Today, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Denny’s is offering its Original Grand Slam Breakfast for free. Well, who doesn’t like a free meal? Especially in this economy, right? Although that might sound like a pretty good deal, you may want to consider the nutritional information before heading to one of Denny’s three Treasure Valley locations (Boise, Meridian, and Nampa) for their free food.
The Original Grand Slam Breakfast—two eggs, two pancakes, two pieces of bacon and two sausages—will set you back 795 calories, according to online nutritional information site The Daily Plate. Not only do you get nearly 800 calories, you’ll get 50 grams of fat, which is 77 percent of your daily value. Of the fat content, 14 grams are saturated fat, the kind you want to avoid. In fact, 450 of the total 795 calories come from fat.
And there’s more. Much more. The Original Grand Slam Breakfast also has 460 milligrams of cholesterol, which is more than 150 percent of what you need in a day, and 2237 milligrams of sodium, which is just short of your daily supply. The total carbohydrates are 65 grams, which at 22 percent of your daily value doesn’t seem too bad, except that there are only 2 grams of fiber. You do get 34 grams of protein, and only 4 grams of sugar, but it’s hardly worth it.
Overall, the Original Grand Slam Breakfast breaks down to being about 57 percent fat, 33 percent carbohydrates, and only 17 percent protein. Even if you only ate half a serving, it’s still 25 grams of fat and more than 1100 milligrams of sodium. Not a healthy way to start your day. Especially during American Heart Month.
This is not the first time Denny’s has done the free Original Grand Slam Breakfast, and obviously it’s been successful for them or they wouldn’t be doing it again. Denny’s also offers its customers a free Original Grand Slam Breakfast on their birthday. While it’s wonderful that restaurants are offering free food given our country’s financial woes, wouldn’t it be nice if they could offer something a little healthier?
A better choice would be two egg whites, two pieces of whole wheat toast, and a cup of mixed fruit. From the egg whites and toast, you’ll get about 232 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 18 grams of protein, according to the Daily Plate. Information varies for mixed fruit, but regardless, it’s a much healthier option than any item in the Original Grand Slam Breakfast.
Denny’s three Super Bowl ads claimed, “It’s a great day to be an American. It’s a sad day to be a chicken.” But is it really? Denny’s also offers what they call a “breakfast appetizer,” their Pancake Puppies, bite-sized round pancakes. Is that what we need? An appetizer dipped in maple syrup before sitting down to 795 calories worth of unhealthy food? Come on, Denny’s. You can do better.
Talk it up:
Are you getting a free breakfast from Denny's today?
What's your favorite healthy breakfast?
Comments
I don't care. Nothing beats a Grand Slam breakfast.
Yeah, seriously. Shut up, lady. It's a free meal. If you're that concerned, hit a gym afterward OR monitor your caloric intake for the rest of the day. So I guess while you hit up the local Whole Foods for some grass to eat so you lose those last 10 pounds so your Match.com picture makes you look as appealing as possible to the other e-losers, I am going to go to Denny's (maybe 2) and get a FREE breakfast.
I think the phrase "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" fully applies here.
I hate it when winey sniveling people go on and on and on about the amount of calories something has or the different kinds of fats. Suck it up already if you dont want to eat it dont eat it. Dont write a blog about it. Oh by the way I am writing this comment while waiting for my free breakfast at dennys. free food is free food lady.
I have been losing weight the right way: Exercising and counting calories. In the past I was too strict, and deprived myself, and it backfired. Now that I have been allowing myself to have things I enjoy once in a while, I have a plan that I have been able to stick too. I ate at Denny's this morning. I had the whole wheat pancakes instead of the buttermilk ones and gave half of the eggs, bacon, and sausages to my boyfriend. The day before I ate salad and grilled chicken and will do the same today to make up for it. There is nothing wrong with moderation and now that I am only 5 lbs from my goal weight I am living proof that you can have your cake and eat it too!
