Photo from "Bill Gracey" via Flikr
Thanksgiving has officially lost its world championship title for the holiday in which the most calories are consumed by a single person. Winner by default is the annual San Diego County Fair and its deep-fried contributors. This year, the weak of stomach have more to avoid than just the tummy-turning thrill rides like the bungee jump and the sling shot. We have deep-fried everything just waiting to be absorbed into our bodies so it can upset our stomachs and then take up residence in our thighs.
Remember the day when deep-fried Twinkies were the craziest thing you could bite into at the fair? Not that they have any health benefits, but in comparison to some of the newer food creations that the fair is bringing this year, a deep-fried Twinkie is looking pretty veggie-like right now.
Every year the creativity of fair food soars at a rate comparable to their caloric values and absolute gross-factors. Certain treats can make one weak in the knees, but does the fair being in town really warrant eating deep fried stuff filled with deep fried…stuff? And by “stuff” I mean a month worth of snack calories wasted in one night.
Multiple trans fat explosions are making their debut around every corner of this ever-progressing event, so be prepared to avoid a sick stomach and an easy extra 2,000 calories by sharing with someone (if you just have to taste it), or avoiding these foods all together. Preference absolutely goes to the latter of the two.
Aside from the Oatmeal Cookie Chicken Sandwich, some of the unique foods being served up this year are Deep-Fried Green Beans, Deep-Fried Bread Pudding, Deep-Fried Mexican Ice Cream and Deep-Fried Cheese Curds. It seems like the only things not being deep fried are the customers, but hey we always have next year.
The “Zucchini Weenie” is one of the chart-topping fat bombs up for grabs at the fair this year. Packing close to an angry 500 calories, this already less-than healthy hot dog is wrapped in zucchini, battered, deep fried, and, you guessed it, on a stick. We all know the basic rule of thumb that says if it’s on a stick, it’s probably not good for you, yet we can’t seem to control ourselves come fair time.
These next two negatives most definitely do not equal a positive when they are put together. I’m referring the union of chocolate and bacon. Neither one of these fatty foods should be eaten in excess, or at all for that matter; however, somewhere, someone has decided that it would be a good idea to take fried pig strips and soak them in the number one food weakness in all the land, chocolate. Weighing in at about 200 calories per strip (this is not a typo) these two wicked temptresses come together for a diet-busting, food-induced hangover.
If you just want excess baggage, do what the old wives’ tale says. Save yourself a stomach ache, and rub the grease-laden concoction of your choice directly on your hips and thighs. It’s going to end up there anyway, but for the added bonus, you won’t have to buy antacids later.
I’m convinced that the very description of some of these special foods is actually making someone’s mouth water right now, and understandably so. Sometimes we associate eating such foods with good memories of times when healthy eating wasn’t such a nag on us – childhood maybe – but it really is time to stop and think about what you’re doing to your one and only body.
If you’re like me and don’t want face yourself in the mirror after you’ve binged for the sake of binging, and you want an alternative, Albertson’s has come to the rescue. Located on Wyland Way, The Rejuvenation Station offers a wide selection of healthy foods such as fruits, nuts and salads.
Dee’s Concessions is also offering healthier alternatives such as grilled asparagus and roasted Caribbean Jerk Chicken. This is proof that healthy food can be delicious, and it does not have to be dripping with grease.
Reiterating what I believe and have said in the past, there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating what you like in moderation, but we all know that moderation does not come deep-fried and on a stick, so please keep that in mind and opt for the healthy foods that won’t leave you hurting and feeling guilty.
