Latest news with #foodchallenge
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
We took on four of the toughest eating challenges across the country – but could we finish them?
THEY have long been associated with gut-busting Americans who think nothing of cramming calorie-packed meals into their supersized stomachs. But competitive eating contests are now going mainstream in the UK, with enterprising starved restaurants serving them up to attract punters. 5 As the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, dozens of outlets are now offering a variety of food challenges, from finishing the biggest steak to gobbling up a mountain of burgers. The trend, which started with Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in the States in 1972, is now popular with social media influencers. But how would the average Brit fare taking on the gargantuan meals? Four of our brave writers braced their stomachs to find out. NEWCASTLE 32-inch pizza to be finished in one sitting (They're open for 13 hours) - Difficulty 4/5 What is it? Massive pizza with 20,000 calories. Only two people have ever polished off one of these 32in pizzas – Pizzaholic restaurant owner Ilhan Ozcan and competitive eater Kyle Gibson. 5 It's big enough to feed someone for ten days. Staring at the humongous pizza, which I must eat all in one go, I realise that a single slice is bigger than my head. I am shocked by the sheer weight of cheese and crust. After 25 minutes, I have consumed 60 per cent of the pizza, but I am shaking with nausea and I am defeated, which means I have to pay my full bill, £93.99. Boss Ilhan said: 'It's popular. The rapper 50 Cent was here and we delivered one to Bryan Adams after his show in Newcastle. We used to challenge people to do it in 20 minutes but it was too difficult.' ALEX STOREY PLYMOUTH The Big 60: 60oz steak to be finished in 60mins - Difficulty: 2/5 What is it? 60oz steak equivalent to seven-and-a-half average servings. Barbican Steakhouse's 5,000-calorie steak is £64.95. Around 200 people have tried the Big 60 Challenge in the past decade but just a handful polished it off in under 60 minutes. As the medium rare slab was placed in front of me, I felt confident. But 45 minutes later, I threw in the towel with eight ounces left. Co-owner Tahir Bhatti said: 'Our best time was under 20 minutes. He was an average-looking guy, but the mad thing is his wife told us he'd had a bucket of KFC on the way.' BEN ENDLEY LEEDS The Paralyser: Monster English breakfast in 12mins - Difficulty: 3/5 What is it? Breakfast including four slices of bacon, four sausages, four hash browns and equivalent of a loaf of bread, plus trimmings. A 2,000- calorie feast. 5 Competitors have less than 12 minutes to finish the £18 meal and get their money back at the Greasy Pig. The current best time is 3.27 minutes. I managed four slices of bacon, three hash browns, two half slices of bread, half a sausage, a scoop of beans and a couple of mushrooms. Boss Mitz Bala said: 'It causes a stir on social media, it attracts influencers with huge followings.' SAMANTHA YULE LONDON Eating 13 burgers in 10mins - Difficulty: 5/5 What is it? Ten minutes to eat 13 burgers. I'm a glutton, so was looking forward to taking on Red Dog Saloon's burger-eating challenge. 5 But then I found out I would need to eat 13 6oz whoppers in ten minutes to claim £5,000, and my stomach began to shrivel. Professional scoffer Leah Shutkever ate 12 and it's her record you have to beat. My mood darkened as I was served a mountain of meat, cheese, onion and suffocating brioche bun. Halfway through the fourth, I surrendered. I ate three and a half. Tourists began to film me on their phones through the window of the Soho branch.
