That's the accusation made by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nutrition advocacy group that previously made headlines for branding the evils of movie theater popcorn and Chinese food, reports CNN. Study co-author Jayne Hurley says the healthy changes many chain restaurants have made in adult entrees, have not been made on the kids' menus. "The kids' menus were replicating fast-food menus, except the portions are bigger so the calories and fat content are even higher at the table-service restaurants," she explained at a news conference announcing the study.
Here are the eye-opening findings:
- Most kids' menus have little variety and are loaded with food that is fattening.
- Hamburgers or cheeseburgers are on 85 percent of the menus.
- French fries are served with virtually all meals.
- Many of the menu items contain a whopping 1,000 calories in one meal. That's 500 short of the amount kids ages 4 to 8 need in an entire day. Add in free refills on sodas and a sundae for dessert and you could easily top the day's limit on calories and saturated fat.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest named names and got specific about the good, the bad, and the ugly on children's menus at leading chain restaurants.
Bad: A Denny's cheeseburger and fries has 760 calories and 39 grams of saturated fat.
Better: Skip the fries and get the vegetable of the day, which will bring the calorie count down to 380 and the saturated fat to 19 grams.
Bad: An Applebee's grilled cheese sandwich and fries has 900 calories and 21 grams of saturated fat.
Better: Skip the fries and bring it down to has 520 calories and 14 grams of saturated fat.
Bad: Red Lobster's old favorite Popcorn Shrimp with fries clocks in at 430 calories and 14 grams of saturated fat.
Better: Red Lobster's new children's menu featuring grilled mahi-mahi and snow crab legs.
Bad: Chili's No Baloney Macaroni 'n Cheese has 400 calories and six grams of saturated fat.
Better: At least it doesn't come with fries.
Bad: Outback Steakhouse's Boomerang Cheese Burger with Fries has 840 calories and 31 grams of saturated-plus-trans fat.
Even Worse: Add in a sundae for dessert, and your child has eaten 1,700 calories and 58 grams of saturate fat--at a single meal.
Good: Cracker Barrel's grilled chicken tenderloins with a vegetable side contain just 160 calories and one gram of saturated fat.
Good: Olive Garden's option of spaghetti and tomato sauce with a side salad has 420 calories and just two grams of saturated fat.
Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate to require large chain restaurants and vending machines to provide basic nutritional information about standard menu items. "This study shows that when it comes to diet and obesity, American parents are woefully uninformed," said Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa. "Parents still lack basic information on the calorie and fat content on the meals that they and their children eat at restaurants."
The National Restaurant Association called the survey "another stale and worn-out attempt by CSPI to sensationalize an issue" and "vilify the food industry. Our nation's restaurants have long provided a wide variety of options that can meet any individual's dietary preferences."
