Ever wonder how many calories are in the Philly cheese steak sandwich you ate last Friday? How about that delicious slice of pesto chicken pizza? Though the Huffington Post recently recognized Bowdoin for having the number one healthiest college dining hall in America, the Orient decided to investigate the underbelly of Bowdoin dining to find the top 10 most caloric dishes.
At 862 calories, the Philly cheese steak sandwich ranks as the most caloric dish at Moulton Dining Hall. Mary Kennedy, director of dining services, explained that "high fat meats such as bacon and sausage" typically drive up calorie levels.
Cheese, cream, and dairy products also increase the number of calories in certain dishes. The Philly cheese steak sandwich far outstrips the second most caloric option at both Thorne and Moulton Dining Halls: meatball subs, at 673 calories apiece.
Other high-calorie dishes at Moulton include cheese pizza, barbecue kielbasa, and chicken quesadillas. Honorable mention goes to the turkey and dill ham sandwich and baked florentine manicotti.
Tuscan-style chicken wins the top prize for most caloric dish at Thorne Dining Hall. According to Kennedy, the dish—which is 698 calories—contains many hidden calories, including onions sautéed in oil, mayonnaise in the dressing, and a large foccacia roll, though Kennedy said that "most students actually take one half" of the roll.
The meatball sub, pesto chicken pizza, stuffed French toast, and the homemade cheddarwurst sausage sub round out the top five most caloric dishes at Thorne.
Health-conscious diners can find nutrition information for each meal on the Dining Services website. The information is based off of a 2,000 calorie diet. Portion sizes vary by dish.
For instance, one slice of pesto chicken pizza constitutes a serving at Thorne, while two slices of pepperoni pizza equal one serving at Moulton.
Kennedy explained that "Our newer recipes use portion sizes that are considered current standards and that are closest to the average portion size that students are consuming. Some recipes hail from days when the average portion eaten was a bit larger than what we observe now."
For example, students typically eat less than a 10 ounce portion of pasta, even though this is listed as one serving size on the menu nutrition information.
A 10 ounce portion of penne with roasted vegetables and pesto is 505 calories and the ninth most caloric dish at Thorne.
Students seeking lower-calorie fare may take heart in the wide range of entrées, soups, salad bar, and deli options "that enable students to construct meals to meet their needs," said Kennedy.
FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 1
TOP TEN: THORNE
1. Tuscan Style Chicken—698 cal
2. Meatball Sub—673 cal
3. Pesto Chicken Pizza—608 cal (one slice)
4. Stuffed French Toast—601 cal
5. Homemade Cheddarwurst Sausage Sub—573 cal
6. Ham & Cheese Quiche—571 cal (1/8 portion)
7. Grilled Turkey and Swiss Cheese with Basil Mayonnaise—551 cal
8. Beef, blue cheese Panini—537 cal
9. Ice cream bar—527 cal
10. Penne with roasted vegetables and pesto—505 cal (10 oz portion)
Honorable Mentions:
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad—496 cal (8 oz portion)
Thai noodles—472 cal
Baked fish sandwich—463 cal
TOP TEN: MOULTON
1. Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich—862 cal (4 oz portion)
2. Meatball sub—673 cal
3. Pepperoni Pizza—662 cal (2 slices)
4. Grilled Reuben sandwich—596 cal
5. Cheese Pizza—574 cal (2 slices)
6. BBQ Kielbasa—568 cal
7. Buffalo Chicken Wrap—539 cal
8. Chicken Quesadilla—484 cal
9. Fried Rice—482 cal (4 oz portion)
10. Buffalo chicken—480 cal
Honorable Mentions:
Turkey, dill ham sandwich—460 cal
Baked Florentine Manicotti—453 cal (2 manicotti)
Fresh corn pole—450 cal