A pasta dish that has more than a day's worth of calories and a pizza with more than three-days worth of saturated fat are just two of the meals featured in the 2017 Xtreme Eating Awards.
The annual awards were announced by the Center for Science in the Public Interest on Friday and published in the group’s latest Nutrition Action Healthletter. Each meal is given an award-themed title like "Worst Cocktail Design" or "Worst Adapted Pasta.
“Leave it to America’s chain restaurant industry to market a stack of pancakes as a side dish, or to lard up quesadillas and pasta with pizza toppings, or to ruin a perfectly good sweet potato,” said CSPI senior nutritionist Lindsay Moyer.
Before we get to the "awards," keep in mind -- the average "day" includes 2,000 calories, 2,300 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of saturated fat and 50 grams of sugar.
Editor's note: All nutritional information compiled by Leah Ettman and Jennifer Urban at CPSI.
And the awards go to:
Worst Adapted Pasta
Credit: Center for Science in the Public Interest
Editor's note: The nutritional information for this item was provided by the CPSI. Because it's listed as a new menu item, the nutritional information is not available on the Cheesecake Factory's official website.
Least Original Breakfast
Credit: Center for Science in the Public Interest
Editor's note: Nutritional information for this item can be viewed on IHOP's official website.
Most Damage from a Supporting Vegetable
Credit: Center for Science in the Public Interest
Editor's note: Nutritional information for this item can be viewed on the official Texas Roadhouse website.
Most Ridiculous Ending
Credit: Center for Science in the Public Interest
Editor's note: Nutritional information for this item can be viewed on the official UNO Pizzeria & Grill website.
Worst Original Appetizer
Credit: Center for Science in the Public Interest
Editor's note: Nutritional information for this item can be viewed on the official Dave & Buster's website.
Some of the other "winners" include "Worst Cheese in a Leading Role" and "Worst Visceral Effects". To view the full list, visit cspinet.org/xtreme-eating-2017.
The FDA is currently accepting public comments regarding a decision to delay menu labeling. Food retailers are pushing for legislation that would allow companies to use "arbitrary serving sizes" and allow pizza chains to avoid disclosing calories on menu boards, according to the CPSI.