Who Owns the U.S.?

Regardless of how much closer Obama’s budget brings our economy into a balance of payments not seen since 2001, we will continue to run deficits for the next decade, and the national debt will keep growing every year that happens

While most of the country’s $14 trillion debt is held by private banks in the U.S., the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve Board estimate that, as of December, about $4.4 trillion of it was held by foreign governments that purchase our treasury securities much as an investor buys shares in a company and comes to own his or her little chunk of the organization.

Looking at the list of our top international creditors, a few overall characteristics show some interesting trends: Three of the top 10 spots are held by China and its constituent parts, and while two of our biggest creditors are fellow English-speaking democracies, a considerable share of our debt is held by oil exporters that tend to be decidedly less friendly in other areas of international relations.

Here we break down the top 10 foreign holders of U.S. debt, comparing each creditor’s holdings with the equivalent chunk of the United States they “own,” represented by the latest (2009) state gross domestic product data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Obviously, these creditors won’t actually take states from us as payment on our debts, but it’s fun to imagine what states and national monuments they could assert a claim to.

 

©Radar Communication

 

1. Mainland China

Amount of U.S. debt: $891.6 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 20.4%

Building on the holdings of its associated territories, China is the undisputed largest holder of U.S. foreign debt in the world. Accounting for 20.4% of the total, mainland China’s $891.6 billion in U.S. treasury securities is almost equal to the combined 2009 GDP of Illinois ($630.4 billion) and Indiana ($262.6 billion) in 2009, a shade higher at a combined $893 billion. As President Obama — who is from Chicago — wrangles over his proposed budget with Congress he may be wise to remember that his home city may be at stake in the deal.

2. Japan

Amount of U.S. debt: $883.6 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 20.2%

The runner-up on the list of our most significant international creditors goes to Japan, which accounts for over a fifth of our foreign debt holdings with $883.6 billion in U.S. treasury securities. That astronomical number is just shy of the combined GDP of a significant chunk of the lower 48: Minnesota ($260.7 billion), Wisconsin ($244.4 billion), Iowa ($142.3 billion) and Missouri ($239.8 billion) produced a combined output of $887.2 billion in 2009.

3. United Kingdom

Amount of U.S. debt: $541.3 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 12.4%

At number three on the list is perhaps our closest ally on the world stage, the United Kingdom (which includes the British provinces of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man). The U.K. holds $541.3 billion in U.S. foreign debt, which is 12.4% of our total external debt. That amount is equivalent to the combined GDP of two East Coast manufacturing hubs, Delaware ($60.6 billion) and New Jersey ($483 billion) — which was named, yes, after the island of Jersey in the English Channel. The two states’ combined output in 2009 came to $543.6 billion.

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4. Oil Exporters

Amount of U.S. debt: $218 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 5%

Another grouped entry, the oil exporters form another international bloc with money to burn. The group includes 15 countries as diverse as the regions they represent: Ecuador, Venezuela, Indonesia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Gabon, Libya, and Nigeria. As a group they hold 5% of all American foreign debt, with a combined $218 billion of U.S. treasury securities in their own treasuries. That’s roughly equivalent to the combined 2009 GDP of Nebraska ($86.4 billion) and Kansas ($124.9 billion), which seems to be an equal trade: The two states produce a bunch of grain for export, which many of the arid oil producers tend to trade for oil.

 

©MS Illustration/Public Domain

 

5. Brazil

Amount of U.S. debt: $180.8 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 4.1%

Rounding out the top five is the largest economy in South America, Brazil. The country known for its beaches, Carnaval and the unbridled hedonism that goes along with both has made a big investment in the U.S., buying up $180.8 billion in American debt up to December. That’s almost equal to the $180.5 billion combined GDP of Idaho ($54 billion) and Nevada ($126.5 billion), a state that is no stranger to hedonism itself.

