Introduction
When it comes to the holidays, many of us look forward to indulging in some of our favorite treats. Unfortunately, some of these treats can be found on fast food menus, and they can be some of the worst holiday menu items. From deep-fried turkey sandwiches to peppermint shakes, these items are often loaded with unhealthy ingredients and can be a major source of added calories and fat. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the worst holiday fast food menu items and discuss why they should be avoided.
The Worst Holiday Fast Food Menu Items
The holidays are a time for family, friends, and of course, food. But when it comes to fast food, not all menu items are created equal. From over-the-top milkshakes to deep-fried turkeys, here are some of the worst holiday fast food menu items.
McDonald’s Holiday Pie
McDonald’s Holiday Pie is a seasonal offering that is usually available around the holidays. The pie is made with a graham cracker crust and filled with a sweet, creamy filling. Unfortunately, the pie is often dry and flavorless, making it one of the worst holiday fast food menu items.
Burger King’s Turkey Burger
Burger King’s Turkey Burger is a seasonal offering that is usually available around the holidays. The burger is made with a turkey patty, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Unfortunately, the burger is often dry and flavorless, making it one of the worst holiday fast food menu items.
Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries
Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries are a seasonal offering that is usually available around the holidays. The fries are made with a crispy coating and topped with nacho cheese sauce. Unfortunately, the fries are often soggy and greasy, making them one of the worst holiday fast food menu items.
KFC’s Deep-Fried Turkey
KFC’s Deep-Fried Turkey is a seasonal offering that is usually available around the holidays. The turkey is deep-fried in a special batter and served with a side of gravy. Unfortunately, the turkey is often dry and flavorless, making it one of the worst holiday fast food menu items.
Dairy Queen’s Holiday Blizzard
Dairy Queen’s Holiday Blizzard is a seasonal offering that is usually available around the holidays. The Blizzard is made with a mix of ice cream, candy, and other sweet treats. Unfortunately, the Blizzard is often overly sweet and cloying, making it one of the worst holiday fast food menu items.
The vacation season is a time when nearly everybody indulges not directly. From the cookies, truffles, pies, and heat meals that solely make sense to eat through the winter months, there are many scrumptious choices. For some, this time of 12 months would possibly imply a visit to the drive-thru as a celebratory deal with. And whilst you do not wish to deprive your self of your traditional go-to order, you could be enticed by the vacation choices you see on menus. They’re typically simply seasonal, so that you solely have a restricted window to take pleasure in them!
Nicely, it ought to come as no large shock that there are many vacation fast-food goodies that aren’t so nice, nutritionally talking. So with the intention to enable you make a strong determination, we rounded up the worst vacation fast-food menu objects. This manner, you possibly can keep away from completely derailing your well being objectives! In case you’re making an attempt to make more healthy selections to set you up for 2021, you’ll want to take a look at the 21 Greatest Wholesome Cooking Hacks of All Time.
Per massive: 950 energy, 30 g fats (20 g saturated fats, 1 g trans fats), 500 mg sodium, 158 g carbs (1 g fiber, 134 g sugar), 15 g protein
Chick-fil-A added this peppermint-flavored milkshake to its seasonal menu that options precise chips of peppermint bark. Cannot get extra festive than that, proper? Nicely, a big dimension of this deal with is packing greater than 900 energy and has extra sugar than you’ll get from 28 Oreo cookies. Large yikes.
Per massive: 1,340 energy, 48 g fats (29 g saturated fats, 1.5 g trans fats), 390 mg sodium, 214 g carbs (4 g fiber, 178 g sugar), 23 g protein
Any DQ fan is aware of there are sometimes new Blizzard of the Month choices all year long and in 2020, the Peppermint Scorching Cocoa Blizzard made its approach to the seasonal vacation menu. It is manufactured from chocolate chunks, peppermint sweet cane items, and cocoa fudge that’s blended collectively and, after all, includes a whipped topping. A big dimension is drowning in sugar—178 grams of it to be precise. Be mindful The American Coronary heart Affiliation recommends males ought to devour not more than 36 grams of added sugar per day, and ladies should not have greater than 25 grams per day.
Per sandwich: 630 energy, 32 g fats (8 g saturated fats, 0 g trans fats), 1,520 mg sodium, 56 g carbs (1 g fiber, 9 g sugar), 32 g protein
Jack within the Field debuted two new hen sandwiches in December, and the Cluck Deluxe is only a lot to absorb. It is manufactured from a thick, crispy hen fillet that’s topped with melted cheddar cheese, bacon, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise, all between two brioche buns. The limited-time sandwich is loaded with sodium, packing greater than half of a day’s price. Bear in mind, the American Coronary heart Affiliation says to restrict every day consumption to not more than 2,300 milligrams, and this with none aspect dishes you wish to eat, too.
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Per full stack: 1,190 energy, 48 g fats (20 g saturated fats, 1 g trans fats), 2,460 mg sodium, 169 g carbs (6 g fiber, 76 g sugar), 22 g protein
Is that this breakfast or dessert? This vacation menu merchandise at IHOP is manufactured from up 4 buttermilk pancakes which can be full of Oreo Cookie items and are layered with a milk mousse. But it surely does not cease there, as this stack is then topped with extra mousse, vanilla sauce drizzle, cookie items, powdered sugar, and sprinkles. It is (not surprisingly) excessive in sugar, but in addition fairly excessive in sodium, too.
