Wendy's Gourmet Mushroom Swissburger

Wendy's has introduced their new Gourmet Mushroom Swissburger for a limited time.

It is 1/4 lb. of beef topped with Swiss cheese, sauteed Portabella mushroom blend, hickory smoked bacon, pepercorn sauce, lettuce, and tomato.

And if you're signed up for WendyMail you've received a $1 off coupon for one.

But hey, don't let the mushrooms fool you!! This baby isn't about being a healthy burger.

166% of your daily value of fat, 136% of your daily value of sodium, 205% of your daily value of saturated fat, AND a whopping 4 grams of Trans Fat! It has 1810 calories, 970 from fat and 108 fat grams.

Boy, did we get that wrong! As you can see in the comments below, I was quickly called out for ersatz nutritional data on this burger. I did get my data directly from Wendy's, but am still uncertain about what happened. Some of the figures are 3 times what is now on Wendy's site. One, the Cholesterol, is actually more than what I listed before. I'm inclined to believe that Wendy's corrected their site shortly after I posted the data, but I can't be sure. Mistakes do happen. Thanks to you alert readers for catching the error.

Here's all the corrected nutritional data (as reported by Wendy's):

By the way, the 1.5 grams of Trans Fat is still rather disappointing when everyone else seems to be eliminating Trans Fat altogether.

Carl's Jr.'s Big Country Breakfast Burrito

Carl's Jr. has introduced their Big Country Breakfast Burrito.

Appropriate for their "Breakfast As Big As Our Burrgers" campaign, this new breakfast item offers a complete country breakfast wrapped in a burrito.

The Big Country Breakfast Burrito has eggs, crumbled bacon and sausage, diced ham, shredded cheddar cheese, has rounds and "a generous ladle of sausage gravy," in a flour tortilla.

Wow. That's a big breakfast burrito alright. She weighs in at 2/3 of a pound, has 770 calories (420 from fat), 47 grams of fat and 165% of the daily value of Cholesterol (495 mg)!  Here's the rest of the nutritional info:

The Big Country Breakfast Burrito costs $2.69, or $4.49 for a combo which includes has rounds and coffee.

This the TV ad supporting the Big Country Breakfast Burrito, it's called "Not Much"

Homestyle Chicken and Churro's From Jack, too

Okay, this is the third Jack in the Box post for today (and they would have been another if I didn't cover two topics in this one!), but that's just the way news happens... and, frankly, we haven't gotten any fast food news from Jack in the Box for quite awhile.

First, Jack in the Box is integrating their Homestyle Chicken Fillet into two new menu items, the Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club and the Breakfast Homestyle Chicken Biscuit.

The Homestyle Ranch Chicken Club puts the homestyle chicken fillet on a bun with bacon, 'swiss-style' cheese, lettuce and tomato, with ranch sauce. It has 760 calories and 38 grams of fat (complete nutritional information is below). It is priced at $4.29.

The Breakfast Homestyle Chicken Biscuit, is the chicken fillet on a warm buttermilk biscuit. No nutritional data yet. It costs $2.99. Both are served all day.

"Crispy chicken items are very appealing to consumers," said Teka O'Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. "We've had great success with our Jack's Spicy Chicken sandwich and think the home-made flavor of our new Homestyle Chicken will also be a hit with guests."

Secondly, Jack is introducing a new dessert to "reflect a growing trend...toward smaller desserts."

The Mini Churros are bite-sized pastries with a cinnamon sugar filling.

The come in a 5-count and 10-count size. 5 Mini Churros are $1.00, ten cost $1.89.

"Bite-sized treats, like our new Mini Churros, have been increasing in
popularity," said Teka O'Rourke, director of menu marketing and
promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. "They're ideal for guests who want
just a little something sweet after a meal or as a snack."

Jack Brings Back Teriyaki Bowls

Jack has brought back their Teriyaki Bowl. It was first introduced in 1993, but was taken off the menu in 2003. Now it's back.

"We've had plenty of products come and go over the years, but few made an impression like the Teriyaki Bowl," said Teka O'Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions. "We've had lots of requests to bring it back, so we did, and it tastes just as great as the original."

The Teriyaki Bowls at Jack in the Box have steamed white rice, broccoli florets and carrots with a choice of either chicken or steak topped with teriyaki sauce. It is served in a sealed bowl and is priced at $4.29 for chicken and $4.79 for steak.

Both these Bowls are relatively low in fat, if that's what you're trying to avoid. And no Trans Fat! They do have quite a bit of sodium and sugars, but that is the nature of a Teriyaki dish. The Chicken version has 580 calories and 5 grams of fat, the Steak version has 650 calories and 10 grams of fat. Complete nutritional information is below.

