Eat This Not That: 10 Worst Ice Cream Treats in America

[OceanAnnie]

I get the e-mails from ETNT. The things I learn from that e-mail. One of my favorite desserts from Outback is on the: 10 Worst Ice Cream Treats in America

Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under

1,911 calories (!!!!)
154 g fat (88 g saturated)
135 g carbohydrates

Oh my gosh! 2000 calories?! Sometimes we'd get one and share it, but still! Geesh!

They recommend getting the cheesecake and splitting it with a friend instead.

Cheesecake

737 calories
15 g saturated fat
105 g carbohydrates

 

[sunnyday123]

holy cow! what is it made of???

 

[OceanAnnie]

The others are:

Worst Shake
Cold Stone PB&C Shake (Gotta Have It size)

2,010 calories
131 g fat (68 g saturated, 2.5 g trans)
880 mg sodium
153 g sugars


Eat This Instead!

Sinless Strawberry Bananza Smoothie (Love It size)

220 calories
1.5 g fat (0 g saturated)
34 g sugars

Worst Ice Cream Sundae
Baskin-Robbins York Peppermint Pattie Brownie Sundae

1,610 calories
80 g fat (32 g saturated, 1 g trans)
183 g sugars
222 g carbohydrates


Eat This Instead!

Made with Snickers Ice Cream (4 ounces)

290 calories
15 g fat (8 g saturated, 0 g trans)
31 g sugars
36 g carbohydrates

Worst Drive-Thru Dessert
Dairy Queen Raspberry Truffle Blizzard (large)

1,140 calories
44 g fat (31 g saturated, 1 g trans)
141 g sugars


Eat This Instead!
Small Strawberry Sundae

260 calories
7 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 0 g trans)
36 g sugars

Worst Kids' Ice Cream Dessert
Uno Chicago Grill Kids' Sundae

860 calories
38 g fat (20 g saturated)
94 g sugars


Drink This Instead!

Kids' Slush

70 calories
0 g fat
17 g sugars

Worst Malt
Dairy Queen Hot Fudge Malt (small)

700 calories
23 g fat (16 g saturated, 1 g trans)
85 g sugars


Eat This Instead!

Hot Fudge Sundae (small)

300 calories
10 g fat (7 g saturated)
37 g sugars

Worst Gas Station Ice Cream
Toll House Ice Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich

520 calories
23 g fat (9 g saturated)
44 g sugars


Eat This Instead!

Breyers Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich

160 calories
6 g fat (2 g saturated)
13 g sugars

Worst Supermarket Scoop
Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream (1 scoop)

360 calories
24 g fat (11 g saturated)
24 g sugars


Eat This Instead!

Five Brown Sugar Ice Cream (1 scoop)

230 calories
12 g fat (7 g saturated)
23 g sugars

Fattiest Scoop
Ben and Jerry’s Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream (½ cup)

340 calories
24 g fat (12 g saturated)
24 g sugars

Eat This Instead!
Cherry Garcia Ice Cream (½ cup)

200 calories
11 g fat (8 g saturated)

Worst Fruity Scoop
Cold Stone Blueberry Muffin Ice Cream (Love It size)

320 calories
2.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
48 g sugars


Eat This Instead!

Tart and Tangy Yogurt (Love It size) topped with Yellow Cake and Blueberries

320 calories
2.5 g fat (0.5 g saturated)
48 g sugars

20 g sugars

(I think that's more than 10, but the coffee hasn't kicked in.)

 

[OceanAnnie]

holy cow! what is it made of???

I don't know, but here's more of what ETNT had to say about, Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under:

"We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually, according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½ days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake with two friends for a better option."

___________________________________________________________________________________

I found the bolded interesting. I don't remember seeing it should be split 4 ways on the menu. Sometimes we'd split it, sometimes not, if we were somewhat full or not. I think if it were posted on the menu like that, I would have steered clear of it. That would have been a big red flag to us.

BTW, it is a really great tasting dessert. But I'm giving it up for sure. It's not worth 2000 calories and all the rest. Not for me.

 

[Kit'smommy]

Dh, DS and I occassionally split the chocolate thunder. However, it is a once every couple of months treat. Considering the fact that we never order an appetizer and usually split a larger entree, I don't feel bad about it. DH and I are both pretty careful about what we eat 90% of the time and work out a lot.

I will still get it once and a while and enjoy every mouthful.

 

[eliza61]

Dh, DS and I occassionally split the chocolate thunder. However, it is a once every couple of months treat. Considering the fact that we never order an appetizer and usually split a larger entree, I don't feel bad about it. DH and I are both pretty careful about what we eat 90% of the time and work out a lot.

I will still get it once and a while and enjoy every mouthful.

See that's what so deceiving about those "Don't eat" articles. Yes, they are alot of calories but who eats those things once a week?

I'm more worried about the bag of barbeque potatoe chips I scarf down during lunch 4X's a week.

