Super Bowl Sunday: Unhealthy Fast Food Takeouts To Avoid
Super Bowl Sunday is all about football, commercials, and, of course, indulgent food.
But while it’s tempting to load up on wings, pizza, and nachos, some fast food takeout options are nutritional nightmares—loaded with excessive calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats.
If you’re trying to be mindful of your health, here are some of the worst offenders to avoid (or at least enjoy in moderation).
Domino’s ExtravaganZZa Feast Pizza (Large, Hand-Tossed)
This pizza has pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, beef, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, and black olives sandwiched between two layers of provolone and mozzarella cheese.
Here’s why it is one of the unhealthiest fast-food takeout options:
Extremely High in Calories
A large ExtravaganZZa pizza contains around 3,040 calories.
Even if you eat just two slices, you consume nearly 800 calories in just one sitting.
Excessive Sodium
This pizza has over 7,200mg of sodium per slice, more than three times the daily recommended limit of 2,300mg (and nearly six times the American Heart Association’s ideal recommendation of 1,500 mg).
Loaded with Processed Meats
The ExtravaganZZa pizza includes pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, and beef, all highly processed meats.
Due to preservatives like nitrates and high saturated fat content, processed meats are linked to higher risks of heart disease, high cholesterol, and even cancer.
For more on the dangers of processed meats, please read https://grosseating.com/why-processed-meat-may-be-bad-for-our-health/.
Here is the food label:
Bottom Line
Domino’s ExtravaganZZa Feast Pizza is an indulgent option, but it’s dangerously high in calories, sodium, processed meats, and unhealthy fats.
Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings with Ranch
Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings with Ranch might be a game-day favorite, but they’re one of the unhealthiest choices on the menu. Here’s why:
Extremely High in Calories
Ten traditional wings with ranch total around 1,040 calories.
When you add up fries, beer, or other sides, that’s almost an entire day’s worth of calories for some people.
Sky-High Sodium Levels
Depending on the sauce, ten wings can contain over 1,000mg of sodium, nearly half the recommended daily limit (2,300mg).
Many of their sauces, especially Buffalo, Parmesan Garlic, and Spicy Asian Zing, are loaded with salt, sugar, and additives that worsen the sodium count.
Deep-Fried and Full of Unhealthy Fats
These wings are deep-fried in oil, adding tons of saturated and trans fats, the worst fat for heart health.
Just 10 wings contain over 13g of saturated fat, more than half the daily recommended limit of 22g.
Trans fats (often present in fried foods) can raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL), increasing heart disease risk.
Ranch Dressing Makes It Even Worse
A single side of ranch adds 200+ calories and 20g of fat; most people don’t stop at just one!
Other dipping sauces (like Blue Cheese) have a similar high-fat, high-calorie impact.
Here are the food labels:
Bottom Line
Buffalo Wild Wings Traditional Wings with Ranch are one of the worst fast food options for Super Bowl Sunday due to their calorie overload, excessive sodium, deep-fried fat content, and high-calorie dips.
Taco Bell’s Nachos BellGrande
Taco Bell’s Nachos BellGrande may be a tasty game-day snack, but it’s one of the unhealthiest fast-food options. Here’s why:
High in Calories
One serving contains 740 calories, and that’s just for a single order, not including any drinks or sides.
Many people eat two orders or pair it with tacos, consuming 1,500+ calories in one meal.
Excessive Sodium
These nachos contain 1,180mg of sodium, nearly half the recommended daily limit of 2300 mg in just one dish.
Loaded with Unhealthy Fats
The nachos are covered in processed cheese sauce, seasoned beef, and sour cream, all high in saturated fat.
One order contains over 39g (50% DV) of fat, with around 6g (30% DV) of saturated fat.
Refined Carbs & Processed Ingredients
The tortilla chips are fried and made from refined flour, which can lead to blood sugar spikes and crashes.