Taco Bell: Triple Steak Burrito & Frutista

While Taco Bell is experiencing increased business during the current economic downturn due to their "Why Pay More" value menu, they've also introduced the most expensive menu item they've ever had, the Triple Steak Burrito priced at $3.99.

The Triple Steak Burrito is big.  It weighs in at 339 grams.  By comparison, the 7-layer Burrito weighs 283 grams.  The Triple Steak is also loaded with protein:  37 grams.  Of course, you get 25 grams of fat (230 calories from fat) with the Triple Steak Burrito, and 660 total calories.  (complete nutritional information below)

They've also introduced a fruit-flavored frozen beverage called the "Frutista Freeze."  The Frutista, priced under $2, is a high profit margin product for Taco Bell (as are most beverages).  It is basically a flavored-water slush.  It contains no fruit juice (only fruit flavors).Taco Bell/YUM! Brands Chief Marketing Officer, David Ovens, has called the Frutista Freeze "the goose that lays the golden eggs."

Long John Silver's Intros Freshside Grille

Long John Silver's, the fast food seafood chain, introduced a new menu concept today that they are calling "Freshside Grille." The new menu options are being promoted as healthy, premium seafood entrees.

The 3 new Freshside Grille entrees are (as pictured, top to bottom) Grilled Tilapia in garlic herb sauce, Shrimp Scampi in garlic butter sauce, and Grilled Pacific Salmon in a sauce of red bell peppers, black pepper, garlic and olive oil. Each entree is served on seasoned rice with a breadstick.

Long John Silver's and their nutritionist-for-hire are quick to point out that each of the Freshside Grille entrees have 10 or less grams of fat and no trans fats. But this is only true for the entrees, not the sides shown with them (rice, corn, veggies and breadstick)... the sides add more fat and do have some trans fat.

A statement from Long John Silver's "noted nutrition scientist, author and expert on seafood nutrition," Dr. Joyce Nettleton says, "Fish and shellfish are an important source of protein and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to have health benefits for the heart, eyes, brain, immune system, and for pregnant and nursing women and their babies. Long John Silver's has taken an important step in offering low-fat, non-fried seafood choices with the new Freshside Grille menu."

Fast Food News has the complete nutrition information for Long John Silver's Freshside Grille entrees and sides below, but be certain to take note that the nutrition information for the entrees is not the nutrition information for the meals you see photographed above. It is only for the entrees, not the additional side items.

Long John Silver's is proud to point out that the Gilled Tilapia entree has only 110 calories and 2.5 grams of fat, but if you dine on the Grilled Tilapia as it is shown in the photo, with the rice it is served on, the Vegetable Medley, Corn, and Breadstick you will be consuming 760 calories, 22.5 grams of fat and 2.5 grams of Trans Fat. That's a big difference.

The bed of rice under the entrees come with the entree, but is not included in the nutrition data for the entree. The Vegetable Medley, Corn and Breadstick, along with the Rice add 650 calories, 180 calories from fat, 20 grams of fat, 2.5 grams Trans Fat and 1495 mg of Sodium.

Long John Silver's hasn't updated their main website (www.ljsilvers.com) for a long, long time, but now, to introduce their Freshside Grille concept, they've launched a new web presence at www.freshsidegrille.com.

New Freshside Grille Commercial:

There's also a behind-the-scenes, making-of, video showing the people in the commercial getting hit by the big splash.

---

Freshside Grille, complete nurtional information:

With rice and sides (as shown): 760 calories, 200 calories from fat, 22.5 grams fat, 2.5 grams Trans Fat, 1735 mg Sodium.


With rice and sides (as shown): 760 calories, 220 calories from fat, 24.5 grams fat, 2.5 grams Trans Fat, 2055 mg Sodium.


With rice and sides (as shown): 800 calories, 225 calories from fat, 25 grams fat, 2.5 grams Trans Fat, 1935 mg Sodium.

Wendy's Flavor Dipped Chicken Sandwiches

Wendy's is currently promoting their limited-time-only Flavor Dipped Chicken Sandwiches.

There are two versions, BBQ and Buffalo.

The chicken breasts at the center of these sandwiches are fully dipped in one of the two flavors.

The Spicy Buffalo Sauce dipped chicken filet comes with lettuce, tomato and blue cheese sauce (on a bun, of course, as shown in the photo).

The BBQ sauce dipped version comes with onions and pickles.

