Many fast food restaurants have altered their notoriously unhealthy menus to provide some fresher and more wholesome options. However, some fast food items that are promoted as "healthy" are actually loaded in fat and calories and other items. Take the following quiz to see if you are fast food nutrition savvy.
1. Which of the following contains the MOST calories?
a) Burger King whopper with cheese
b) McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese
c) McDonald's Selects (10 pieces)
d) Wendy's Big Bacon Classic
2. Which has the LEAST amount of fat?
a) Wendy's spring mix salad, thousand island dressing
b) McDonald's bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken, ranch dressing
c) Burger King tender crisp garden salad, light Italian dressing
d) McDonald's Southwestern salad with crispy chicken, southwestern dressing
3. How many calories and saturated fat grams are in the McDonald's Fruit'n Yogurt Parfait (contains yogurt, berries, and granola)?
a) 300 calories, 2 grams bad fat
b) 160 calories, 1 gram bad fat
c) 500 calories, 5 grams bad fat
d) 350 calories, 1 gram bad fat
4. Which of the following "value" meals provides you with more than the average American's recommended TOTAL daily calorie intake, fat intake and sodium intake?
a) McDonald's triple quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, large coke
b) Wendy's classic triple with cheese, large fries, large cola
c) Burger King's double whopper with cheese, large fries, large coke
5. The healthiest (LOWEST in calories and fat) dessert below is:
a) Burger King's Dutch apple pie
b) McDonald's ice cream cone
c) McDonald's baked apple pie
d) Burger King's small chocolate shake
6. The healthiest (LOWEST in calories and fat) meal option below is:
a) Burger King's chili
b) McDonald's McVeggie sandwich
c) Wendy's Mandarin chicken salad, oriental sesame dressing
7. Which of the following Taco Bell foods is HIGHEST in fat?
a) Nachos
b) 7-layer burrito
c) Cheese quesadilla
d) Fiesta Taco salad with salsa
8. Which of the following sandwiches is HIGHEST in calories?
a) Subway's oven roasted chicken breast sandwich - 6inch
b) Blimpie's hot pastrami sandwich- 6inch
c) Blimpie's southwestern wrap
d) Subway's BLT - 6inch
9. The McDonald's food below that is packed with the MOST trans and saturated fat is:
a) McDonald's quarter pounder
b) McDonald's crispy chicken sandwich
c) McDonald's large French fries
d) McDonald's McNuggets (10 piece)
10. Which of the following breakfast items contains the fewest calories?
A) Dunkin' Donuts reduced-fat blueberry muffin
B) Dunkin' Donuts multigrain bagel with reduced-fat cream cheese
C) Starbuck's turkey bacon, egg white and cheese breakfast sandwich
D) Starbuck's Zucchini Walnut muffin
Answers
1)C- 10 pieces of McDonald's Selects contain a whopping 1,320calories!!! The whopper with cheese contains 780calories; double quarter pounder with cheese has 740calories; the big bacon classic supplies 580calories. Although the latter may not be too high in calories for some, it still contains 29grams of fat, 14 of which are unhealthy saturated and trans fats.
2)B- despite the bacon and ranch dressing, the McDonald's bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken and ranch dressing contains the least amount of fat- 24grams fat (obviously this is still extremely high in fat and not a healthy option). McDonald's Southwestern salad with crispy chicken, southwestern dressing- 29grams fat; Burger King tender crisp garden salad, light Italian dressing- 36grams fat; Wendy's spring mix salad with thousand island dressing - 28grams of fat. This answer depicts why choosing a salad is not always the healthiest option on a menu!
3)B- 160calories and 1gram of bad saturated fat. While there are quite a few added sugars in this parfait, there are also some REAL blueberries and strawberries as well. When you are pinched for time, this packaged parfait is a good breakfast or snack on-the-go.
4)C- The Burger King triple whopper with cheese, large fries, large coke contains 2180 calories-literally more than the 2,000 calorie recommended TOTAL daily calorie intake for the average American. To make matters worse, this "value meal" provides 110grams total fat, 38grams saturated fat, 3.5grams trans fat, and 2,440mg sodium...can someone say heart attack? Unfortunately, the other value meals are not much better. McDonald's double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, large coke contains 1,550calories, 67grams fat, 22.5grams saturated fat, 2.5grams trans fat, and 1,750mg sodium; Wendy's classic triple with cheese, large fries, large cola contains 1,840calories, 87grams total fat, 32grams saturated fat, 3.5grams trans fat, and 2,610mg sodium. Value meals are never a good option.