290 energy, 15 g fats (9 g saturated fats, 0.5 g trans fats), 240 mg sodium, 38 g carbs (1 g fiber, 28 g sugar), 3 g protein
Starbucks is thought for its seasonal menu choices, and this cranberry bliss bar appears innocent for probably the most half. There are cranberries—an precise fruit! However this blondie cake is made with dried cranberries, and has a layer of cream-cheese icing, so it is not so harmless. Whereas it might sound decrease in energy in comparison with different choices on this checklist, the 28 grams of sugar is not one thing it is best to take flippantly!
Per massive: 910 energy, 18 g fats (13 g saturated fats, 0 g trans fats), 370 mg sodium, 177 g carbs (4 g fiber, 163 g sugar), 10 g protein
The idea of frozen chocolate is already an indulgent-sounding deal with, and Dunkin’ has tons of vacation flavors you possibly can combine in, together with peppermint mocha. A big dimension of this frozen deal with has greater than 900 energy and has as a lot sugar as greater than six full-sized Hershey’s milk chocolate bars.
Per donut: 260 energy, 13 g fats (6 g saturated fats, 0 g trans fats), 140 mg sodium, 32 g carbs (<1 g fiber, 19 g sugar), 3 g protein
Krispy Kreme introduced again the Gingerbread Glazed Donuts and this vacation season, there’s even an choice to get your repair with a creamy cheesecake filling. Only one donut, although, is packing 19 grams of sugar, and everyone knows how simple it’s to eat multiple Krispy Kreme donut when an entire field is in entrance of you.
Per pie: 260 energy, 12 g fats (6 g saturated fats, 0 g trans fats), 150 mg sodium, 32 g carbs (4 g fiber, 12 g sugar), 3 g protein
In case you’re fortunate sufficient to get your arms on a McDonald’s vacation pie, it is easy to see why you’ll wish to down considered one of these alongside a Large Mac and fries.
Inside a buttery crust that’s glazed with sugar and topped with rainbow sprinkles is a creamy easy, vanilla custard. This pie is just obtainable for a restricted time, and general, looks like a not-so-terrible possibility. What you do need to remember about this vacation menu merchandise is that its ingredient checklist is miles lengthy. It is loaded up with meals dyes corresponding to Yellow 5 & 6, which research have linked each to studying and focus issues like ADD in youngsters.
Per massive shake: 1,360 energy, 70 g fats (42 g saturated fats, 2 g trans fats), 870 mg sodium, 163 g carbs (2 g fiber, 101 g sugar), 19 g protein
Sonic launched this limited-time shake for the vacation season and one sip treats you to a double shot of espresso, Sonic’s creamy vanilla ice cream, and Oreo cookie items. Whereas this could be an oh so tasty approach to get your caffeine repair, a big shake is packing tons of fats and greater than 100 grams of sugar. Maybe, go for a small dimension and simply have a couple of sips should you actually wish to indulge!
Per shake: 850 energy, 54 g fats (31 g saturated fats, 1 g trans fats), 300 mg sodium, 77 g carbs (0 g fiber, 64 g sugar), 15 g protein
This holiday-themed Smashburger shake made its means onto menus towards the top of 2020. The shake is combined with actual Häagen-Dazs ice cream and gingerbread cookie crumbles, however downing 850 energy is simply extreme. Together with the excessive fats content material, it has as a lot sugar as you’ll get from 5 Dunkin’ Chocolate Frosted Donuts.
Per cookie: 390 energy, 23 g fats (14 g saturated fats, 0 g trans fats), 140 mg sodium, 45 g carbs (1 g fiber, 23 g sugar), 4 g protein
A snowman cookie, now that simply screams the vacation season. This buttery shortbread dessert you’ll find within the Starbucks bakery is roofed in a white chocolate icing, making for an excellent candy cookie. In case you actually desire a piece, you’ll want to cut up this little man with a pal.
Per sandwich: 650 energy, 32 g fats (11 g saturated fats, 0 g trans fats), 1,360 mg sodium, 58 g carbs (3 g fiber, 2 g sugar), 31 g protein
This sandwich made its debut in November as a part of Dunkin’s vacation lineup. Right here, you get further Cherrywood-smoked bacon plus two fried eggs and aged Wisconsin white cheddar cheese, all on sourdough toast. Not solely is that this a high-calorie breakfast sandwich, but it surely has as a lot sodium as seven and a half small order of McDonalds’ French fries. Plus, it accommodates extra protein than an individual ought to have in a single meal. Skip!
Per massive: 1,010 energy, 46 g fats (20 g saturated fats, 1 g trans fats), 400 mg sodium, 143 g carbs (5 g fiber, 124 g sugar), 16 g protein
Frozen sizzling chocolate strikes once more! This model from Dairy Queen has greater than 1,000 energy and is loaded up with extra sugar than 12 Krispy Kreme Authentic Glazed Donuts.
Per wrap: 650 energy, 35 g fats (13 g saturated fats, 0.5 g trans fats), 1,500 mg sodium, 62 g carbs (2 g sugar), 19 g protein
Sonic introduced again its Fritos infused chili cheese wrap for the colder months and whereas this could be a mouth-watering deal with, it is one you wish to keep away from. Not solely does have it comprise troublesome trans fats, but it surely’s packing extra sodium than should you ate 282 precise Fritos chips…