I love the Baskin and robbins peppermint sundae. They don't even sell it all year long, you can get it maybe 2 months during the holidays so some how I think I'm safe if I eat one, once a year.

 

[java]

oh but that toll house cookie sandwich from the gas stations is soooo good! I think it's worth the 500 calories. Ice cream sandwich is no substitute!

 

[hulagirl87]

Thank goodness I have never eaten any of those things! I was reading through thinking "oh please don't let it be something I love..." and I'm a huge ice cream fan so I'm safe for now

 

[paintnolish]

Thank goodness I have never eaten any of those things! I was reading through thinking "oh please don't let it be something I love..." and I'm a huge ice cream fan so I'm safe for now

Me, too. I was horrified when I saw something I had at bfast at Bob Evan's on there! It's not like I thought it was healthy by any means, but it was WAY worse than I thought!

 

[MM27]

Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under

If I ordered something called a chocolate thunder from down under, I'd expect it to be brought to me by a tall, dark Australian guy in very little clothing.

 

[Sorsha]

If I ordered something called a chocolate thunder from down under, I'd expect it to be brought to me by a tall, dark Australian guy in very little clothing.

And if that were the case, you can bet I'd be ordering it AT LEAST once a week, calories be d*mned!!

I always get a kick out of reading these "eat this not that" lists. Although I understand the sentiment behind them, they are just a tiny bit unreasonable.

Take, for example, the Blizzard. Now, first of all, I couldn't eat a LARGE Blizzard if my life depended on it. I am a HUGE Blizzard fan, but I always get a small. Second of all, if I am in the mood for a Blizzard, there is NO WAY I am going to go toodling through the drive-thru and ask for a small strawberry sundae instead. Why even waste my time?!? I don't want a small strawberry sundae, I want a small turtle-pecan Blizzard!!

 

[Planogirl]

I love Cherry Garcia and it's not too bad.

I think that I'll pass on that first dessert though. Wow!

 

[Planogirl]

Take, for example, the Blizzard. Now, first of all, I couldn't eat a LARGE Blizzard if my life depended on it. I am a HUGE Blizzard fan, but I always get a small. Second of all, if I am in the mood for a Blizzard, there is NO WAY I am going to go toodling through the drive-thru and ask for a small strawberry sundae instead. Why even waste my time?!? I don't want a small strawberry sundae, I want a small turtle-pecan Blizzard!!

The few times I've had a Blizzard it was my complete meal. How can anyone eat a large in one sitting and after a meal?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

We've been sharing desserts lately.

But even when we didn't--some restaurant desserts are so huge, that unless you are a bottomless pit, there is no way that one individual could consume them.

While the article is eye opening--again, these are simply specialty desserts that regardless of what the menu says, usually aren't intended for one person to consume.

The complaint reminds me of the warnings you find on products that say:

"Warning, do not use in the bathtub or shower" (hair dryer)

"Warning, this product contains milk" (On a carton of milk that is clearly labeled milk.)

Common sense seems to have fallen and if someone needs a warning that a dessert the size of a kitchen table is meant to be shared--well, they only have themselves to blame for the caloric intake.

(Yeah i know desserts aren't served that big, but let's be honest--they are HUGE considering the cake and pie slices at chain restaurants are the size of 1/4 a regular cake.)

 

[sunnyday123]

I don't know, but here's more of what ETNT had to say about, Outback Steakhouse Chocolate Thunder from Down Under:

"We’ll concede that desserts are intended to be decadent, but there’s a dramatic difference between indulgence and recklessness. Add one of these ice-cream–covered chocolate cinder blocks onto the end of one meal per week and you’re looking at more than 2 extra pounds of body fat each month. Think that extra flab is just inconvenient? Actually, according to numerous studies, it increases your risk of developing a host of conditions from diabetes and high blood pressure to esophageal cancer. Some of those risks are magnified when you factor in the 4½ days’ worth of saturated fat gluing this thing together like toxic cement. Technically this dessert is intended to be split four ways, but the last we checked, it doesn't indicate that on the menu. And even if you were to split it with three friends, you'd still each consume an extra 477 calories after your meal - about as much as if you'd eaten one and a half McDonald's cheeseburgers for dessert! Split the cheesecake with two friends for a better option."

___________________________________________________________________________________

I found the bolded interesting. I don't remember seeing it should be split 4 ways on the menu. Sometimes we'd split it, sometimes not, if we were somewhat full or not. I think if it were posted on the menu like that, I would have steered clear of it. That would have been a big red flag to us.

BTW, it is a really great tasting dessert. But I'm giving it up for sure. It's not worth 2000 calories and all the rest. Not for me.

Well, I bet they're a hoot a parties.

I don't think I've ever had dessert at Outback, but please don't tell me how awful bad the bloomin' onion and their ceaser salad is for me. I would walk through fire on broken glass for them.

 

[golfgal]

I am just trying to figure out who thinks getting dessert at a restaurant or at Dairy Queen would be healthy in the first place--not that I don't get the banana split blizzards because they have fruit in them