is bad" craze; it always seemed like a healthy thing to eat, especially if it was multi or wholegrain. Imagine my shock when I discovered that so many breads that I though were "healthy" are also 100+ calories per slice. Not saying they're not healthy, but that can easily be half of the calories I eat in a meal. I was very happy when I discovered Sara Lee Delightful. Now I can still eat a sandwich, but I can also pair that sandwich with fruit/veggies/chips for a decently sized meal.

    I comprehend the naan more-so than the muffin. (The naan is typically served communally at a table with multiple people, and a lot of people really do just tear off a portion of a sheet of naan instead of eating a whole one.).
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    timtam163 wrote: »
    Muffins. I used to love muffins.

    For real! I had a muffin from Tim Hortons that was almost 500 calories. That was astounding.

    even the muffins you buy in the store (Otis Spunkmeyer) - the calorie count is for HALF a muffin - I mean who easts just HALF a muffin! :)

    Ran into this on a package of naan. I thought the calorie count was for one not half of one. So consuming 380 calories instead of 190! I was not a happy camper when I realized my "healthy" homemade pizza was way more calories than I thought.

    I'm hoping the new US nutrition labels fix stuff like that. No reasonable person would expect the serving to be half of what's in the package. Ridiculous.


    Some fruits used to astonish me with how many calories they have for the serving size - particularly bananas. I can easily eat a banana that's over 100 calories. I used to eat 2 or 3 of them, especially if they're nice and brown and sweetly delicious. On the other hand, I was pleasantly surprised at how few calories per serving berries are.

    Bread was another one for me. I was never caught up in the "bread is bad" craze; it always seemed like a healthy thing to eat, especially if it was multi or wholegrain. Imagine my shock when I discovered that so many breads that I though were "healthy" are also 100+ calories per slice. Not saying they're not healthy, but that can easily be half of the calories I eat in a meal. I was very happy when I discovered Sara Lee Delightful. Now I can still eat a sandwich, but I can also pair that sandwich with fruit/veggies/chips for a decently sized meal.

    I comprehend the naan more-so than the muffin. (The naan is typically served communally at a table with multiple people, and a lot of people really do just tear off a portion of a sheet of naan instead of eating a whole one.).

    I guess it depends on the size of the naan. If it's a large size that can feed more than one person, sure. If it's more a "personal" size, I'd expect the serving size to reflect that. Reasonable interpretation by the consumer should be kept in mind when creating serving sizes, not what looks best for the company's nutrition label.
  • nvpixie
    nvpixie Posts: 483 Member
    All salads at any restaurant - don't even look at them anymore.

    What suprised me the most recently was Buffalo Wild Wings WHOLE menu. Recently they were required to put the calorie count on everything, which made it easier know what to avoid, but I had a hard time getting out of there under 500 calories.

    My BF and I made a pact that we split meals at restaurants now - so we can have what we want and still not over eat. It's really surprising just HOW much food you get in 1 meal. Sometimes now, we don't even finish one.

    I agree. They have so many good menu items, but they're way up there in calories. I won't let it be more than a once a month thing for me.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Yeah juice is definitely one, with the whole thing about people having a glass of orange juice with breakfast in about every single tv show or movie out there, lol. Juice is actually the only thing I basically cut out from my diet (I've had one glass in 4 years). Really annoys me that they suggest taking my iron pill with orange juice... NOT worth the calories at all.

    And subway being 'the healthy choice'. lol.

    Oh, wraps too. Just as many calories as a sandwich yet they always show as a healthier choice.

    Yes! This annoys me. Tortillas are NOT less calories than bread. A flour tortilla is 140+ calories, and that's just an 8". Now lettuce wraps... that's something I can get behind. If I'm looking to cut calories with a meal that involves a sandwich, burger, etc. I'm down for switching out the bread with lettuce. Leaves me room for something that fills me up more.

    Growing up in California, I was baffled when I moved to the Midwest and learned that people thought eating stuff on a tortilla made it "healthier". I love me a good quesadilla, but there's really no difference between that and a grilled cheese sandwich.

    ditto. I have no idea where people got the idea they were lower calorie. The tiny corn ones are pretty low calorie though - maybe the confusion came from there (as in once upon a time, they were healthier, and then more people started eating them, and then companies decided to make them softer & bigger - and now we have these giant dense flour monstrosities encasing "healthy" wraps?).
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Yeah juice is definitely one, with the whole thing about people having a glass of orange juice with breakfast in about every single tv show or movie out there, lol. Juice is actually the only thing I basically cut out from my diet (I've had one glass in 4 years). Really annoys me that they suggest taking my iron pill with orange juice... NOT worth the calories at all.

    And subway being 'the healthy choice'. lol.

    Oh, wraps too. Just as many calories as a sandwich yet they always show as a healthier choice.

