Mall Splurges That Could Have You Buying Bigger Clothes

It all looks and smells so good, especially when your stomach is rumbling after a dash through the mall.

But what can you grab that won't have you grabbing bigger sizes?

"If I'm pressed to do it, I usually try to find the healthiest thing, but I think is generally more Asian cuisine," said Janelle Moulder of New Haven.
 
So you may head to Panda Express. Two fixtures on their menu: Orange Chicken and Broccoli Beef.

We asked Joan Rosato of West Haven which she would rather eat. "Orange Chicken," she said.

Then we asked Steve Wargo of Milford which he thought was better for him.

"I would think Broccoli Beef because of the broccoli, but I don't know," Wargo said.
 
Turns out Wargo is right.

Men's Health magazine crunched the numbers and found Broccoli Beef has 150 calories in a serving, while Orange Chicken has 500 calories.

"500 calories in a serving?" said Lauren Rossi of Milford. "I don't know if I'll ever eat it again."

Think heading to Sbarro for a slice is better for you?

It can be, depending on the slice.

One piece of Stuffed Pepperoni Pizza has 890 calories. That's the same number of calories in 3 Snickers bars.

Thin Crust Cheese will only set you back 460 calories.

You may think a pretzel is a perfect snack.

But a Glaizin' Raisin Pretzel from Auntie Anne's has 510 calories.

Pick up an unbuttered Jalapeno instead. It has 270 calories.

Cinnabon may be where you head when you want to satifsy that sweet tooth, but if you're counting calories, you better beware.

We asked Danny Townsend of New Haven what he usually gets there.

"I usually get a Pecan roll," Townsend said.

But one Caramel Pecan Bun contains 1,100 calories.

That's the equivalent of 8 White Castle hamburgers.

So you may want to reach for Cinnabon Stix instead. You get the icing and one-third the calories.

"Knowing that I may be more likely to get those then," Townsend said.

Renee Bordeaux is a registered dietician and certified personal trainer.

"I think one of ways you can get caught in the trap is to go to the mall hungry," Bordeaux said.

She recommends eating a healthy meal before you go shopping.

"Overall, it's not so much the quality of food that's really our problem," Bordeaux said. "It's the quantity of food."

So you might think a small Quizno's sandwich is a safe bet.

Honey Mustard Chicken. Honey Bourbon Chicken. They sound pretty much the same, right?

But cheese and bacon on the Honey Mustard, means Honey Bourbon save you 200 calories.

Bordeaux says you can splurge at the mall.

"Go ahead and give yourself a little treat once in awhile, but realize the portions are ginormous," Bordeaux said.

You may want to share that pretzel or Pecanbun, if you don't want to be buying more clothes.