The BBQ version has 450 calories and 12 grams of fat. The Buffalo version has 530 calories and twice the fat (24 grams).

Here's the complete nutritional information for both sandwiches:

Jimmy John's New Ultimate Porker

Jimmy John's has unveiled their first new sandwich in 4 years.

Jimmy John's #17 is The Ultimate Porker.

The Ultimate Porker has applewood smoked ham and bacon with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

"We don't rely on gimmicks, promotions and new menu additions to fool people into coming in and buying our sandwiches," says Jimmy John Liautaud, founder of Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches. "We rely on the simplicity and quality of our food and the speed of delivery to keep our customers coming back for more--and they do. The Ultimate Porker is simply another option for people like me who like the taste of ham and bacon together and want it served freaky fresh and freaky fast."

The Ultimate Porker has 843 calories and 41 grams of fat. Complete nutritional information:

UPDATE: You can submit your brilliant slogan for the new Ultimate Porker at Jimmy John's SoFastYoullFreak.com site for a chance to win an election day catered party from Jimmy John's. "The top ten Ulitmate Porker campaign slogans submitted between now and Friday October 24th will be posted for a vote-off during the week of October 27th. The slogan that gets the most votes wins a fully-catered Jimmy John's election day party."

Fast Food Facts: 'Nutrition Facts' Search Upgrade

Just a little FYI: I've upgraded the appearance of nutrition search results on Fast Food Facts (Fast Food News' parent site).

The fast food nutrition data search results now appear as the 'Nutrition Facts' panels you're accustomed to seeing on the food you buy in the grocery store. Hopefully this will make it easier to go right to the nutrition data you need. Like this one for Burger King's Whopper with Cheese, without Mayonnaise:

The '%DV,' or % Daily Value figures are based on a 2,000 calorie diet (just like the ones on food you buy in the store).

Many teachers use Fast Food Facts in homework/webwork assignments for their students (mainly in Health and Math classes) and I hope they'll find it useful to have their students looking at the same Nutrition Facts panel they're used to seeing everywhere else when they do a class project.

And hopefully everyone else will find it easier to read, too. This should make it even more fun to do some of the favorite searches on Fast Food Facts, like:

• Burgers with the most Calories,
• Burgers with the most Fat grams,
• Sandwiches (excluding Burgers) with the most Calories,
• Chicken items with the most Calories,
• Salads with the most Calories,
• French Fries with the most Calories (or least Calories),
• Chicken with the most Cholesterol,
• Beverages with the most Sodium,
• Tacos and Wraps with the most Calories or,
• how about Fish Sandwiches with the most Protein, or maybe
• All Sandwiches (including Burgers) with the most Calories, and individually from, Arby's, Boston Market, Burger King, Carl's Jr., Chick-fil-a, Dairy Queen, Hardee's, Jack in the Box, KFC, Long John Silver's, McDonald's, Panera Bread Co., Sonic Drive-In, Steak 'N Shake, Subway, Wendy's, or Whataburger.

It's a lot of nutrition information that can be viewed in many different ways...and now it looks better and is easier to read!

Popeye's New 'Travelers' Snack Items

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen is introducing an on-the-go snack menu called "Louisiana Travelers."

The menu currently features 2 permanent menu items:  Louisiana Nuggets and Louisiana Tenders.

"We know many of our guests lead busy, time-crunched lives, so it's important to offer them quality, delicious food that can be enjoyed in the car or on the road," says Dick Lynch, CMO, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. "Our Louisiana Travelers Nuggets and Tenders are perfect for anyone that needs a quick, easy snack or meal as a part of their busy day."

The nuggets are available in 6 or 9 piece sizes and as 'mild' or 'spicy.'

The Tenders come in 3 or 5 piece sizes in 'mild' only.

To go along with these 'to-go' items, Popeye's is now making their signature "Delta Sauce" available in a portable dipping package for the first time.

The introductory price of both these menu items is $1.99.

The 6 piece Louisana Nuggets have 220 calories and 12 grams of fat.  Complete nutritional information:

Little Thickburger Ads From Hardee's

Hardee's has an answer for that eternal question: "What would happen to a Thickburger if you threw it in a cold swimming pool?" (see the first video below)

Hardee's is promoting their Little Thickburgers. So five years after Hardee's introduced their 1/3 and 2/3 pound Thickburgers, they're introducing a 1/4 pound size for smaller appetites: the "Little Thickburger."

