When you’re eating out with friends or family, your server will probably ask you if you want to order an appetizer. You might think to yourself It’s just something to hold us over while we wait for our food! But you might not know some of the most common appetizers at restaurants are also incredibly unhealthy.
Moderation is key when it comes to all food, but it’s important to keep in mind the nutritional value of anything you eat, especially if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your weight.
Here’s a look at the 10 most unhealthy appetizers that can pack on pounds. (Click here to learn just how many calories are in your favorite fast food dishes.)
1. Spinach and Artichoke Dip
It has spinach in the name, so it must be healthy, right? Let’s take a closer look at this tasty dip before you add it to the healthy foods list. While it may be tasty, spinach artichoke dip is filled with massive amounts of sodium, calories, and saturated fat. Even though it does include spinach and artichokes, it’s also made out of a cream base. This type of dip typically comes with cream cheese and sour cream to give it the signature creamy texture. Not to mention you’ll usually eat it with bread or chips, adding to the overall calories.
2. Cheese Fries
Cheese being poured onto fried French fries.
Who can resist a tasty plate of cheese fries? While no one may have the impression that cheese fries are a healthy food, you might not know how unhealthy they actually are. Fries on their own are already an unhealthy choice because of the oil and high amount of calories. However, adding cheese to the mix only contributes to how unhealthy the fries are. A serving of cheese fries can have over 2,000 calories and 2,000 mg of sodium. Consuming too much sodium can lead to numerous health risks such as high blood pressure.
3. Loaded Potato Skins
Homemade Loaded Crispy Potato Skins with Sour Cream and Bacon
Potato skins are another appetizer that may seem like they’re not that bad since they’re made of potatoes. But like French fries, the way they’re made does have a significant impact on how healthy or unhealthy they are. Most potato skins are deep-fried and covered in a generous helping of cheese and bacon. They’re typically also paired with sour cream or another type of dip. The potato skins themselves may have some health benefits, but the sheer amount of calories, fat, and sodium in the rest of the dish negates any nutritional benefit.
4. Cheeseburger Sliders
Homemade Cheeseburger Sliders with Tomato and Lettuce
Sliders seem like the perfect dish to start off with since they’re small–but don’t let their adorable size fool you. Three cheeseburger sliders is a meal in itself. Three or four cheeseburger sliders can be between 1,000 to 2,000 calories depending on where you’re ordering them from. Also, if you do consider the calories in these sliders, keep in mind it may not include any added condiments or dipping sauces. They may be cute, but cheeseburger sliders are not a healthy appetizer.
5. Nachos
Nachos are definitely an all-time favorite and it’s easy to see why. Whether they’re topped with shredded chicken, pulled pork, or jalapeños, they’re a tasty start to your meal. However, an appetizer of nachos can add over 1,500 calories to your meal and even come to close to 5,000 mg of sodium. The calories from the chips alone are enough to throw off your whole day, but they’re made even worse by the toppings of melted cheese and sour cream. A chip or two isn’t so bad if you’re sharing with the table, but downing an entire plate of nachos isn’t the best idea.
6. Fried Calamari
Squid itself may have health benefits, but when you batter it, fry it, and cover it in sauce, it’s a different story. The fat alone in fried calamari is enough to show how unhealthy is. The high amount of fat comes from the frying process and the oils used in frying. While squid alone isn’t unhealthy, the way it’s usually prepared as an appetizer makes it an unhealthy choice. There are many other healthy options to choose from if you’re craving a seafood appetizer.
7. Chicken Wings
Despite the messiness involved in eating them, chicken wings continue to be one of the most popular appetizers. They taste best when they’re fried, drenched in sauce, and dipped in ranch or blue cheese dressing, but it’s easy to see why this process makes them pretty unhealthy as well. The frying part alone is enough to make you pause before ordering an appetizer of buffalo wings, but the biggest culprit is often the sauce. Depending on the sauce you choose, many wing sauces are packed with calories and high amounts of sugar.
8. Mozzarella Sticks
It’s pretty difficult to say no to fried cheese, no matter how unhealthy it is. But if you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your weight, you’ll want to pay attention the nutritional value of this tasty appetizer before you dig in. An order of mozzarella sticks can have over 1,000 calories and nearly 3,000 mg of sodium, and that’s without the dipping sauce. Like most appetizers, one or two might not make a huge difference in your overall day, but more than just a few bites may be overdoing it.
9. Clam Chowder
The warmth and creaminess of clam chowder may make it a comforting appetizer, especially on a cooler day. However, there are a lot of sneaky ingredients in this soup. Clam chowder is typically made with a heavy cream base and has copious amounts of butter and salted pork to give it plenty of flavor. The addition of these ingredients leads to high amounts of calories, sodium, and fat. Although a small bowl of clam chowder may not be that high in calories, it can have over 1,000 mg of sodium in just one cup.
10. Queso
Chips and queso are another favorite among restaurant-goers and they may seem innocent enough. Even if you intend on sharing the appetizer, it’s hard to resist them when they’re right in front of you. From the crispy, salted chips to the creamy queso, it’s no wonder they’re so popular. The cheese is certainly filled with fatty cream and calories, but it may not even be the worst part of the appetizer. The chips alone are incredibly unhealthy due to the oils used in frying and the high amount of calories and sodium. Additionally, the process of perfectly crisping the tortilla chips can lead to the creation of a chemical known as acrylamide, which may be linked to cancer.