Now you can find out just how unhealthy your next trip your favorite fast-food joint will be.
The city’s Health Department has launched MenuStat, a Web site with an online calorie counter for more than 35,000 items at 66 fast-food chains.
One click and it’s easy to see why Americans are becoming supersized.
Chili’s Big Mouth Bites burger with ranch dressing on a sesame-seed bun and fries is 1,800 calories.
Friendly’s grilled cheese burger also isn’t so figure-friendly, at 1,540 calories.
Both are hefty investments, when 2,500 calories is the recommended intake for the average male adult for the entire day.
“Foods eaten away from home account for nearly one-third of the calories Americans consume,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, the Health commissioner.
“MenuStat is different from other nutrition information Web sites in that it provides time-stamped nutritional information so users can assess changes over time, and it provides easy-to-use tools for comparisons and analysis.”
A federal grant provided the $80,000 needed to put up the site.
“I think creating this Web site is a smart thing to do,” said Kane Andre, a 35-year-old entrepreneur from Canarsie, Brooklyn.
“The obesity crisis is out of control. Everything is commercialized. The ads are crazy. There are huge burgers on billboards all over the place and that brainwashes people.
“It’s good to know how many calories are in what you eat,” Andre said.
The average household spends nearly half of its food budget on food eaten away from home.
Health officials estimate that each meal eaten away from home adds an extra 130 calories for adults.
But not everyone is sold on the Web calorie counter.
Basil Thompson, 53, a plumber from Jamaica, Queens, said the site was a waste of taxpayer dollars.
“I went to Starbucks and Chipotle today. I could see the calorie content on every item right above the counter,” he said. “Why would I waste my time checking a Web site on my computer or phone when I’m going to see the same content when I get to the restaurant?”
He even offered a solution to those worried about the calorie numbers.
“If you go running or spend time in the gym, then you can afford to eat whatever you want!” he said. “Life’s too short to be counting calories.”