5)B- Although it is ice cream, it is low-fat ice cream and this small vanilla cone only contains 150calories and 3.5grams of fat. Don't be fooled by desserts that contain "apples"...they are not always healthy. The Burger King Dutch apple pie has 340calories and 13grams of fat, while the McDonald's baked apple pie has 250calories and 13grams of fat. As for the shake, just because a small ice cream cone is not so bad, the same doesn't go for the ice cream shake...the small Burger King chocolate shake contains 440calories and 11grams of fat.
6)A- Not only does Burger King's chili contain just 190 calories and 8 grams of fat, but it is also loaded in fiber (5grams). McDonald's McVeggie- 350 calories, 8 grams fat; Wendy's Mandarin chicken salad, oriental sesame dressing- 540 calories and 25 grams fat.
7)D- The fiesta taco salad with salsa contains 41 grams of fat (this is another example of how a salad is NOT always your healthiest option). The nachos contain 21 grams fat; cheese quesadilla has 26 grams of fat; 7-layer burrito has the least amount of fat (18grams) and 12 grams of fiber! (If you order the 7-layer burrito "fresco style" than you will cut the fat down to 10 grams total and just 2.5 grams saturated fat).
8)C- Contrary to popular belief, large wraps are often much higher in calories than sliced bread. Therefore, opt for sandwiches made with whole grain, thinly sliced bread. Southwestern wrap- 530 calories; Hot pastrami on white- 430 calories; BLT sub- 360 calories; oven roasted chicken breast sub- 320 calories
9)A- The quarter pounder has 8grams "bad" saturated and trans fat and 410 calories. Large French fries contain 3.5grams of trans and saturated fat, not to mention 500 calories! 10 piece McNuggets are not much better with 5 grams saturated and trans fat and 460 calories and the crispy chicken sandwich packs on 3.5 grams of saturated and trans fat and 530calories.
10) C- The breakfast sandwich contains the fewest calories coming in at just 340. While it is high in sodium due to the turkey bacon and cheese, it is still a good source of fiber (3grams) and protein (10grams). The reduced fat muffin contains 450 calories and the zucchini walnut muffins contains 490 calories – both examples of muffins that are more like sweet indulgences than healthy options to start off the day with. Lastly, the multigrain bagel with low-fat cream cheese contains 490 calories.
Los Angeles nutritionist Alyse Levine MS, RD, founder of NutritionBite. Visit her profile on LIVESTRONG.COM.
Copyright 2010 NutritionBite LLC. All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. "NutritionBite LLC" should be prominently displayed on any material reproduced with the publisher's consent.
Member Comments
soldierdad5 April 27
OMG...see I didn't eve know Burger King had Chili.
rvandyke April 27
Well, now that the negatives have been pointed out, I'd like to say thank you for making an effort to raise awareness about fast food choices. Despite the grammatical error, at the very least this article is going to make me think twice when I go to a fast food joint and make more informed decisions on what I order.
Thank you, Alyse.
mpontes April 27
I don't eat fast food, period!!!
Sharbarri May 8
Good for you! Me either . . . everyone thinks I am a fanatic about it - but I will wait, an hour or more until I can get home to fix myself something - even if I am starving. :)
darth_calorie April 27
Where's the Burger King Quad Stacker? I'm surprised that thing didn't make the list for high calorie/fat quantity. Yuck.
Gee3 April 27
Triple Whopper!! OMG!! That just sounds dangerous!
diptea85 April 27
The only place I eat sandwiches is at Subway or Panera bread, with me being a vegetarian, which cuts down more than half of the calorie count.
deelishuss April 27
I love the content of this quiz so thanks for putting it together.
However, I really dislike the layout. It would be great if LS could have assisted with an interactive version of the quiz with radio buttons and scoring.
lanieblaze April 27
Great article Alyse. Are there ANY solid healthy options available at fast food restaurants? I only ask because I find myself stopping to get my daughter breakfast at McDonald's when in a rush, and I basically get a large ice water for myself because I figure everything there is just super evil. But then I'm overly hungry by the time lunch rolls around and tend to overeat. :(
Any suggestions anyone?
SuwanneGirl April 27
Egg McMuffin only has about 320 calories. The SW chicken salad with grilled chicken and dressing only about 500 calories. No dressing is about 100 less.