6. Caribbean Banking Centers

Amount of U.S. debt: $155.6 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 3.6%

You have to have cash on hand to buy up U.S. government debt, and offshore banking has given six countries the combined capital needed to make the Caribbean Banking Centers our sixth-largest foreign creditor. The Treasury Department counts the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Netherlands Antilles, Panama and the British Virgin Islands in this designation, which as a group holds $155.6 billion in U.S. treasury securities. That’s equivalent to the GDP of landlocked Kentucky ($156.6 billion), whose residents may not actually mind if they were ever to become an extension of some Caribbean island paradise.

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7. Hong Kong

Amount of U.S. debt: $138.2 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 3.2%

At No. 7 on the list of our foreign creditors is Hong Kong, a formerly British part of China that maintains a separate government and economic ties than the communist mainland. With $138.2 billion in U.S. treasury securities, the capitalist enclave could lay claim to Yellowstone Park and our nation’s capital: The combined GDP of Wyoming ($37.5 billion) and Washington D.C. ($99.1 billion) totaled $136.6 billion in 2009.

 

©MS Illustration/Public Domain

 

8. Canada

Amount of U.S. debt: $134.6 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 3.1%

They say that a friend in need is a friend indeed, and our neighbor to the north has proven to be a kind and generous creditor in our time of financial need. Canada holds about 3.1% of our foreign debt, or $134.6 billion. If friend were to become enemy and Canada were looking to annex some U.S. land to cover the debt though, the country would have an easy time of it. The combined GDP of Maine ($51.3 billion), New Hampshire ($59.4 billion) and Vermont ($25.4 billion) comes close to Canada’s debt holdings at $136.1 billion.

Residents of the three states in our extreme northeast corner should start practicing their French: They might become Québécois one of these days.

9. Taiwan

Amount of U.S. debt: $131.9 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 3.0%

Taiwan, an island barely 100 miles off the coast of China, is claimed by the People’s Republic of China, despite having its own government and economic relations with the outside world. Part of those economic relations includes the island’s holding of $131.9 billion of U.S. debt, roughly equivalent to the combined GDP of West Virginia ($63.3 billion) and Hawaii ($66.4 billion), which totals $129.7 billion.

Unless we get our spending in check, we risk losing some of our most visually stunning territory (West Virginia, obviously) to our friendly neighbors on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

10. Russia

Amount of U.S. debt: $106.2 billion

Share of total foreign debt: 2.4%

Starting off the list of our major foreign creditors is Russia, which holds about 2.4% of the U.S. debt pie that sits on the international dinner table. Its $106.2 billion in treasury securities is equivalent to the 2009 GDP of our sparsely populated North: The combined output of North Dakota ($31.9 billion), South Dakota ($38.3 billion) and Montana ($36 billion) matches up nicely with the Russian holdings, at $106.2 billion.

Let’s hope Russian president Dmitry Medvedev doesn’t come to collect.

http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/112189/who-owns-the-us?mod=bb-debtmanagement

 

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Space shuttle seen from above

On Thursday, the space shuttle Discovery blasted into space for its final mission. People around the world watched the liftoff, but only a lucky few got to see the shuttle from the skies.

Passengers on a flight from Orlando, Florida to Richmond, Virginia were treated to an unexpected kind of entertainment when they saw the Shuttle off of the left side of the plane.

One quick-thinking man named Neil Monday captured the experience on his iPhone. After he uploaded the two-minute clip to the Web, searches shot into the stratosphere. The video has been featured by multiple blogs and news agencies, including MSNBC.

Monday almost never got the chance. The flight he was on was scheduled to leave two hours earlier, but a delay kept it grounded. It’s probably the first time in history passengers were happy about being delayed.

The video, which you can watch below, is, of course, visually stunning, but it also contains a pretty good joke, if you listen hard enough. While Neil records the shuttle’s launch, the captain can be heard over the loudspeaker saying, “Those on the right side can see the space shuttle. Those on the left side can probably see the people on the right side looking at the space shuttle.”

You gotta love airplane humor.

 

Video:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110227/tr_yblog_upshot/space-shuttle-seen-from-above

 

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Can You Believe These Superstars Were Once Rejected By ‘American Idol’?