Get a life! I hate people like you that sit around and find things to bitch about just because it doesn't fit their view of how things should be. If you don't want to eat the meal than don't eat it, no one is shoving (though I would like to shove something else in there) it down your throat or anyone else's. People know how to make their own decisions and quite frankly we don't need some health fanatic giving 'advice' on such matters. People don't think of healthy food when they think dennys even though they offer plenty of healthy choices on their menu. They are in the business of making money, not keeping people healthy, because guess what - keeping a person healthy is their OWN responsibility. So keep your stupid mouth shut and move on to a new hobby because writing articles based on how your lifestyle or eating habits are better than everyone else's is not going well for you. In your words: "You can do better".
I'm always willing to listen to feedback on my articles, as long as no one resorts to name calling or being rude. I would never tell anyone to shut up, although I do have the ability to delete any comment I like. However, in most cases, I feel that people's words speak for themselves and leave comments even if they are critical. The purpose of this article was to inform readers that the free breakfast advertised contains unhealthy amounts of fat, cholesterol and sodium, and offer a healthier alternative. What you do with the information is up to you. It's always your choice to make, but perhaps knowing the nutritional information may help you choose more wisely. I was hired by Examiner to write a column (sorry, not a blog for those of you who are not aware there is a difference) about healthy living. If information about health is offensive to you, no one is forcing you to read it.
Well...free food IS fun, but it's good to go in with the facts. I had no idea a Grand Slam costs this much calories. Those numbers are ugly. My former Grand Slam-greedy husband eats eggs whites now - and the weight loss shows.
Thanks for the info. And how 'bout this: the Denny's in my neighborhood when out of business. No more pancakes, baby!! ((burp))
Donna, I appreciate your insight on a healthy diet. There's so much misinformation out there, and it's nice to know I can trust you as a source! It's great that Denny's is giving away a free meal, but it would be AWESOME if they'd include the option to substitute egg beaters, a cup of fruit, or toast rather than the pancakes. Sure, eating greasy, fatty foods is okay every now and then, but to stay healthy we need to eat healthy, and we should be given that option... even if it is a handout! ;)
This is good information Donna. And for those that do indulge in this breakfast, they can moderate their caloric intake for the rest of the day. For those that don't care, well, I'm sure they will pay attention one day when they visit the doctor and find out their circulatory system contains more plaque than actual arterial cells.
Don't be concerned with the haters because you can tell the comments are signs of weak minds trying desperately to express themselves.
alas this brings to mind something my husband says to me frequently.
the first time I was taken aback----then I kinda saw his point.
Free stuff (he employs the c-word) is still stuff (again c-word :))
Im one who would actually eat the Grand Slam----I just recognize that its a choice which is pretty much GARBAGE IN GARBAGE OUT for that meal.
even if it is tasty :) it doesnt fuel my day worth a darn.
Wow. These narrowminded comments scream "typical overweight American". It is this type of eating and mentality that keep people medicated with cholesterol reducing drugs, which also increase all of our health care costs from your high blood pressure med's, surgeries, etc- so thanks, why don't you go back for a second helping!
FYI: Whole Foods has tons and tons of tasty food- even stuff the omnivores like- food with flavor! I guess some people will simply never evolve!
I agree with this article whole-heartedly. Restaurants CAN do better in offering a healthier option. Some chain-type restaurants are coming around and beginning to provide lower calorie/lower fat menu items and I , for one, really appreciate that.
It would be nice if Denny's would offer a "free" healthy choice breakfast! I'd head on over for THAT freebie!
@pknopp: someone's up awfully early to defend Denny's with reckless abandon...and minimal effort.
@zach: you stated that to counter your eating habits, and effectively make the abnormal intake of such gross caloric consummation acceptable, one should "monitor your caloric intake for the rest of the day". That's the whole point. Monitor your caloric intake. But I guess that whiffed right over your head. Probably similar to the concept that the author is a health columnist and she seems to be doing her job here rather well, reporting the facts to the masses. Also, you references to others who the author associates with, and presumably who read, this column as "e-losers". Curious as to why you would call yourself a loser...