The Sun
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I was chuffed to feed myself for a day for FREE with an overlooked app – trolls call me ‘sad' & ask if I ‘reuse condoms'
AN EXTREME cheapskate has revealed how she fed herself for an entire day without forking out a single penny, thanks to an underrated food app. The thrifty content creator behind the page Diary of a Cheapskate set herself a no-spend food challenge and says she was 'chuffed' with the result, but it seems not everyone was impressed. 3 Mortgage-free at just 32, the savvy TikToker regularly shares frugal living tips and money-saving tricks with her growing audience online. From reusing items to bagging freebies, she's not shy about her cost-cutting habits. In a recent video, she documented a full day of free eating, covering breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, all sourced using the Olio app, a platform where neighbours and shops give away unwanted food. She told followers: 'This was such a fun challenge. I love getting creative with what I've got rather than spending cash. It means I end up eating some odd combos, but I don't care, it's part of the fun.' Her freebie -filled day started with a Belgian waffle, chopped apples and yoghurt, all collected that morning via Olio, just past their best-before dates but still perfectly fine, she said. Skipping a morning snack, she moved onto lunch with two chocolate croissants and a browning banana, again all free. By the afternoon, she tucked into more yoghurt with chopped banana before whipping up a dinner of roasted sweet potato and cauliflower, plus some new potatoes gifted by a colleague. She claimed her tea was "a bit weird" but "it worked". To finish off the day, she snacked on fresh raspberries picked straight from her mum's garden and stuck to tap water for drinks – all completely cost-free. But while some fans praised her creativity and thanked her for introducing them to the Olio app, others weren't so kind. I'm a super-saver who pockets £600 a MONTH with easy cost-cutting hacks… it's amazing what people will give you for free One troll cruelly commented: 'Do you reuse condoms too?'. Another slammed her for taking food that could have gone to someone 'more in need.' A third accused her of wasting time and money on travel just to pick up food she could've bought 'cheaply from Lidl.' Still, her loyal followers rushed to defend her, with one writing: 'Just picked up my first haul thanks to your video, can't believe the food people give away. Ignore the haters, your tips are brilliant!' Despite the backlash, the TikToker stood her ground, insisting that her extreme budgeting isn't about greed but about being resourceful, conscious, and proud of not wasting food or money. And judging by her clean plate and satisfied smile, it looks as if the hate doesn't seem to bother her. She's not the only cheapskate taking dire measures to save her pennies. A mum has shared her extreme money-saving tips, and her water hack really turned heads. Becky Giles, who's all about being frugal, revealed that she loves it when it snows because it gives her free water for her family to wash in She also bragged about how her money-saving methods helped her renovate her bathroom for just £49. Since becoming a stay-at-home mum, Becky has found creative ways to save money as she works to renovate her family's 100 year old house. She now prides herself in being 'the most frugal mum in America.' Talking in a TLC documentary, she revealed that she fills up buckets 'with snow to melt and use for water' as 'water from the sink actually costs money.' Elsewhere, a self-proclaimed frugal freak, who previously confessed to re-using bin bags and claimed to only own one plate, has now shared more of his savvy money saving methods. Bradley, 32, who steals loo rolls and re-uses snotty tissues, claimed that some of his tricks might be controversial. Despite earning over £16,000 in just one month alone, the content creator, who has enough money to live lavishly, instead opts for an incredibly frugal lifestyle. But like this frugal food hunter, not everyone was impressed with Bradley's tricks. How to save money on your food shop Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year: Odd boxes - plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price. Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30. Sainsbury's also sells £2 "Taste Me, Don't Waste Me" fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash. Food waste apps - food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public. Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio. Too Good to Go's app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount. Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses. Yellow sticker bargains - yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap. But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here. Super cheap bargains - sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they've found on the cheap, including food finds. "Downshift" - you will almost always save money going for a supermarket's own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands. The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as "downshifting" and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop. 3
The Sun
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The best man versus food-style challenges in UK restaurants from world's hottest curry to 96oz steak
