Avoid These 10 Unhealthy Menu Items at Chili’s

If you're looking for a place to grab a bite, Chili's may be one of the first places you choose. From the chill atmosphere to the tasty appetizers, this restaurant is a staple in many Americans' routines. For many, it's the perfect place to watch the game, gather with friends, or celebrate a milestone.

Most people don't think about the amount of calories, carbs, and sodium in the food they eat when they're out at a restaurant, but when you look at some of the items on the Chili's menu, you might be surprised at what you find.

If you're not careful, some of these unhealthy menu items may take up your entire daily value of calories, fat, or sodium. Next time you head to Chili's for lunch or dinner, be sure to avoid these unhealthy menu items.

When you head to a restaurant like Chili's, you may be tempted to start with a tasty appetizer. If you're with a group of friends, it might be something you share. However, even between a few people, starters like the Southwestern Eggrolls are extremely unhealthy. The 1,020 calories in this appetizer are concerning, but what's more concerning is the 2,810 mg of sodium.

The Chicken Bacon Ranch Quesadillas at Chili's are another appetizer that may tempt you at the beginning of your visit. Whether you're sharing them with a friend or snacking on them while you wait for your food, check out the nutritional content first. This starter has 1,700 calories and 3,690 mg of sodium.

Burgers are one of the most popular menu items on American menus. It's hard to resist a delicious cheeseburger, especially when it's smothered in sauce and topped with bacon. The Bacon Rancher is one of the Big Mouth Burgers at Chili's. This menu item has 1,690 calories (and that's without the side of fries!) It also has 123 grams of fat and 2,720 mg of sodium.

There are few things tastier than deliciously seasoned ribs smothered in BBQ sauce. It's one of the things Chili's is best known for — but be careful how much you order. Even a half rack of ribs is pushing it when it comes to calories, carbs, and sodium, but ordering a full rack is a sure way to overdo it. A full rack of the House BBQ Ribs has 2,250 calories, 3,240 mg of sodium, and 95 grams of sugar.

Fried Mozzarella Sticks are one of the most classic sides to order at a restaurant like Chili's. This starter is also perfect for sharing (and dipping!), but be careful how many you eat. Even the 3-count of Fried Mozzarella has 55 grams of fat and 2,950 mg of sodium. The 6-count order has over 5,000 mg of sodium.

The only thing that can make a plate of fries more tasty is adding some delicious, gooey cheese to the top. The Texas Cheese Fries at Chili's definitely hit the spot if you're craving this dish, but a full order has 1,800 calories and 4,130 mg of sodium.

Chili's offers a variety of boneless wings on its menu, including sauce options like the Buffalo, House BBQ, Nashville Hot, Sweet Chili Zing, and Honey Chipotle. You can order boneless wings in an 8-count, 12-count, or 16-count, but even the 8-count is pretty unhealthy. The Honey Chipotle Boneless Wings, for example, have 1,110 calories, 100 grams of carbs, and 2,620 mg of sodium.

As far as burgers go, the Big Mouth Bites seem innocent enough. This dish includes four mini burgers with bacon, cheese, onions, and ranch. However, even these mini burgers are high in calories, fat, and sodium. With just four mini burgers, you're consuming 1,270 calories, 80 grams of fat, and 2,720 mg of sodium.

The Chicken Crispers are Chili's version of fried chicken tenders, which you can have tossed in Honey Chipotle or Nashville Hot sauce. The Chicken Crispers Combo comes with white cheddar mac & cheese, fries, and ranch. However, even the Chicken Crispers alone are extremely unhealthy. A 6-count of the Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers has 1,560 calories and a whopping 5,380 mg of sodium.

A tasty plate of nachos is hard to resist, no matter what restaurant you're eating at. The challenging part about nachos, though, is that it's hard to eat just a couple. The entire plate of Classic Nachos at Chili's has 1,120 calories, 75 grams of fat, and 2,850 mg of sodium. If you add chicken, this goes up to over 4,000 mg of sodium in one order of nachos.

If you do end up eating at Chili's, but don't want to choose an unhealthy menu item, try a Guiltless Grill item instead. This part of the Chili's menu has items such as the Guiltless Sirloin, Ancho Salmon, and Santa Fe Salad. Most of the options on this part of the menu are under 700 calories, and while they still have high amounts of sodium, most have less sodium than the other menu items at Chili's.