The cost of eating out.
As of 2015, Americans are spending more money eating out than on groceries!
The average American eats out between four and five meals each week.
The problem is, that restaurant and fast food meal options are more likely to be energy-dense and nutrient-poor compared to more expensive food choices.
When you’re eating out 4-5 meals each week, those calories add up fast.
Josh Barro at The New York times ran an article called, “What 2000 Calories Look Like” back in 2014, you’ll probably recognize most of these restaurants, I think you might be shocked at some of the items on this list, I know I was.
In the article, Josh put some unlikely combinations together to make 2000 calories, I modified the list and provided a list of what I think are possible, realistic orders for a single person and split the list into 2000 / 1500 calorie meals list (still making one meal the equivalent of your daily caloric intake.
2000 Calorie options
Fast Food
IHOP – Classic Skillet with sausage (1880) and orange juice (110) Total 1990 calories
Sonic – Peanut butter Caramel Pie shake – 2090 calories
Burger King – Double Whopper (1070), onion rings (410), and a vanilla milkshake (550) Total 2150 calories
McDonalds Crispy Chicken Sandwich (750), fries (340), coke (240), and a McFlurry with oreos (690) total 2020 calories
Chipote – Carnitas burrito (945) Chips and Guacamole (770) and a Coke (276) Total 1991 calories
Restaurant
Cheesecake Factory – Louisiana Chicken Pasta – 2370 total calories
Olive Garden – Salad (150), Bread stick (140), Tour of Italy sampler (1500), quartino of wine (230) Total 2020 calories
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse – Cowboy Ribeye Steak (1690), martini (230)
1500 Calorie options
Fast Food
Wendy’s – Baconator with cheese (940), Caesar salad (250), Coke (320) Total 1510 calories
Subway – Cold cut combo with mayo(575), chips (230), chicken noodle soup (155), cookie (220), coke (220) Total 1400 Calories
Pizza Hut – Meat Lovers Stuffed Crust Pizza (880), Mountain Dew (240), baked wings with blue cheese (340) Total 1460 calories
Starbucks – Java Chip Frappuchino (460), Grilled cheese (580), Orange mango smoothie (270) Total 1300 calories
Five Guys – Cheeseburger (840), coke (240), and fries (340) Total 1420 calories
Restaurant
P.F. Chang’s – Spinach dumplings (195), orange beef (585), caramel cake (430), glass of wine (125)
Macaroni Grill – Chicken Milanes total 1590 calories
TGI Fridays – Jack Daniels Ribs Total 1530 calories
Buffalo Wild Wings – Traditional Wing Snack Size (880) order with 2 cups blue cheese (560)
Even if you don’t get close to this amount of food when you eat out, you can see very clearly how the calories add up.
Average American eats out 4-5 times per week
Average calories in meal 1500-2000 calories
Average daily metabolic rate 1450-1600 calories/day
It’s not too hard to look at these numbers and see that we are consuming in 5 meals our caloric equivalent of our weekly intake. Eating out is an inevitable part of a lot of people’s lives, avoiding it altogether while a great idea, isn’t the best strategy. It’s important to know how to make better choices at restaurants as well as know what the major caloric culprits in restaurant meals are.
