The Healthy Blog

The freak show, haunted house, and Skull-Crushing Terror Drop of Impending Death—all child's play. Mere cheap thrills. If you want to see something truly frightening at your local amusement park, swing by the concession stand. On the menu: artery-clogging fatty foods and belt-busting confections.

We know this, of course. But then, why do we eat so much of it? Maybe it's because we're captive eaters at the theme park, and the healthy foods are all but nonexistent. But the truth is, you're not helpless. You may be locked into a car on the roller coaster and strapped to your seat on the swinging chairs, but when it comes to food, you're still in charge of everything that passes your lips. With a few smart Eat This, Not That! swaps, you can have fun and chow down without developing a freak-show-worthy belly.

To help you navigate the fun-house labyrinth of amusement park dining, we’ve compiled a list of foods to avoid. Study up before heading out to the park and you'll make it out unscathed.

#6: WORST SWEET CLASSIC
Cotton Candy (2.1 oz)
220 calories
0 g fat
56 g sugar

Here's a brief intro to cotton candy production: To make the "cotton," the candy maestro melts sugar into liquid, sprays it into thin strands, and then rolls it into a ball. Essentially that makes this treat no different than eating sugar straight from the bag, a serious problem considering it has more sweet stuff than three scoops of Breyers Chocolate Chip ice cream and not one iota of redeeming nutritional value. That's enough to shift your body into fat-storage mode and land you a belly as soft as the confection you're eating. Eat a popsicle instead to save a whopping 46 grams of sugar!

Eat This Instead!
Popsicle (1 popsicle)
45 calories
0 g fat
8 g sugar

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#5: WORST FROZEN TREAT