The “American Idol” top 24 have been announced, and along with the expected ringers there are quite a few surprise omissions: Chris Medina, John Wayne Schulz, Jerome Bell, Carson Higgins, and Jacee Badeaux, to name but five. I’m sure they’re feeling pretty rejected, and dejected, right now, as they watch their peers move on to the live “Idol” stage while they pack their bags and Greyhound-bus it back to the small towns from whence they came. But they shouldn’t sulk. They should realize that quite a few talented singers were turned away by “Idol,” but went on to bigger and better things.

 

Chris, John, Jerome, Jacee, et al: If you’re feeling low, read about the following “Idol” also-rans and realize that your respective musical journeys are far from over.

 

Hillary Scott

The stunning Lady Antebellum frontwoman auditioned not once but twice for “Idol,” and never even made it past the preliminary rounds, never even sang for Simon Cowell and the other judges. “I never got to see them. I literally performed for the production assistants and the interns, and I just didn’t make it,” she recently told Entertainment Tonight. No worries. Hillary simply formed Lady Antebellum instead, and went on to win five Grammys this year, including Record AND Song Of The Year. No Idol has ever done that!

 

Colbie Caillat

This plucky songstress also auditioned unsuccessfully for “Idol” twice, and on her second try she even warbled her own original ditty, “Bubbly.” (“I was shy. I was nervous. I didn’t look the greatest. I wasn’t ready for it yet. I was glad, when I auditioned, that they said no,” she later told USA Today.) I guess Colbie had reason to be glad. Not only did “Bubbly” eventually become a massive international hit for her, without “Idol’s” help, but it’s since been covered by various other “Idol” hopefuls, like Casey James, Katie Stevens, Katelyn Epperly, and Anne Marie Boskovich. Apparently Colbie wasn’t too bitter to grant the show rights!

 

Amber Riley

The “Glee” diva auditioned for “Idol” at age 17, but she too didn’t even make it past the producers. But obviously, the singer also known as Mercedes Jones made it onto the Fox Network anyway. (And one of her biggest standout solo performances on “Glee” was “And I Am Telling You,” a song famously performed by Idols like Jennifer Hudson and LaKisha Jones.) “You know what? I still work on Fox and I get paid! Thank you, ‘American Idol,'” Amber recently gloated to Access Hollywood. You go, girl.

 

Robyn Troup

Robyn is the least-known name on this list, but she actually made it the farthest, getting all the way to Hollywood Week in 2006. She was cut during the second group round, but she performed on the Grammys only a few weeks after her elimination aired, when she won Yahoo! Music’s own “My Grammy Moment” talent search and got to duet on the live awards telecast with none other than Justin Timberlake. (And Jennifer Hudson introduced her!) Since then, Robyn has recorded with Santana, and is now prepping her debut album for the Emblem Music Group, a record label helmed by David Cook/Taylor Hicks producer Matt Serletic.

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/can-you-believe-these-superstars-were-once-rejected-by-american-idol–2441?nc

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Miami Comic Con

We went yesterday it was so much fun man.

What a great day we had at Miami Comic Con man it was awesome especially since I went with Sam. 🙂

BuffyFest Rocked.

Nicholas Brendan, Clare Kramer, and Mercedes McNab also were wonderful to meet.  They all rock and were all super sweet we got autograph pictures actually Sam got more than me what the hell (it first well it is Sam and second money was an issue).  I did get one autograph for me Mercedes McNab, Harmony Kendall from “Buffy” & “Angel, man she was also on Supernatural anyways had her sign the picture from Supernatural lol 2 great shows one cool actress. Sam asked Clare Kramer for a hug and she was like so sweet about giving Sam a hug.

My fan girl was like very happy today lol OH I also purchased two Supernatural photos autographed by Jensen and Jared. They both came with a Certificate of Authenticity. Jared may be going to the Comic Con in Orlando oh shit man I will try my best to get up there to meet him as always it comes down to money.