“Ever since we first introduced our signature line of Thickburgers in 2003, our research has consistently shown that people recognize and appreciate their superior taste and quality,” said Brad Haley, Hardee’s EVP of Marketing for Hardee’s restaurants. “The only complaint some people have ever had about our Thickburgers is that they were either too big or too expensive to order as much as they would like, particularly in this challenging economic environment. So, we created Little Thickburgers specifically for those people. Starting at just $1.99 and made with quarter pound, charbroiled, 100% Black Angus beef patties, Little Thickburgers may be smaller than the original Thickburgers, but they are definitely not small on taste.”

The Little Thickburgers start at $1.99.

The Little Thick Cheeseburger is 1/4 pound charbroiled Angus beef, American Cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion, mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and dill pickles on a sesame seed bun. It has 470 calories and 24 grams of fat, compared to the Original 1/3 pound Thickburger with cheese with 680 calories and 39 grams of fat, or the 2/3 pound Monster Thickburger with 1420 calories and 108 grams of fat. Complete nurtritional information for the new Little Thickburger with cheese:

Two of the ads for the new Little Thickburger campaign are below. They were created by Mendelsohn|Zien. They also brought you the (in)famous Paris Hilton Hardee's ad and the Fake Restaurant ads from earlier this year.

The 'Shrinkage' ad for the Little Thickburger:

The Badonkadonk / Badinkadink Little Thickburger version:

Sonic's Angus Bacon Cheeseburgers

Sonic Drive-In is offering 3 hamburgers made with 100% Angus beef.

The new Sonic Angus Bacon Cheeseburgers are available in Hickory, Jalapeño and Classic.

They're served on a ciabatta bun.

The Angus burgers are presently a 'limited time only' menu item.

The Classic Angus Bacon Cheeseburger has 760 calories and 52 grams of fat. Complete nutritional information:

I've already mentioned the Sonic Angus burger, regarding an unfortunate photo of a banner for it, but I didn't have the nutritional details until now.

Arby's New Mac & Cheezers

Arby's now has a new snack item they're calling "Mac & Cheezers."

Arby's describes them as "Creamy cheddar cheese and classic macaroni...battered and fried into golden brown triangles of flavor."

They sound a lot like Jack in the Box's Cheesy Macaroni Bites.  And remember, Pizza Hut now has Bacon Mac 'n Cheese Pasta.  It seems like Mac and cheese is a favorite for fast food to capitalize on this year.

A regular order of Mac & Cheezers contains 5 and has 390 calories and 18 grams of fat.  Complete nutritional information:

Hardee's Pork Chop 'N' Gravy Breakfast Biscuit

Hardee's has announced the return of their Pork Chop 'N' Gravy Biscuit. And now they've added gravy.

It follows the Southern cuisine popularity Hardee's found with the success of their Chicken Fillet Biscuit.

"We first introduced a pork chop biscuit a few years ago and, even though we stopped selling it last year, we still get many requests from people asking us to bring it back," said Brad Haley, Hardee's Executive Vice President of Marketing. "And, since we had many reports from our restaurants that people were ordering a side of our famous sausage gravy to dip the biscuit in, we decided to re-test it with sausage gravy already on it and it was more popular than ever. So, I guess the old saying among our test kitchen people is true: 'The only way to make it better is to add gravy to it!'."

The Pork Chop 'N' Gravy Biscuit features a breaded, boneless pork chop and sausage gravy on a 'made from scratch' biscuit. It is priced at $2.99, or in a small combo for $4.59 (with hash rounds and a drink).

It has 680 calories (370 from fat) and 42 grams of fat. Complete nutritional information:

Carl's Jr. Expands Bacon Guacamole Burger Line

Carl's has a coupon right now for $1 off their Guacamole Bacon Burgers.  They're celebrating the success of their guacamole-topped burgers and chicken sandwiches.  (Carl's makes their guacamole fresh every day.)

“Carl’s Jr. has always had great success introducing menu items that deliver more authentic tastes and flavors than our competitors would ever attempt,” said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Carl's Jr. “So, we naturally wanted to prepare guacamole like people do at home, with real avocados and fresh salsa, to make our Guacamole Bacon Burgers taste like something you’d be more likely to find only in sit-down restaurants."

The Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger ($4.99) was introduced in 2003 and won Citysearch's "Best Burger of 2007."  And this year it is the official burger of the 2008 California Avocado Festival.  Now Carl's is also offering a Single Guacamole Bacon Burger ($3.29) and a Double Guacamole Bacon Burger ($4.29).

Other fast food eats that we've written about that include guacamole are Quizno's Turkey Bacon Guacamole Sub, Taco Bell's Guacamole Bacon Grilled Burrito, and El Pollo Loco's Chicken Nachos.

The Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger offers 130% of your daily fat intake and 145% of your saturated fat intake* with 1140 calories and 85 grams of fat.  The Single has 850 calories and 66 grams of fat.  Complete nutritional information:

BK Oreo Sundae Shake, Which is it?

Burger King is now taking your vote on the matter of their Oreo Sundae Shake.

Is it a Sundae, or is it a Shake?

When you vote you are registered to win some prizes:
20 Grand prizes: 80GB Apple® iPod® classics,
100 First prizes: Apple® iTunes® $10 Gift Cards
100 Second prizes: $10 BK™ Crown Cards

In addition to your vote, they're also taking your address, phone number, e-mail address and a couple other survey questions. At least they give you the option as to whether or not you'd like to receive "additional marketing communications about Burger King" or "ure correspondence from Kraft® regarding products and promotions."

Oh, and a few nutritional facts about the Oreo BK Sundae Shake. The medium chocolate one conveniently gives you 100% of your recommended daily intake of Saturated Fat all in one place! It also supplies almost 1,000 calories and 32 grams of fat (that's half your daily recommended intake).* But heck, that all makes sense, the thing ways over a pound! Plenty of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) for all!

The rest:

*for a 2,000 calorie diet

Del Taco: 99 Cent Classic Taco

Del Taco has introduced their "Classic Taco" for 99 cents.

“Our menu has always featured a number of items for under $1 and now we’re adding the Classic Taco to the list,” said Sharon Fogg, senior vice president of marketing. “We already know how much our fans love our tacos and we’re showing our appreciation for their loyalty by giving them twice the meat, twice the freshly grated cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes and more attitude for just 99 cents.”

You can also "make it a meal" for $3.99: 2 tacos, small fries, small drink.

Del Taco's Classic Taco, complete nutritional information:

200 calories, 110 calories from fat, 12 grams fat.

The Classic Taco is being promoted with this ad,

El Pollo Loco: Grilled Chicken Tortilla Roll

Over the weekend El Pollo Loco introduced their new Grilled Chicken Tortilla Roll. It has citrus-marinated, grilled chicken with Jack and cheddar cheeses rolled in a flour tortilla and grilled.

The Tortilla Roll comes with a choice of 3 dipping sauces: avocado salsa, creamy cilantro, or queso sauce. It sells for $1.99.

"Despite their increasingly demanding schedules, people today want far more than fast food," says Karen Eadon, chief marketing officer for El Pollo Loco. "They seek bold flavor, great value, and the opportunity to customize menu selections to their individual tastes. El Pollo Loco's new Grilled Chicken Tortilla Roll delivers on all accounts and is served with a choice of dipping sauce from three signature recipes available only at El Pollo Loco."

Nutrition Info:

387 Calories, 144 calories from fat, 16 grams of fat.

Panera's New Tomato & Mozzarella Panini

Panera has introduced a new Panini, the Tomato & Mozzarella. It includes fresh mozzarella, roasted and fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and sun-dried tomato pesto on Ciabatta.

Panera has also brought back their Orchard harvest Salad which includes d'Anjou pears, dried cherries, toasted pecans, Gorgonzola, field greens, and romaine with cherry balsamic vinaigrette.

Pizza Hut's Bacon Mac 'n Cheese Pasta

Earlier this year, Pizza hut introduced Tuscani Pastas.

They call their pasta line "a restaurant-quality pasta dinner" that can be delivered to your door.

Until today there have been two varieties of Tuscani Pastas, Meaty Marinara and Creamy Chicken Alfredo.

Today they've added another flavor: Premium Bacon Mac 'n Cheese.

It may be 'restaurant-quality' but I haven't been to an Italian restaurant yet that offered Bacon Mac 'n Cheese! Or at least that's not what they called it!

"Premium Bacon Mac 'n Cheese, is a contemporary take on a pasta classic. Rotini pasta is smothered in a cheddar cheese sauce, topped with cheese and bacon, and oven-baked."

The Tuscani Pastas are advertised to feed a family of four. They cost $12.99.

The Bacon Mac 'n Cheese Tuscani Pasta has 2080 calories, 88 grams of fat, 48 grams saturated fat, 2 grams trans fat, 240 mg cholesterol, 4680 mg sodium, 216 grams carbohydrates, 16 grams fiber, 16 grams sugars, and 96 grams protein.

Taco Bell Value Meal

Taco Bell has a new value menu with some new items.

It has 3 price points: 79¢, 89¢ and 99¢.

