To celebrate National Nutrition Month, why not put a nutritionist in your pocket? Or at least the next best thing: the 2009 CalorieKing Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter ($9). This handy book, which fits perfectly into a purse, is like all of my food breakdowns times 10. So if you haven't scooped up a copy yet, now's your chance.
The truth is, we never really know what we're eating when we're eating out, and the CalorieKing guide helps solve that problem. It lists calorie, fat, and carb counts for all manner of supermarket foods, including specific brands and broad categories like fruits and meats. It also dishes on 200 restaurant chains, including fast-food joints, coffee shops, and sit-down dining establishments, both national and regional.
The thing I really like about it is that it also helps when ordering food from nonchain restaurants, like your local taqueria or the takeout Chinese spot down the street. The more than 14,000 food listings include estimated calories and fat for just about any meal you might encounter: BLT sandwiches, chicken tamales, red beans and rice, and matzo ball soup, to name only a few. Get your copy here, and if you get really addicted, you can get a mobile version too.