Carolyng66 April 27
You can always throw something in your bag you can eat at work like some instant oatmeal you can pop in the microwave and peice of fruit. You can even pack those the night before with a spoon and a plastic bowl. You should never skip breakfast, you'll have more energy throughout the day and not be tempted to over indulge at lunch.
wright_j April 28
If you do not want to eat at McDonald'sbecause it is "super evil", why would you make your child eat it?
dtcattle3 April 27
Interesting article/quiz and valuable information for parents so they will know why their children may have weight problems if they are wanting to eat "the fast food lane" - also interesting points concerning the salads.
dougski April 27
It might be interesting to list the "best choices" for the various fast food joints. There is a pattern in the set of questions, but generally it only serves to prove you're almost always going to guess wrong. If that was intended the point was probably to show one should avoid fast food altogether - but that isn't always manageable. For example, at MacDonalds is the old fashioned burger - normally about $1 - an okay choice? When I was a kid that was the standard and the Big Mac was WAY WAY big (while today it is sorta tiny next to some of the other choices).
Bill362 April 27
Good article but......Question 4 is wrong the options don't match the answers. With the choices that are given in the question, I think the correct answer to the question is b wendy's classic triple with cheese
fiel19z1982 April 27
Wow thought I knew more than I did 4 outta 10 thanks for the info
janetbbbs April 27
lanieblaze, I also stop at McDonald's with my daughter in the mad rush out the door. I always tell myself I won't but realistically my weekends are jam packed as well. I've lost 60 pounds so far and I still eat out but just make healthier choices. I think about what I used to get and that was probably my calorie intake for the whole day! But I would suggest the fruit and yogurt parfait and they do sell just a plain english muffin for only 85 cents, sometimes I add a poached egg for the protein if I'm going to be busy that morning. I used to feel like I had to have meat (sausage) or I'd be startving by noon but I can have the parfait or muffin that for breakfast then a scooby snack at 10 and I'll still be OK at lunch and not ravenously hungry. Hope this helps! You can do it! :)
maggiehulsey April 27
I eat fast food MAYBE 5 times a year, but I missed almost all of these. Go figure:)
Carolyng66 April 27
I don't eat that stuff at all and I failed miserabley. Hee!
juliette_eliza April 27
Somehow I'm proud of myself for only getting one of these right! I almost NEVER eat fast food so I have no reason to look at the nutritional information for it. Good to know though, if I am ever somewhere that I can't eat healthy Burger King Chili it is (and tons of water to follow to get rid of all that sodium).
Big_J_Wil April 27
I got about half right. I'm 100% with mpontes, just don't eat any of this crap and you'll be better off.
amyoosme April 27
WHO CARES!?!??!?!?
It's all poison!
Wake up America!
Carolyng66 April 27
You're so right, amyoosme.
roundnround April 27
While I can appreciate revealing calorie and fat content in a creative way, none of the food listed actually provides whole nutrients to the consumer. I'd like to see an article that discusses what is actually in one of those hamburger patties. Large restaurant chains use binding concoctions made of fillers like corn and animal by-products to make the burger patties. The "chili" mentioned, though it does contain an impressive amount of fiber, contains about half of the recommended daily allowance of sodium - so this becomes an issue of picking your poison. Regardless of the fat and caloric content of these items, the bigger issue is that they do not nourish your body. Any serious diet plan should eliminate all fast food and soda. Picking whole fruits, veggies, and grains as well as meats that aren't produced by unsanitary and abusive factory farming methods are key to keeping weight under control and your body in top condition. A focus on actually eating the recommended daily 5 fruits & veggies may not leave you with any room for the McDonald's fries and ice cream!
Carolyng66 April 27
I stopped eating fastfood years ago and I'm so glad that I did. I never want to put that poison in my body again. Today, the smell of it turns me off. Furthermore, how can you trust a company that markets their food to try and make you believe what you're eating is healthy when in fact they're not? They don't care about the health issues that so many of their regular customers will later have. So many companies twist their marketing stradegies like this and it's not always easy to tell the good from the bad. That's why I try to prepare as much of my own foods as possible and I make them healthy. This way I know what's going into it. I feel so much better after eating something that lacks the heavy perservatives, sodium, sugars, starches and fats that are in so many prepackaged foods.