The 79¢ menu includes: Cheese Roll-Up*, Triple Layer Nachos*, and Cinnamon Twists.

The 89¢ menu includes: Crunchy Taco, Soft Taco, Volcano Taco* and Cheesy Double Beef Burrito*.

The 99¢ menu includes: Big Taste Taco*, Bean Burrito, 1/2 lb. Cheesy Bean and Rice Burrito, and Caramel Apple Empanada.

*new items

Don't adjust your monitor! That taco is red! Taco Bell's new Volcano Taco, also part of the value meal above, comes in a red taco shell. (It is a limited time offering.)

The Volcano Taco has 'real' cheddar cheese, cheesy lava sauce, lettuce, and seasoned 'beef,' all in a bright red taco shell.

Don't be confused, the 'cheesy lava sauce' is not just nacho cheese sauce. As RandomVillain (sic) on eBaum's world says: "it is not nacho cheese. Tastes nothing like nacho cheese. Its called LAVA SAUCE. And it is the destroyer of taste buds. Tastes more like chili."

The Volcano Taco has 240 calories, 150 calories from fat, 17 grams of fat, 5 grams saturated fat, no trans fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 490 mg sodium, 14 grams carbs, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram sugars, 8 grams protein.

BK Wrappers on value menu

New additions to the BK Value Menu are 2 BK Wrappers. They sell for $1.39.

The Cheesy Bacon BK Wrapper is made with hash browns, crispy bacon, egg and smoky cheese sauce.

The Spicy Chicken BK Wrapper is made with spicy, crispy chicken, three blended cheeses and a southwest sauce.

Their move to the Value Menu will be promoted with TV ads showing the King as a "reverse pickpocketer," stuffing cash back into customers' pockets. (watch it below)

Review and 'real-world' photos at The Impulsive Buy.

Fast Food Critic also has a great review with photos.

The Cheesy Bacon BK Wrapper has 390 calories, 24 grams of fat, 8 grams saturated fat, 1.5 grams trans fat, 150 mg cholesterol, 1080 mg sodium, 29 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 2 grams sugar, 14 grams protein.

Starbucks healthy breakfast upgrade

Starbucks has had a secret project ("Morning Source") to develop healthier breakfast items for their stores.

It will be unveiled today, and be available at your local Starbucks (if it's still open) on September 3.

"Food has been our Achilles' heel," says corporate founder and CEO Howard Schultz. He calls better-for-you food, part of Starbucks' evolving health and wellness program, a "billion-dollar" idea. "This is as big an initiative as anything we can do."

The new breakfast menu items include (fat, fiber & protein totals are in grams):

• Apple Bran Muffin: 330 Calories, 8 fat, 7 fiber, 7 protein.
• Starbucks Power Protein Plate (w/ peanut butter): 330 calories, 16 fat, 5 fat, 16 protein.
• Starbucks Power Protein Plate (w/o peanut butter): 260 calories, 9 fat, 3 fiber, 13 protein.
• Baked Berry Stella: 280 calories, 9 fat, 6 fiber, 6 protein.
• Multigrain roll: 280 calories, 6 fat, 6 fiber, 7 protein.
• Chewy Fruit & Nut Bar: 250 calories, 10 fat, 4 fiber, 4 protein.
• Perfect Oatmeal: 140 calories, 2.5 fat, 4 fiber, 5 protein.

My wife will be devastated if they eliminate their Pumpkin Loaf! (330 calories, 16 grams fat, btw)

Starbucks plans to improve their lunch and dinner menus in 2009.

from USA Today, via The Consumerist.

Domino's new oven baked sandwiches

Domino's Pizza now has hot, oven baked sandwiches. The
sandwiches are fully-baked in their pizza ovens and are available for delivery. They are priced $4.99.

There are 4 varieties (see nutritional info for them below):

1. Philly Cheese Steak: steak, American, and provolone cheeses, with onions, green peppers, and mushrooms.
2. Chicken Bacon Ranch: seasoned white meat chicken breast, bacon, ranch dressing, and provolone cheese.
3. Chicken Parm: seasoned white meat chicken breast, tomato basil marinara, parmesan-asiago, and provolone cheeses.
4. Italian: slices of pepperoni, Genoa salami, ham, provolone cheese, banana peppers, green peppers, and onions.

"This launch springboards Domino's into the lunch business by providing a product that is high quality, priced right and aimed at convenience-minded people without a lot of time," says Patrick Doyle, president of Domino's USA. "We have high-end ovens in our stores that cost $30,000 and bake our sandwiches at 450 degrees. It gives us a huge quality advantage [competitors] can't match," Doyle adds. "People fed up with brown-bagging or driving to pick up something cold, can save some time and gas by ordering a hot Domino's sandwich for delivery to their home or office."

