In what may be the grossest, strangest, and totally terrible-for-you marketing scheme yet, Burger King and Microsoft teamed up to create a seven-patty Whopper to mark the release of Windows 7. The mammoth burger contains more than 2,500 calories and went on sale in Japan outlets today.

“I need to shower after holding it in my hands,” said one customer, Kyoko Yamamoto, after merely trying to get a grip on the sandwich. “Grease is running down my arms,” she added. “There is no way you could eat that.”

I’m with her, but somehow I’m afraid many BFBs would disagree! Let’s hope BK isn’t crazy enough to bring it here.

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You’re standing in line at Dunkin Donuts on a weekend morning, having finally ventured out of bed for breakfast and coffee — wearing, of course, oversize sweatpants and perfectly-worn tees (probably both his). You’ve been craving an egg & cheese since you rolled over and heard each other’s stomachs growling, but there’s more than one type of bread to ask for this yummy breakfast to be sandwiched between—and the one you choose can make a big difference in calories.

THE CHALLENGE: List the following sandwiches from best to worst—no cheating!— And see who does better, you or your BFB!

THE PRIZE: Superior knowledge and, of course, bragging rights—it’s harder than it seems!

A. Egg & Cheese on an English muffin
B. Egg & Cheese on a Bagel
C. Egg & Cheese on a Croissant
D. Egg & Cheese on a Biscuit
E. Egg White Veggie Flatbread Sandwich

When you’ve come to your decision, click through to see how you did! (Cue Jeopardy! music.) Continue Reading →

By now, you’ve probably seen at least one commercial heralding the arrival of Applebee’s new Realburgers. Recently, airwaves have been saturated with good-looking guys chomping down like real men into real burgers. “Real Juicy. Real Deal.” It’s advertising good enough to get any BFB salivating.

Curious to find out the calorie content, I clicked over to Applebee’s website. But a few minutes of looking only left me real annoyed—there weren’t any calorie stats to be found. (Though I got a good eye roll out of the sneaky slogan for their Fire Pit Bacon Burger: “A Healthy Appreciation for Bacon.” Haha, Applebee’s. So clever.) Considering that other chain restaurants like Chili’s and Ruby Tuesday share nutrition info for all of their menu items, I was surprised. If the Buffalo Chicken Crisper Bites are 1,600 calories at Chili’s, they’re 1,600 calories, and they say so clearly on their website. They don’t try to hide it.

So, I decided to give Applebee’s a call to see why they weren’t sharing their stats. They passed me to their PR contact, Miles McMillian. Check out his response, with my inserted comments, below. Continue Reading →

Someone must have clued in the Colonel that his crispy chicken wasn’t the most calorie-conscious item on fast-food menus. Though it seems a little late to jump on the better-for-you bandwagon—how many BBQs did KFC’s cooks have to attend before this light bulb went off?—they’re finally offering health-conscious consumers a new option: Kentucky GRILLED chicken. And that stats aren’t bad.

A regular fried chicken breast will set you back 370 calories and 21 grams of fat. A breast of the new grilled chicken only has 180 calories and 4 grams of fat—that’s a 190-calorie difference, and 17 less grams of fat! (Which happily means if you cave and have a buttery biscuit, 180 calories and 8 grams of fat, you’ll still be ahead! Of course, the green beans and other veggies are your best bet for sides, both carb- and fat-wise, ranging from 25 calories to 70 calories.) However, KFC’s grilled chicken breast is not better than if you ate an original piece sans skin and breading, which would run 140 calories and 2 grams of fat.

FINAL WEIGH IN: Although nothing beats cooking a meal at home, if you’re in a pinch and you’re about to run through the drive-thru, KFC’s grilled chicken is a pretty good choice—especially when paired with two sides of veggies and if buying the regular fried chicken is too tempting (aka, you end up eating the breading and skin even though you swore you wouldn’t!). But now, even if your guy refuses to give up his Original, at least you no longer need to worry about eating a greasy meal you’ll regret. The next time he decides to bring home a bucket, just ask him to toss a few piece of grilled in there as well!

YOUR TAKE: Of course, that leaves us with one major thing left to discuss: taste! Has anyone tried KFC’s Grilled Chicken? If so, what did you think? Would you give up crispy for grilled? And if you used to avoid KFC’s fatty foods, will this make you reconsider the Colonel? Let me know!