Maybe it's something to think about it as you cruise the county all day for those Denny's restaurants...(loser).
@Doug: What a wise-sounding idiom! I wonder if that is the response Marlboro will use when we question their "Here's a Free Pack of Smokes" marketing campaign in 2010.
@Adam: So let me get this straight. You are currently at a Denny’s awaiting the arrival of your free Grand Slam, searching the internet for health-related articles, and responding with your disgust for those who do not share the same sentiments as you. Are you friends with Zach?
@Rachel: Good for you and congratulations on your successes. You are right that moderation is definitely the key to eating-out. Let’s not confuse the facts, however, that your ‘cake’ was wheat (not buttermilk) and the ‘icing’ (eggs, bacon, and sausages) was given to your boyfriend.
@Szen: “I hate people like you that sit around and find things to bitch about just because it doesn't fit their view of how things should be”, said Szen, who sat around and found an article to bitch about just because it didn’t fit his/her view of how things should be.
“No one is shoving (though I would like to shove something else in there) it down your throat”, said Szen, in a confusing attempt at a sexual innuendo, or equally confusing threat of physical violence, either of which was very poorly written.
“…keep your stupid mouth shut and move on to a new hobby because writing article…()…is not going well for you, “ retorted Szen, Mayor of Dorkshire.
@Yum Yucky: Amazing ain’t it?
Save yourself some gasoline and some intestinal gas as well. Even if you can't go to Denny's or shop at Whole Foods, getting a great breakfast at home is not tricky. Opt for an Asian breakfast of rice, miso soup, fish or stir-fried chicken, and pickled or stir-fired veggies, and watch the energy boost. Most all these can be found at Winn-Dixie or Wal-Mart, and take less than 20 minutes to fix. Use extra-virgin olive oil in the mix for even more benefits. Traditonally, sake is also served. Us at your own disrection
The nutritional content is a heart attack on a plate for those with high blood pressure and cholesteral. Nobody needs that. Horrible, no wonder its free. They could make the food healthier if they wanted to....they are probably cooking everything in pure lard. Pancakes, eggs, and bacon cooked with better ingredients would have far less of the bad fatty stuff.
Hey, I loved my breakfast at 7:30 a.m. I'm going back for seconds at 1:00 p.m. Don't let this small window of opportunity pass you by. Remember all the women on the fatal night of the Titanic that when the dessert tray came around, they passed. Such a shame and such a waste!
Late breaking news. I heard Dr. Oz say that if you eat with your eyes closed, you consume half the calories, fat, trans fats and sodium.
Thanks for the info, Donna.
I can't wait for the rest of the U.S. to adopt NY's mandate requiring restaurants put nutritional value on their menus. That way consumers are informed and can make decisions based not only on price but on nutritional content.
Wow,
There are some haters on here....and very angry people....Boy Donna, you got your hands full on this one.....Keep up the good work...at least you made people think....Eating healthy is expensive....un-healthy food is cheap...I think it is backwards....and we wonder why we have a nation of over weight people....
Good article Donna. Let the "haters" type away. Maybe they can ask all of their "hater" friends to read your article as well and comment. As a fellow Examiner I figure as long as people are reading...who cares if they expose their ignorance. Opinions are like elbows...we all have them right!
Again...good article. I was planning a similar one but ran out of steam.
Blessings, Tracy
St. Petersburg Wellness Examiner
B
Reminders from as many sources as possible of the danger of eating so many calories - especially from fat - is just one way that we can hope to combat the crazy national fad of super sizing everything. Keep at it, as you are a clear voice among the muddle voices claiming more is better.
Great article and right on target! Unfortunately many folks don't want to hear the truth because it is an uncomfortable one. Even in light of the lawsuit again st Denny's (dismissed in November but still the truth about the unhealthy levels of sodium) this is still one meal you want to avoid. Just because it's free doesn't mean you *should* eat it.
Obviously folks are able to make their own choices; however I don't think they are aware of the long-term health consequences of poor nutritional choices.
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