The back to the future the Delorean was there we took a picture paid for one actually the money goes to charity for Parkinson’s something so close to my heart because of dad. They wanted $20.00 for a picture, but I donated $40.00 (wish it was more) the extra money was in honor of my dad. I cried like the marshmallow I am when I spoke of dad. It has been 7 years since he past away why do I still cry????

The ladies in charge were awesome one hugged me 🙂 They work along with Micheal J Fox.

Anyways we were not allowed to take any photos of Adam West or Burt Ward security stopped a few people meh West was $60.00 for a signed meet greet/autographed picture. He was cool though made us laugh man joking around Sam asked him out on a date too damn funny. I told him I that I also love him on Family Guy he responded “Oh, yes how much fun is that.” I shook his hand told him he rocked lol he smiled.

Uncomfortably we did not get to meet Burt Ward as planned since we headed to all the BuffyFest stuff/actors. OK and money.

I have posted up the mobile pictures i took over on FB man my camera done up and died on me so my fault. *face palm* … I have posted some over at Flickr.

Oh yeah the batmobile and the Scooby Mystery Machine were also there we took some pictures of the batmobile … damn I should of taken of Scooby oh well.

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In Recession’s Wake, Frugal Ways Make a Comeback

Throw away the cellphone after two years? Not so fast. Ditch the flat-panel TV for an even thinner model? Maybe next year. Replace the blouse with the hole? Darn it!

Consumer spending has picked up, but for some Americans the recession has left something behind: a greater interest in making stuff last.

For a number of products — cars, phones, computers, even shampoo and toothpaste — the data shows a slowing of product life cycles and consumption. In many cases the difference is mere months, but economists and consumers say the approach just may outlast a full recovery and the return of easy credit, because of the strong impression the downturn made on consumers.

It is hardly the stuff of generations past, those stung by the Great Depression, who held onto antediluvian dishware and stored canned goods until rust formed on the lids. But for the moment, many citizens of a throwaway society are making fewer visits to the trash and recycling bins.

In the case of Patti Hauseman of Brooklyn, that meant sticking with a five-year-old Apple computer until it started making odd whirring noises and occasionally malfunctioning. She and her boyfriend bought a new computer for Christmas — actually, a refurbished one.

“A week later, the old one died. We timed it pretty well,” Ms. Hauseman said with a laugh. Her cautious approach applies to other products: she is holding out on upgrading two seven-year-old tube-type TVs, and has taken to mending clothes rather than replacing them.

Ms. Hauseman, 41, a general manager of an independent record label, said this mentality was the product of several factors, including bills that have swelled more quickly than her income. She said it was not so much that she could not afford new things, but that the last few years of economic turmoil had left her feeling that she could be stealing from her future by throwing away goods that still had value.

“I’ve started upgrading for necessity, not vanity,” she said, adding that to do otherwise “just does feel wasteful.”

Whether a broad, long-term shift in consumer habits is under way is a question tickling economists and analysts. Some insist that, as with the Depression, the recent downturn has made a lingering impression on how people view the propriety of, say, stuffing a still-working cellphone into a desk drawer in favor of a newer model.

But other experts and historians argue that as spending and credit return, so will yearnings to favor brands, fashion and novelty over practicality.

With some products, the upgrade cycle is actually accelerating. According to NPD, a market research firm, consumers in 2010 reported spending more to upgrade major kitchen appliances like refrigerators than they did in 2008 or 2009, when such spending fell. The firm found similar trends at work in smaller kitchen and personal care appliances.

In the case of televisions, upgrades have slowed, but only because so many people snapped up flat-panel sets in recent years. There is now a lull in the product cycle, but not necessarily in consumer demand.

Tyler Cowen, an economist at George Mason University, said it was simply too soon to tell whether economic recovery would bring back a more disposable society. “There aren’t enough aggregate statistics since the crash for us to know,” he said.

But in some important categories there are indications of slowed upgrades. Consumers are holding onto new cars for a record 63.9 months, up 4.5 months from a year ago and 14 percent since the end of 2008, according to Polk, a research firm. In fact, the firm said, when used cars are included, the average length of car ownership stands at 52.2 months, also a record.