    Yes! This annoys me. Tortillas are NOT less calories than bread. A flour tortilla is 140+ calories, and that's just an 8". Now lettuce wraps... that's something I can get behind. If I'm looking to cut calories with a meal that involves a sandwich, burger, etc. I'm down for switching out the bread with lettuce. Leaves me room for something that fills me up more.

    Growing up in California, I was baffled when I moved to the Midwest and learned that people thought eating stuff on a tortilla made it "healthier". I love me a good quesadilla, but there's really no difference between that and a grilled cheese sandwich.

    One awesome thing though...low carb tortillas! Like 60 calories each. We get Mama Lupe's brand but I've heard Mission does a version also. I am not a low carb-er but the calorie count on regular tortillas steered me their way...probably still not the healthiest thing, and they aren't QUITE the fluffy deliciousness of course, but they taste great for soft tacos or made into quesadillas, and I like the calorie count on those.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Chicken and broccoli.

    That might have something to do with the amount of chicken and broccoli I'm eating.
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    ritzvin wrote: »
    Ruatine wrote: »
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Yeah juice is definitely one, with the whole thing about people having a glass of orange juice with breakfast in about every single tv show or movie out there, lol. Juice is actually the only thing I basically cut out from my diet (I've had one glass in 4 years). Really annoys me that they suggest taking my iron pill with orange juice... NOT worth the calories at all.

    And subway being 'the healthy choice'. lol.

    Oh, wraps too. Just as many calories as a sandwich yet they always show as a healthier choice.

    Yes! This annoys me. Tortillas are NOT less calories than bread. A flour tortilla is 140+ calories, and that's just an 8". Now lettuce wraps... that's something I can get behind. If I'm looking to cut calories with a meal that involves a sandwich, burger, etc. I'm down for switching out the bread with lettuce. Leaves me room for something that fills me up more.

    Growing up in California, I was baffled when I moved to the Midwest and learned that people thought eating stuff on a tortilla made it "healthier". I love me a good quesadilla, but there's really no difference between that and a grilled cheese sandwich.

    ditto. I have no idea where people got the idea they were lower calorie. The tiny corn ones are pretty low calorie though - maybe the confusion came from there (as in once upon a time, they were healthier, and then more people started eating them, and then companies decided to make them softer & bigger - and now we have these giant dense flour monstrosities encasing "healthy" wraps?).

    :D Ikr? Corn tortillas are actually my go-to for anything tortilla related. I like the flavor, texture and calorie count. Could be that the "thinness" of a tortilla somehow makes it "less" than bread in people's minds.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited September 2017
    aeloine wrote: »
    Because they're thin?

    Until about six months ago I thought that they were SO MUCH BETTER than bread. The problem was that I would use that as an excuse to eat double.

    I can see that. I'm thinking people who didn't grow up around taco trucks also might not realize that flour tortillas are traditionally made with lard. I think commercial ones usually go for vegetable oil or shortening these days, but still.
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  • RachsLosses
    RachsLosses Posts: 103 Member
    Totally agree with so many on here!

    I'm finding it hard to start logging my fruit ciders because they're so bad, now I am switching to dilute fruit juice with some vodka, makes it about half the calories and probably way better on the sugar too!

    Avocados were a shock for me, I used to have a full avo on my salad for dinner until I saw that a serving was a half! I don't bother with them any more & stick to eggs

    My favourite drink from McDonalds (Choc chip frappe) is about 600 caloires for a medium FOR A DRINK

    I do remember my boss once telling me about his Dr wife who had someone wondering why their blood sugars were so high until they spilled the beans about having a slush puppy almost every day, they didn't think it had any sugar in it cause it was a liquid ...
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    I second, third, and fourth nuts!

    Put some walnuts on my oatmeal the other day... literally more calories than the oatmeal!
  • NUTS!!!
  • Ruatine
    Ruatine Posts: 3,424 Member
    I :heart: alfredo sauce. I can't justify eating the full-calorie version but rarely. To get my fix, I usually opt for a jar of light alfredo - Bertolli or Classico.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Keep these coming. I've got some grocery shopping to do......

    Wanna go to dinner with me, @Tacklewasher ? I'm totally craving that TGIFriday's Jack Daniel's chicken sandwich now. With a Long Island, of course! :p

    Sure. You coming to pick me up so I can have a few drinks too?

    Never been to a TGIF's.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    On the restaurant veggies, claim you have an issue with lactose and ask for them steamed. Cuts way down on the calories.

    Tortilla's was a surprise to me. and I can't seem to find low calorie versions where I live. Just getting bread with the thinner slices instead.

    I don't know if you have them up there, but I really like Maya's.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Keep these coming. I've got some grocery shopping to do......

    Wanna go to dinner with me, @Tacklewasher ? I'm totally craving that TGIFriday's Jack Daniel's chicken sandwich now. With a Long Island, of course! :p

    Sure. You coming to pick me up so I can have a few drinks too?

    Never been to a TGIF's.

    Think I can get through all the fires?!?