Carolyng66 April 27
Looking for a healthy breakfast that tastes like you're cheating? I learned to make pancakes from scratch and I use only whole wheat flour instead of white and honey instead of processed sugar. It's seriously not that hard one you learn. I can make a large stack and freeze them. I top them with my homemade jam like you would a crepe or homemade peanutbutter (this is my most simple recipe). Follow that with a tall glass of milk, a piece of fruit or some yogart, and I'm good until lunch.
sbgardner1 April 27
Great Quiz! Very informative and re-enforces my disinclination towards fast food. Because I am working very hard to getting healthy for my heart my new idea of fast food is a quick grab bag of fresh vegetables which I always have ready in the fridge. Makes you thin and your wallet fat.
savory100 April 28
What a useless article... if you are seriously interested in looking after yourself and/or interested in loosing weight, why would you ever need to know the answers to any of the questions or even the names of this muck that only total fools call food???
I cannot believe that this site supports (even via the slightly negative tone) these mass producing fat filling machines of the fast food world.
McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's etc have no place in any diet. The sheer fact that this article is on this site lets the whole message and process of the site down. Having this article is basically advertising that its fine to eat at these outlets 'if'... there is no 'if', unless the if in your life is that 'if you dont want to be healthy or loose any weight then go ahead.
Carolyng66 April 28
You're right, Savory it's all junk but I didn't need to read it because I don't step foot in those places much less eat anything that comes from it. Perhaps an artcle like this would be helpful for those who recently decided to learn to eat right. When one has been eating garbage most of their life, sometimes they need a wakeup call to find out exactly what they're putting in their mouths. Eat time I read about healthy living I learn something new and think "wow, I never knew" while another person might say "well duh, I've always known that". It's all perception.
marma April 28
Alyse Levine your website nutritionbite is full of misinformation and outdated research. Telling people to take thyroid medication with food for example. You aren't a doctor and need to spend more time reading before you dole out your advice, even on nutrition! This article is ridiculous. Nobody serious about their health eats out at such places.
jqtoyou April 28
I am surprised at the negative tone of some of these responses. When I first saw the link to this article in my inbox I was concerned it would be one of those thinly-veiled ads for supposedly healthy foods at fast food chains and was ready to share a piece of my mind, but found instead the article cut the fast food industry no undeserved slack nor acted in any way like cheerleaders for them. I was impressed, personally. And while I do not eat fast food nor feed it to my family, I'm disappointed in the self-congratulatory and/or judgmental tone some of these responses have. How is that productive? Some folks struggle a great deal to move away from the food habits they were raised on and to put more and more whole foods in their diets - if they occasionally purchase a calorie-appropriate meal or snack from McDonalds and are still striving toward putting more and more whole foods into their diet I applaud them. Leave off the judgmental tone if you actually want to encourage other toward making healthy changes in their lives and instead celebrate their triumphs, offer info and facts with respect, and get off the judgement high horse.
1790house April 28
I wouldn't call it a useless article. If nothing else it reinforces the fact that fast food restaurants serve junk food, and nothing more. Even though the food seems healthy, they don't know squat about serving anything nutritious.
mrkf April 28
Hm, I have never eaten in fast food restaurant and I guess I haven't missed anything. I am 28 years old, never had a hamburger in my life, haven't had french fries in probably like 4 year, and before that only like once a year. I make my own salad dressings and sandwiches. And I didn't even know these facts about fast food, I don't go there simply because the smell coming from there makes me want to puke, how can you people stand it? Thanks God my mom actually COOKED at home {and I don't mean microwave cooking} and when we ate out, it was a good restaurant, not fast food.
mrkf April 28
I got all the answers wrong - because I have never eaten in any of those fast food restaurant. Never, in my life. And I am 28. Thanks God my mom actually cooked at home {and I don't mean heating up frozen stuff in the microwave}. I've never been to fast food restaurant because the smell coming from there makes me want to puke. How can you people stand it?
bayetaff April 28
Wow! Some of you are really harsh to the writer of the article. Did you know that a writer must consider a wide audience when writing for a site like Livestrong? Those of you who are very careful with your dietary choices might keep in mind that some readers of this article are BRAND NEW to the site, and are only just beginning to make healthier decisions. If they are weaning themselves off of fast food, this article is an eye-opening resource that will be helpful to them. It's not always all about YOU :) This is a diverse community!
savory100 April 28
Maybe I have been a little strong worded above, so apologies to anyone that thinks I overstepped the mark.
I do stand by my main point though that their are elements of the article/quiz that do suggest that some things from these outlets are better than others and that they are, by default, an OK choice to make in your life.
People who are just "just beginning to make healthier decisions" are the most at risk and also by default those most likely to be weak when making decisions... Deciding to not enter a fast food restaurant is the only option when you start out; if you give up smoking, you stop lighting cigarettes, if you cut down you are not giving up, you are just embarrassing yourself, this is exactly the same with nutrition.
jinxy1279 April 28
wow. i got only one of these right.