Industry analysts also report that people on average upgrade their cellphones every 18 months, up from every 16 months just a few years ago. They hold onto their laptops an average of 4 years and 4 months, a month longer than they did a year ago, though that figure has been creeping up since 2000.

And consumers are making sure to get the last drop from their household products, said Ali Dibadj, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein who covers big companies like Colgate-Palmolive and Clorox.

“People are squeezing the last bit out of the shampoo. They seem to be adding more water to really squeeze out the last bit,” Mr. Dibadj said, noting financial reports from major companies showing frugality with things like razor blades, laundry detergent and toothpaste. “Consumers are doing their best to conserve — we’re seeing it again and again and again.”

Nancy F. Koehn, a professor at the Harvard Business School and a historian of consumer behavior, said she would bet her boot collection that the change was, if not permanent, at least lasting. She said it stemmed not just from a shaky economy but also from a sense that great institutions — like government and major corporations — might not be reliable saviors in a crisis.

“We’re not going back to a time of our grandmothers’ tales of what they kept and how they used things so carefully. But we’ll see a consistent inching or trudging towards that,” Professor Koehn said. “It’s a glimmer of that, a flickering of it.”

For Walt Truelson, a management consultant in Portland, Ore., that has meant a shift in his lifelong love affair with cars, specifically Jaguars. He typically bought a new or slightly used one every year or two, but has had his current car, a 1999 model in dark green, for four years. “It’s going to stay in my possession as long as it runs,” he said.

Mr. Truelson, who declined to give his age because he said he acts much younger than he is, also switched 18 months ago to paying for cellphone minutes as he uses them, rather than subscribing to an expensive monthly plan.

He said the changes reflect in part the fact that his business fell with the economy, but also what he says is a reassessment of the need to constantly have new things: “It’s a question of shifting values.”

In a few cases, consumers who are inclined to discard less are getting some positive reinforcement from an unlikely corner: companies that profit from upgrades.

Levi Strauss is telling customers to take steps that will actually lead them to buy fewer pairs of jeans. The Levi’s sustainability campaign urges customers to wash their jeans less often and in cold water, a move that the company says reduces water use.

“And they absolutely will last longer,” said Michael Kobori, vice president for social and environmental sustainability at Levi’s. He said the message was part of building trust with consumers and emphasizing the durability of the company’s products.

When it comes to holding onto clothing, Genevieve Tung, 28, needs no campaign to motivate her. She has recently mended ripped socks and pants, sewn buttons onto jackets and gone to great lengths to save a peach silk blouse stained by soy sauce.

“I tried several home remedies involving dishwashing detergent and baking soda, had it dry-cleaned twice,” she said. “I bought fabric dye I’m going to cook on the stove and hope the dark color dye will blend in.”

Ms. Tung, who lives in Brooklyn, recently left a corporate law job to go back to school, a move that curtailed her income. She is also worried about relying over the long term on the pension of her husband, a New York City paramedic, given how unreliable pensions seem.

She says there are other motivations too: “Personally, avoiding waste and using things until they’re used up seems like a common-sense way to live.”

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/In-Recessions-Wake-Frugal-nytimes-2844094476.html?x=0&.v=1

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7 Best Fast-Food Meals Under 350 Calories

“How did Americans get so fat?”

Of all the questions I get, this is by far the most common. There are many reasons: We’ve added extra calories to basic foods, everything from pasta sauce to ketchup. We’re drinking more calories than ever—450 a day, on average. And, of course, we’ve been trained to supersize it. Those “value” meals we order through the clown’s mouth cost us only 17 percent more money, but 73 percent more calories. That’s dummy economics—you wouldn’t buy a new Blu-Ray Disc and then pay the electronics store to throw in some old, worn-out videotapes, would you? And so, everytime we eat out, we add 134 calories to our daily intake.