Sure, but these babies aren't light on the calories or fat!

1. The Philly Cheese Steak has 690 calories, 250 calories from fat, 27 grams fat, 14 grams saturated fat, 1 gram trans fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 2080 mg sodium, 72 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 4 grams sugars, and 41 grams protein.
2. The Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich has 890 calories, 400 calories from fat, 45 grams of fat, 16 grams saturated, 1 gram trans fat, 115 mg cholesterol, 2210 mg sodium, 72 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, 3 grams sugars, 49 grams protein.
3. The Chicken Parm has 770 calories, 270 calories from fat, 30 grams fat, 16 grams saturated fat, 1 gram trans fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 2140 mg sodium, 73 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams sugars, 51 grams
4. protein.The Italian has 880 calories, 410 calories from fat, 45 grams fat, 22 grams saturated fat, 1 gram trans fat, 120 mg cholesterol, 2560 mg sodium, 71 grams carbs, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams sugars, 47 grams protein.

Carl's Monster Breakfast Sandwich

Have you got a big mouth and want a quick 730 calories and 47 grams of fat first thing in the morning?

Then Carl's Jr. has something new for you. The Monster Breakfast Sandwich. Yup, 47 grams of fat. That's the fat equivalent of 5 glazed donuts or 5 McDonald's hamburgers. Take your pick!

The Monster Breakfast Sandwich has two eggs, two strips of bacon, a sausage patty and Swiss and
American cheeses between grilled sourdough bread.

"As we looked for compelling ways to make Carl's Jr. breakfast menu
stand out from the crowd, our consumer research revealed that many
people felt that typical fast-food breakfast items really didn't fill
them up, so much so that they often ordered two sandwiches at a time to
get enough food," said Brad Haley, executive vice president of
marketing for Carl's Jr.

Thanks for thinking of us Brad! But we would have to eat four, yes 4, Egg McMuffins to get the amount of fat your offering us in your new breakfast sandwich!

Don't get me wrong, it's not Carl's Jr.'s fault...artery clogging menu items like this ARE what American's want!

The Monster Breakfast Sandwich has:

• 730 calories
• 420 calories from fat
• 47 grams of fat
• 17 grams saturated fat
• 530 mg cholesterol
• 1210 mg sodium
• 39 g carbs
• 2 grams fiber
• 5 grams sugars
• 37 grams protein.

If you feel you've spent enough time in this crazy world (with these crazy, gluttonous sandwiches) and want to hasten your departure you can get a coupon for $1 off the Monster Breakfast Sandwich (thru 9/30/08).

The Monster Breakfast Sandwich is $2.89 a la carte or $4.49 as part of a combo.

Jack's Cheesy Macaroni Bites

Jack in the Box has introduced Cheesey Macaroni Bites. They are "wedges of macaroni noodles and real Kraft® cheese enveloped in a crunchy tempura-style coating."

"Mac 'n' cheese is an American classic that's universally loved," said Teka O'Rourke, director of menu marketing and promotions for Jack in the Box Inc. "Our new Cheesy Macaroni Bites offer the same great flavor of the original dish, but in a unique, finger-food style that's very convenient and portable."

Okay, okay, that's all well and good, but they just look scary. I'm sure Jack hired a professional photographer for this press release photo, but, wow...what are those!?!? And take note... they are high in trans fat and loaded with sodium. (see the nutritional info below)

Jack's Cheesy Macaroni Bites are available for the suggested price, excluding tax, of $1.69 for three pieces and $2.99 for six pieces.

By the way...the above description of these Macaroni Bites is the second time I've noticed "tempura" being used to describe the batter on fast food this week. From McDonald's official Q&A site: "McDonald's Chicken McNuggets® are made from white meat chicken coated in a light tempura batter." Is "tempura" the new food industry catch-phrase for "batter fried"?

Nutritional Information:

Jack's Cheesy Macaroni Bits, 6 pieces, has 440 calories, 230 calories from fat, 25 grams fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 4 grams trans fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 1220 mg sodium, 21 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, 3 grams sugars and 6 grams protein.

Vivanno: New smoothie from Starbucks

Starbucks began serving their new Vivanno "Nourishing Blends" (aka Smoothies) today (15 July 2008).

The Vivanno currently comes in 2 flavors: orange Mango Banana Blend and Banana Chocolate Blend.

