BEST and WOST APPETIZERS 2022

BEST and WOST APPETIZERS 2022

1, WORST: Onion Blossom,
It may be your waistline that blossoms if you're a fan of fried onions. The onion blossom at one popular restaurant has 1,950 calories, 155 grams (g) of fat, and 3,840 milligrams (mg) of sodium -- more than double the daily sodium limit for healthy adults.,
2, BEST: Vegetable Kabobs,
Grilled vegetable kebabs are a great low-calorie alternative to fried onions. If this isn't on the menu, ask for a side of grilled vegetables as your appetizer. Veggie kabobs are also easy to make: Skewer onions, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, and zucchini. Brush with a lower-fat garlic and herb marinade.
3, WORST: Spinach Artichoke Dip,
Don't let the word "spinach" fool you. Traditional spinach artichoke dip is not a healthy starter. A typical order has about 1,600 calories, 100 grams of fat, and 2,500 milligrams of sodium.
4, BEST: Spinach Salad,
The best appetizers are low in calories, but satisfying enough to curb how much you eat during the rest of your meal. Salads made with spinach or other leafy greens do this very well.
5, WORST: Cheese Fries,
Cheese fries are french fries with melted cheese on top. Variations may include bacon bits or ranch dressing. A full order packs up to 2,000 calories, 134 grams of fat, and 2,800 milligrams of sodium, which is more sodium than you should eat in a whole day.,
6, BEST: Crab Cakes,
Use appetizers to add healthy foods you might be eating too little of. Seared crab cakes -- pan-fried, not deep-fried -- offer an appealing way to get more seafood into your diet.,
7, WORST: Cheeseburger Sliders,
They're small, but sliders pack in a lot of calories. A typical restaurant order includes three mini-burgers with cheese and sauce, totaling 1,270 calories, 82 g of fat, and 2,310 mg of sodium.,
8, BEST: Beef Skewers,
When you're craving a meaty appetizer, opt for beef skewers. In Asian restaurants, this may be listed as beef satay: skewers of beef with peanut sauce.
9, WORST: Loaded Potato Skins,
Potato skins filled with melted cheese, meats, and sour cream are as fattening as they are tempting. At more than 150 calories a pop, the trick to enjoying these is to have just one.
10, BEST: Stuffed Mushrooms,
Stuffing mushrooms instead of potato skins helps keep the portion size down. Mushroom caps filled with cheese and breadcrumbs have less than 50 calories each.
11, WORST: Fried Calamari,
Like many types of seafood, squid can be a good choice. But not when it's breaded, fried, and drenched in calories and fat. A typical restaurant portion contains about 900 calories, 54 g of fat, and 2,300 mg of sodium, not including any sauce.,
12, BEST: Shrimp Cocktail,
Shrimp cocktail is very low in saturated fat and calories. It's also a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. To keep the calorie count low, stick to the tomato-based sauce. A serving of shrimp with cocktail sauce has about 140 calories.,
13, WORST: New England Clam Chowder,
Clam chowder sounds like it should be healthy, especially as a way to take in some extra seafood. Unfortunately, the New England variety is made with a fattening cream base. A 12-ounce bowl has about 630 calories, 54 g of fat, and 890 mg of sodium.,
14, BEST: Vegetable Soup,
Having a bowl of soup can curb how much you eat during the rest of the meal. The key is choosing a low-calorie option, such as a tomato-based vegetable soup. A 12-ounce bowl has about 160 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, and 1,240 mg sodium.
15, WORST: Chicken Wings,
A typical appetizer portion of buffalo chicken wings has more than 700 calories and 40 g of fat. Ranch sauce adds another 200 calories and 20 g of fat.
16, BEST: Lettuce Wraps,
If you're craving spicy chicken, skip the wings and try lettuce wraps. You can make these at home by wrapping diced spicy chicken and vegetables in a lettuce leaf. Each wrap has 160 calories and 7 g of fat. If you order this appetizer at a restaurant, share them.
17, WORST: Mozzarella Sticks,
There's something about a stick of warm, gooey cheese that's hard to resist until you know the nutritional facts. A typical order has 930 calories, 48 g of fat, and 2,640 mg of sodium.
18, BEST: Edamame,
These green pods, known as edamame, are a popular appetizer in Asian restaurants. It's fun to open the pods and pop the young soybeans into your mouth. One serving has 122 calories and 5 grams of fat.,
19, WORST: Chili Cheese Nachos,
They may be a festive way to start an evening out, but nachos and cheese dip are among the least healthy appetizer choices. Eat an entire order yourself, and you'll take in 1,680 calories, 107 g of fat, and 4,270 mg of sodium, which may be nearly twice as much sodium as you should get in a day.,
20, BEST: Sliced Peppers with Salsa,
For a homemade alternative to chips and dip, cut up red and green bell peppers, or other veggies, and use them as chips for dipping in salsa. This is a fun way to sneak more vegetables into your diet.