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Dunkin’ Donuts’ “6 Donuts for $3” deal can make any penny-conscious consumer pause, especially in these recession-riddle times. But stop for a coffee in New York and the same donut deal looks a lot less appetizing; It’s now paired with a calorie count that’s shocking enough to make even the most wallet-worried spender rethink bringing a box home to those they love. The Big Apple banner? ”6 Donuts for $3 (1,140 – 3,060).” Suddenly, the parenthesized calories make it seem less like a tasty treat and more like an attack on personal health.

Though I can only imagine the heart-attack-inducing moment most fast-food CEOs had when they learned they would have to start posting the caloric tally of everything from Big Macs to banana splits last April, it doesn’t seem to be keeping BFBs from walking up to the counter. It does, however, seem to be affecting what they order. Even the most unconcerned-with-calories of New York-residing guys have slowly found themselves ordering differently, switching from Subway’s 560-calorie meatball marinara to the less-heavy 280-calorie turkey sub or leaving the 120-calorie whipped cream off their frozen latte.

“It’s hard not to be affected by it when it’s staring you in the face,” says one guy, chomping down on his new lighter breakfast: an egg-and-cheese on an English muffin—a major switch from the bacon-egg-and-cheese bagel he used to order. A recent survey by Chicago-based foodservice consultants Technomic, Inc., agrees, finding:

… 86 per cent of New York City restaurant-goers were surprised by the calorie count information now listed on menus or menu boards, with 90 per cent of them claiming that the calorie count was higher than expected. As a consequence, 82 per cent suggested that calorie disclosure is affecting what they order, with 60 per cent indicating it is affecting where they visit.

No, it’s still not “health food,” but the fact that a fast-food run in New York gives on-the-spot lessons of how many calories go-to-grub contains means two great things for New York-residing ladies: 1) They no longer have to cringe when their boy tosses out a comment like the 2,000-calorie burrito he just downed “was a snack” and 2) Guys that never before thought about calories are starting to flip over packages to read nutrition labels elsewhere, like the grocery store—which means healthier foods in the house for both of you.

So, guys, girls: If you live in New York, have the calorie counts changed what you or your date decides to eat? And if you don’t live in the Big Apple, do you think that if your state started posting calorie counts it would change what you and your honey pick off the menu??

The next time you find yourself snuggled into a booth with your sweetie at Ruby Tuesday, you’ll find there’s much more to pick for your sides than fries and a baked potato. And though RT is doing more than most chow chains to give diners healthier options, you can still make their “Smart Eating” options even smarter. And there’s a Best Boy Bet your guy might be open to trying too!

Fresh Steamed Broccoli (in a buttery sauce)
73 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g net carb, 2 g fiber
Date smart: Though it’s fresh and “steamed,” they’re still adding butter. Ask ‘em to hold it.

Sautéed Baby Portabella Mushrooms
173 calories, 14 g fat, 7 g net carb, 2 g fiber
Date smart: Remember, “sautéed ” means it’s been tossed in a pan with oil or butter—and this “light” side has 14 grams of fat. So if you get it, don’t think his fries are freebies. Continue Reading →

The movies are a super-fun date and nothing is cuter than standing shoulder to shoulder with your honey, ticket stubs between your fingers, deciding what size of popcorn you should share. But before you say yes to the large (”It’s only a quarter more,” say BFBs everywhere), check out these alarming popcorn facts—and see how long you’d have to lock lips to burn them off!

Calories based on a 140-pound woman.

Large popcorn—20 cups!—no butter
Calories: 1,283 calories
Fat: 78 grams—that’s 120 percent of your fat calories for the day!
Makeout math: 18.8 hours

Medium popcorn—15 cups—no butter
Calories: 951
Fat: 58 grams
Makeout Math: 13.9 hours

Small popcorn—9 cups—no butter
Calories: 573 calories
Fat: 35 grams of fat
Makeout Math: 8.4 hours

Nutritional Trivia: Fat chat for those suddenly silent moments
The “butter flavoring” the kid behind the counter is pedaling is anything but real butter. It comes in sludge form and only turns to liquid once it’s heated. Think a pump or two won’t hurt you? Think again. One tablespoon adds about 130 calories and 14 grams of fat!

So, how do you avoid the fat trap at the theater?? What healthier options have you tucked into your purse?

If the last time a BFB dragged you into a Long John Silver’s the grease in the air was so thick you almost slid off the yellow benches, take heart. The fry-happy chain plans to unveil a nonfried menu later this month. Choose from Grilled Pacific Salmon, Grilled Tilapia or Shrimp Scampi — all 10 grams of fat or less. Not a bad catch, considering one piece of battered fish will set you back 260 calories and 16 grams of fat. Steer clear of his hushpuppies and you can brave the waters of LJS without submarining your diet.