The Orange Mango Banana Blend is made with a whole banana blended with all natural Naked® Juice made exclusively for Starbucks, proprietary whey protein & fiber powder, 2% milk and ice.

The Banana Chocolate Blend Vivanno is prepared with a whole banana, bittersweet cocoa, 2% milk and Starbucks' proprietary whey protein & fiber powder and ice.

from Starbucks:

With customers looking for healthier options to fit their on-the-go lifestyles, the new Vivanno™ beverage line is one way Starbucks is meeting requests for great-tasting, good-for-you offerings while furthering its commitment to food and beverage selections that support a healthy lifestyle. The simple ingredient list for both beverages includes:
• one whole banana,
• a proprietary whey protein and fiber powder,
• choice of milk,
• and ice (in the Orange Mango Banana Blend, Naked® Juice is also added).

Nutritional information:

Good news: neither of the drinks has any artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)!

Orange Mango Banana Blend Vivanno has 250 calories, 15calories from fat, 2 grams total fat, 1 grams saturated fat, zero grams trans fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 120 mg sodium, 47 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 32 grams sugars, 16 grams protein and zero mg caffeine.

The Banana Chocolate Blend Vivanno has 270 calories, 45 calories from fat, 5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, no trans fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium, 44 grams carbs, 6 grams fiber, 28 grams sugars, 21 grams protein and 15 mg caffeine.

Dunkin' Donuts Southwest Chicken Flatbread

Dunkin' Donuts has introduced a new Southwest Chicken Flatbread Sandwich.

This is an addition to their Turkey, Cheddar & Bacon; Ham & Swiss; and Grilled Cheese flatbread sandwichs.

First it was gourmet coffee, now Dunkin' is continuing to expand their all-day food menu.

Dunkin' Donuts also has personal pizzas and hash browns available.

The Southwest Chicken Flatbread Sandwich has 400 calories, 90 calories from fat, 10 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 1130 mg sodium, 51 carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber 7 grams sugar and 29 grams protein.

Arby's Toasted Subs

Arby's has introduced Toasted Subs to their Market Fresh sandwich line-up.

Toasted Subs seem to be all the rage since Quizno's popularized them. But unlike Quizno's, Arby's has already released the nutritional information for their toasted subs (and everything else). Good for them! (You can find the info below.)

There are 4 Toasted Subs: the French Dip & Swiss Toasted Sub, the Philly Beef Toasted Sub, the Classic Italian Toasted Sub, and the Turkey Bacon Club.

As part of the Toasted Sub announcement, Arby's Chief Marketing Officer, Cheryl Barre, said: "The majority of fast food restaurants that serve subs don’t have our combination of two things – high quality, fresh ingredients and the added convenience of not having to get out of your car – the drive-thru."

The subs will be advertised with a new "I'm Thinking Arby's" television campaign.

Descriptions and nutritional information:
The Philly Beef Toasted Sub (pictured top left) features roast beef, melted Swiss cheese, roasted onions, green and red bell peppers and roasted garlic sauce on a toasted ciabatta roll. It has 738 calories, 332 calories from fat, 35 grams total fat, 9 grams saturated fat, 1 gram trans fat, 86 mg cholesterol, 1881 mg sodium, 64 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 3 grams sugars, 31 grams protein.
The French Dib & Swiss Toasted Sub (bottom right) features roast beef and melted Swiss cheese on a toasted ciabatta roll, served with a side of au jus for dipping. It has 621 calories, 181 calories from fat, 19 grams fat, 7 grams sat-fat, 1.5 grams trans fat, 79 mg cholesterol, 3397 mg sodium, 68 grams carbs, 3 grams fiber, 2 grams sugars, 37 grams protein.
The Classic Italian Toasted Sub (top right) has ham, salami, pepperoni, melted mozzarella cheese, banana peppers and garlic mayonnaise, topped with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion and drizzled with red wine vinaigrette, on a toasted ciabatta roll. It has 827 calories, 410 calories from fat, 45 grams total fat, 13 grams sat fat, .5 grams trans fat, 89 mg cholesterol, 2495 mg sodium, 69 grams carbs, 2 grams fiber, 4 grams sugar.
And the Turkey Bacon Club Toasted Sub (bottom left) features thinly sliced turkey breast, melted Swiss cheese, chopped pepper bacon and herbed mayonnaise on a toasted ciabatta roll, finished with lettuce, tomatoes and red onion. It has 619 calories, 159 calories from fat, 17 grams total fat, 5 grams saturated fat, no trans fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 2052 mg sodium, 66 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 3 grams sugars, 41 grams protein.