I like the examples of how salads are sometimes a bad choice and how muffins are a sweet indulgence.
chikou April 28
sounds to me if you're gonna eat out, you might as well have a burger. I never really like many fast food salads anywhoo, always better made at home fresh. Wendy's chili & classic bacon burgers are my favorites. Wendy's Small Chili only has 220 cals and 10g of fat.
shazzu May 4
190 and 6g fat
Paulakae April 28
If I get fast food anymore, I usually opt for only a small sandwich and a diet drink or water-then there is no "sticker shock" or buyer's remorse to deal with later.
kikrox April 28
Well, all good information besides, I would just like to personally thank Livestrong.com for linking this article via a picture of a GIGANTIC burger and fries, and letting that be the first thing I saw when logged on today. Because I'm not, you know, on a DIET or anything.
kgreenbe April 29
I knew there was a reason I haven't been to any of these places except Subway since I changed the way I eat. Thanks for the reminder.
LUVYALORD April 30
Ok so wheres the quiz - I click on the link and end up at this page which is just a bunch of comments?????
Chickenlittle22 May 1
i just had a cesar salad from mcdonald's and didnt finish it...how much would that be?
Nivae May 1
I will NEVER understand people who make excuse after excuse for why they "have to" eat at Fast Food chains, especially when they have children whose health they should be looking out for!
I can count on one hand the number of times that I have eaten fast food since I was 9 and started cooking. IT'S NOT THAT HARD, PEOPLE.
I lead a very busy life too, and I'm too exhausted cook every day. Eggs take less than 5 minutes to cook, and with a Teflon pan, less than a minute to clean up after. Cheese, pre-cooked meat, and veggies make this healthy and palatable to children! Cereal with nuts, fruit, and whole grains (no lucky charms) are plenty sweet, filling, and take less than a minute to pour into a bowl. Thin steaks can be sprinkled with salt and pepper and thrown into a pan for about a minute on each side before serving. Most food can be cooked in bulk (casseroles are great; get a disposable baking dish, throw in some pasta, cheese, tuna, egg, or whatever, and leave it in the oven for an hour as you go about your life. Throw it in the fridge for days of quick meals. Dispose of dish when finished...easy clean up!)
Frozen fruits can be thrown into a small container and enjoyed later, still cold, maybe with some yogurt from 7-11 rather than a muffin from Dunkin Donuts. Use your brain and stop poisoning your children, making excuses for every fat-and-sodium-filled piece of junk you provide for them to eat.
Also, seriously people, SUBWAY might be *better* but it's not a *GOOD* option! Everything in there is low quality and highly processed. Buy some Boars Head deli meat at the supermarket and make your own goddamned sandwich! The savings and taste difference will blow your mind. Your body will thank you for feeding it something it recognizes!
Ugh.
hermes_7 May 2
Oh my, I got them ALL wrong. Good thing I don't eat this stuff
falynw May 2
I love this quiz, I used to love fast food before I became aware of what nutrition really meant. I cant believe I actually ate some of the things on this list. Yuck!
cottage215 May 4
In a pinch when I find myself opting for fast food, I usually get either a plain hamburger or a grilled snack wrap (Chipotle with no cheese) and a water. It's still high in sodium, but not bad calorie-wise.
shazzu May 4
im a calorie cruncher- this is what i have found:
order the ice cream at mcdonalds as a kiddie cone and its the best ice cream option
grilled chicken classic just the patty at mcdonalds over salad is great - 130 cal for the chicken
Wendys
chili small 190
and a salad
subwayy i always get oven roasted chicken salad- no cheese no dressing or if i want a sandwhich the same on ww bread the salad is 140 the subway about 300 and under 6 g fat if you are watchin sodium minus the pickles and olives and hot peppers
Rules for anywhere
- minus the mayo
- minus the dressing, use a lemon wedge it works nicely
- go 100% whole wheat whenever you can 'wheat' bread is not the same thing you'll see enriched wheat flour in the ingredients
- grill it over anything
- sauce whenevber you can
- ask for cheese, croutons margarine dressing if u must have it on the side.
Chloebrigette May 7
Number 4 - your choice of answer is a DOUBLE Whopper and then in the answers you say a TRIPLE Whopper. There's a BIG difference.
tntbike2007 May 8
That is why I rather not eat than eat crap fast food!
junibug7 May 9
I got one right. I don't eat fast food. Pack a lunch every day. Now I know why