I understand that life is hectic and fast-food meals are inevitable. That’s why we created the runaway bestseller Eat This, Not That! back in 2007. It’s also why we’ve taken all of the principles we’ve laid out over the past few years and distilled them down to a brand-new, complete nutrition plan: The Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet.You can eat all the foods you love, at all the restaurants you love, without condemning yourself to massive portions and coma-inducing calorie counts, and lose tons of weight—without ever dieting again. (Which is why we gave it the “No-Diet Diet!” twist!) Want proof? Here are 7 fast-food meals with fewer than 350 calories. Next time you’re in a bind, opt for one of these meals and banish excess calories for good.

And remember: I’m on a mission to uncover surprising places where hidden calories lurk. Just follow me on Twitter (twitter.com/davezinczenko) and I’ll arm you with the information you need to eat more every day—and weigh less for the rest of your life.

Best Chinese Meal Under 350 Calories
Panda Express Mongolian Beef and Mixed Veggies
235 calories
7 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
1,260 mg sodium

Panda actually has several options that come in below the 350-calorie mark. As with any Chinese meal, the key is skipping the greasy mound of fried rice and the oily tangle of noodles. Pair a low-calorie entrée such as the Mongolian Beef or Green Bean Chicken with a side of veggies and you wind up with a fairly nutritious meal with plenty of protein to keep you full. Entrees to avoid: Beijing Beef, Orange Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and anything with pork.

NOT THAT
Beijing Beef w/ Fried Rice
1,260 calories
59 g fat (12 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,830 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 1,025 calories, 52 grams of fat, 600 mg of sodium, and a half day’s worth of saturated fat!

Best Sandwich Meal Under 350 Calories
Subway 6” Turkey Breast and Black Forest Ham Sandwich
(on 9-grain wheat bread with tomatoes, onions, green peppers, pickles, olives, and mustard)
310 calories
4 g fat (1 g saturated)
1,255 mg sodium

The health halo surrounding Subway is a boon for the sandwich chain, but for everyone else, it’s quite problematic. The numbers Subway advertises are only for a 6-inch sub and don’t account for cheese, mayo, olive oil, or any extras most people get on their sub. Order a 12-inch sandwich with a couple of extras and your “healthy” sub suddenly becomes an 800-calorie, diet-sinking torpedo. (To seejust how quickly extra ingredients can add up, check out our shocking list of the30 Worst Sandwiches in America.) To be fair, though, there are many nutritious sandwich combinations at Subway, and this is one of them. Just make sure to go with 6 inches (not 12), mustard (not mayo), and take advantage of Subway’s best option: unlimited veggies.

NOT THAT
Subway 6” Meatball Marinara Sub w/ Provolone
630 calories
27 g fat (11 g saturated, 1 g trans)
1,655 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 320 calories, 23 grams of fat, 400 mg of sodium, and a half day’s worth of saturated fat!

Best Chicken Nugget Meal Under 350 Calories
Chick-fil-A Nuggets (8 count) with Barbecue Sauce
315 calories
12 g fat (2.5 saturated)
1,170 mg sodium

When it comes to healthy fast-food chicken, Chick-fil-A definitely rules the roost. Lately, though, we’ve seen sodium and calorie counts starting to creep upward, so we’ll be keeping a sharp eye on the chain this year. (Still, nothing served at this poultry palace comes close to the atrocities we found when compiling our list of the Worst Chicken Dishes in America.) This 8-count meal is packed with 28 grams of hunger-blasting protein—a perfect way to refuel for lunch. Just say no to the Polynesian dipping sauce. One tub contains 110 calories!

NOT THAT
Spicy Chicken Sandwich Deluxe
580 calories
27 g fat (8 g saturated)
1,880 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 265 calories, 710 mg of sodium (nearly half a day’s worth), and 15 grams of fat!