The artificial cheese sauce and seasoned beef contain preservatives, additives, and flavor enhancers that are not good for long-term health.
Here is the food label:
Bottom Line
Taco Bell’s Nachos BellGrande may not seem as bad as others on the list, but they’re deceptive.
Made with artificial cheese sauce, deep-fried chips, and seasoned beef, they offer little in terms of actual nutrition and can leave you feeling sluggish.
They are a high-calorie, high-sodium, high-fat snack with refined carbs.
While delicious, they’re not the best choice for a healthy Super Bowl snack.
Papa John’s The Works Pizza (Large, Stuffed Crust)
Papa John’s The Works Pizza (Large, Stuffed Crust) is a delicious but extremely unhealthy fast-food option for Super Bowl Sunday.
Like Domino’s, this pizza is stacked with processed meats and a high-calorie crust.
The toppings include pepperoni, Canadian bacon, Italian sausage, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, black olives, and mozzarella cheese. Eating even a few slices adds up fast.
Extremely High in Calories
A large pizza with a stuffed crust contains around 3,280 calories, more than most people need in an entire day.
One slice can have 410 calories, and let’s be honest, most people eat at least two slices, totaling 800+ calories in one sitting.
Sky-High Sodium Levels
A large pizza has over 8,000mg of sodium, more than 3 times the daily recommended limit (2,300mg).
Even just two slices can exceed half of your daily sodium intake, increasing the risk of bloating, dehydration, and high blood pressure.
Loaded with Processed Meats
Pepperoni, sausage, ham, and bacon are toppings.
These are processed meats that contain high levels of saturated fat, sodium, and preservatives like nitrates.
Unhealthy Fats
It’s no secret that stuffed crust = more cheese = more fat.
One large stuffed crust pizza can contain over 152g of fat, including 72g of saturated fat, far exceeding the daily limit.
Here is the food label:
Bottom Line
Papa John’s The Works Pizza (Large, Stuffed Crust) is a calorie bomb packed with sodium, unhealthy fats, processed meats, and refined carbs.
While it’s a satisfying Super Bowl treat, it’s one of the worst takeout choices for health-conscious eaters.
KFC 8-Piece Extra Crispy Chicken Variety Bucket
This variety chicken bucket from KFC has 2 pieces of each: drums, thighs, breasts, and wings.
Here’s why it is so unhealthy:
Extremely High in Calories
The 8-piece Extra Crispy Chicken Variety Bucket contains approximately 2400 calories, more than most people need in an entire day.
One piece of Extra Crispy Chicken has 170-530 calories, depending on the chicken cut.
Most people eat 2-3 pieces, adding up to 900-1,500+ calories in one sitting—without counting sides.
Adding fries, biscuits, mac & cheese, and soda could push this meal to over 5,000 calories!
Sky-High Sodium Content
The 8-piece Extra Crispy Chicken bucket contains around 5160mg of sodium (215% DV).
Fried in Unhealthy Fats
KFC’s Extra Crispy Chicken is deep-fried in oil, making it higher in fat than the Original Recipe.
The 8-piece bucket contains 166g (255% DV) of total fat, including 29g (145% DV) of saturated fat.
Loaded with Oil
Ordering the extra crispy version of this bucket means thicker breading = more refined carbs + more oil absorption.
The breading is highly processed and made with processed flour, MSG (monosodium glutamate), preservatives, and artificial flavor enhancers.
Here is the food label:
Bottom Line
The KFC 8-Piece Extra Crispy Chicken Bucket is an extremely unhealthy fast-food option due to its high calorie, fat, sodium, and processed ingredient content.
Final Thoughts
Super Bowl Sunday is a time to enjoy yourself, but being aware of what you’re eating can help you make better choices.
If you don’t want to avoid these foods altogether, consider sharing portions, balancing with lighter options like veggie platters, and staying hydrated.
After all, you want to enjoy the game, not feel like you’re in a food coma by halftime!