Best Wrap Meal Under 350 Calories
McDonald’s Grilled Honey Mustard Snack Wrap and Side Salad with Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette
320 calories
12 g fat (3.5 saturated)
1,540 mg sodium

You’d be hard-pressed to find a healthier wrap at any other major fast-food chain. Why? Because this one contains only five ingredients: grilled chicken breast, flour tortilla, jack and cheddar cheese, lettuce, and honey mustard. That’s the kind of ingredient list we like to see: simple and delicious. Tack on a side salad and you’ve got a well-rounded meal with fewer calories than one Double Cheeseburger.

NOT THAT
Premium Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich w/ Medium Fries
1,010 calories
47 g fat  (9.5 g saturated)
1,630 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 690 calories (an entire meal’s worth, basically) and 35 grams of fat!

Bonus Tip: Save time, calories, and money by signing up for our FREE Eat This, Not That! newsletter.

Best Burger Meal Under 350 Calories
Burger King Jr. Whopper w/o Mayo and BK Apple Fries
330 calories
10.5 g fat (4 g saturated)
500 mg sodium

Burger King holds the dubious distinction of being the unhealthiest of the Big Three burger joints, but that doesn’t mean you can’t concoct a decent meal. By simply 86-ing the mayo, the Whopper Jr. becomes one of the heathiest burgers in the fast-food kingdom, and BK’s fresh apple fries are a delicious and nutritious side. Together, they make a fine meal if you must dine on the dash. Warning: Every other Whopper sandwich has anywhere from 0.5 grams to 2.5 grams of trans fat.

NOT THAT
Whopper w/ Medium Fries
1,110 calories
62 g fat (15.5 g saturated fat, 1 g trans)
1,650 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 780 calories, 52 grams of fat, and a half day’s worth of both sodium and saturated fat!

Best Mexican Meal Under 350 Calories
Taco Bell’s Fresco Chicken Soft Tacos (2)
340 calories
8 g fat (2 g saturated)
1,360 mg sodium

Taco Bell got a lot of flak this past year for advertising its Drive-Thru Diet, but truth is, this taco joint provides dozens of possible meal combos for less than 500 calories. The same certainly can’t be said for any of the nation’s most popular fast-food burger chains. Taco Bell’s menu still has plenty of pitfalls, so order wisely. Our advice: 1) Stick to the Fresco Menu, where not one item is more than 350 calories; 2) Run from Grilled Stuft Burritos, food served in a bowl, and anything with multiple layers.

NOT THAT
Grilled Stuft Chicken Burritos (2)
1,320 calories
48 g fat (14 g saturated fat)
4,020 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 980 calories, 40 grams of fat, more than a half day’s worth of saturated fat, and nearly two days’ worth of salt!

Bonus Tip: Be wary of foods with more than 1,500 mg of sodium. Grilled Stuft Burritos are salt-laden, but downright sweet compared to our list of the 30 Saltiest Foods in America. Stay away from all of these, unless you’re trying to melt a glacier.
Best Breakfast Meal Under 350 Calories
Dunkin’ Donuts Egg White and Cheese Breakfast Wake-Up Wraps (2) w/ Small Black Coffee
305 calories
14 g fat (6 g saturated)
965 mg sodium

Dunkin’ might be known for its donuts, but the DDSmart Menu is the real reason to swing by this spot on your way to work. A couple of Wake-Up Wraps and a small black coffee will give you exactly what you need to stay energized through the morning. (In fact, if you don’t if you don’t mind 60 extra calories, opt for the whole-egg Wake-Up Wrap instead—yolks contain vitamins and minerals that are good for eye health.) This meal delivers 16 grams of hunger-fighting protein. You definitely won’t find that in two glazed donuts.

NOT THAT
Sausage, Egg & Cheese on Croissant
680 calories
46 g fat (18 g saturated, 0.5 g trans)
1,280 mg sodium

Your Eat This, Not That! No-Diet Diet savings: 375 calories, 32 grams of fat, and a half day’s worth of saturated fat!

Bonus Tip: You can find dozens of healthiest breakfasts on fast-food menus. And then there are these: The 20 Worst Breakfasts in America. Nothing will blow up your diet and your waistline faster.

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http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/7-fast-food-meals-under-350-calories

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