EVERYONE enjoys a meal out - but some love pushing themselves just that bit more with a food challenge. There are countless restaurants and chains daring customers to stuff their stomachs for both kudos and cash prizes. 9 But where are the best ones worth giving a go across the UK? We've rounded up eight that will push you to the limit. Bunny Jackson's Hot Wings Challenge 9 Bunny Jackson's in Manchester is famous for its "Hotter Than The Sun" hot wings challenge. Customers have five minutes to scoff 10 wings covered in the restaurant's iconic hot sauce, for £20 a head. Win or lose, you'll get a free t-shirt and, as Bunny Jackson's put it, will "probably cry" too. The challenge is so fierce, under 18s have to accompanied by an adult and can't do it at all after 4pm. The Kismot Killer 9 Kismot in Edinburgh runs its "Kismot Killer" challenge - so notorious it has reportedly hospitalised two who have taken part and comes with a legal disclaimer. It has even made an appearance on A League of their Own, leaving the panellists sweating buckets. The challenge involves five of the world's hottest chillies mixed into a sauce which is then served up. It currently costs £40 to take part but complete it and you'll get the curry for free. Red Dog Saloon Burger Challenge 9 Red Dog Saloon has restaurants across England, including in Southampton, Liverpool and London. Customers feeling daring can take part in its Burger Eating contest which costs £50 to enter. Participants have 10 minutes to polish off as many burgers as possible and prizes are dependant on the number eaten. Neck three and you'll get a Red Dog baseball cap, but down 10 and you'll get a £1,000 cash prize. Beat the current record set by professional competitive eater Leah Shutkever (12) and you'll receive £5,000. Greasy Pig The Paralyser 9 The Greasy Pig in Leeds ' "The Paralyser" challenge sees customers faced with a £22 mound of fried breakfast items. Eaters have to chug down four pieces of bacon, four sausages, four eggs, four hash browns, four toast, mushrooms, tomatoes and a tub of beans. Finish it in under 13 minutes and the whole meal is free. But you may want to spend the rest of the day on the sofa after completing it. Pattersons' Quadruple Bipass Burger Challenge 9 This challenge, as the name hints at, is not one to be taken lightly. Run by Pattersons in Liverpool, customers pay £20 and have 20 minutes to down a mound of food. You'll have to finish off two burger patties, hash browns, bacon, sliced cheese, two thick slices of goats cheese and one block of cheddar. That's not all either, as there are also four onion rings, four pieces of fried chicken, a bucket of coleslaw and a pile of fries to eat. Complete the challenge and you'll get the cost of the meal paid for you. Tank and Paddle's Dude vs Dough 9 Tank and Paddle has two locations across London where customers can take part in its "Dude vs Dough" challenge. You have to finish off a yard long flatbread pizza and tray of mac and cheese within 15 minutes. It'll set you back £20 to take part but win and you'll get a £50 bar tab - not a bad way to celebrate. Slattery's Chocolate Challenge 9 Slattery's in Manchester runs the perfect challenge for sweet-toothed customers. The Chocolate Challenge costs £25 to take part in and requires you to down the following: American style Chocolate Fudge Cake with chocolate ice cream, a portion of Fresh Cream, two chocolate pots filled with liquid chocolate sauce and a glass of hot chocolate. Anyone who polishes off the mound of sugary goodness gets a Slattery chocolate medal and 100g box of handmade chocolates. However, you must complete the challenge by yourself. The Ashville 96oz Steak Challenge Fancy yourself as a bit of a meat-lover? Then this giant steak challenge might be one for you. The Ashville Steakhouse in Bristol charges £50 for a 96oz T-bone steak served with six different sides, five of which are your choice. You'll have just an hour to complete the challenge. Manage this, and you'll get the entire meal for free as well as, of course, bragging rights among your family and friends. .
Reuters
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Reuters
Hot dog champions of Coney Island
Joey Chestnut on Friday regained his longtime title of champion in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest at New York City's Coney Island after he was banned from the competition last year. NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES
Daily Mail
03-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I visited the world's fattest town... where residents eat McDonald's four times a day and 80% of people are obese
Will Tennyson traveled thousands of miles to visit a town known as the 'fattest in the world' and challenged himself to eat like the residents. Eighty percent of people in the UK town of Ebbw Vale in southeast Wales are considered overweight or obese and the California content creator spent a day indulging in their favorite meals. Upon on arrival, Tennyson, 30, immediately noticed the smell of different foods wafting in the streets and counted at least 15 kebab houses as he walked. He said 73 percent of restaurants in Ebbw Vale are considered fast food restaurants, 'which is ridiculous. That is the most in the UK.' In the UK, approximately 26.5 percent of adults are classified as obese. Meanwhile, in the US, the obesity rate is higher, with around 42 percent of adults considered obese. During his 24-hour stint in Ebbw Vale, Tennyson indulged in a number of high-calorie treats including a donut, sausage roll, pizzas and a fried breakfast. While these were novelties for him, he learned these fatty foods are common staples in the Welsh town of close to 20,000 residents. The first stop on his tour was the popular British bakery chain Greggs. One of the first things he notices is the lack of fresh, healthy food options, and the only salads he can find are pasta salads. He does, however, find some chopped fruit. At the counter, he orders a sausage roll - one of the most popular Greggs items - and a worker also suggests he get a caramel custard donut and lemon meringue muffin. The three items, he estimates, come in at more than 1,000 calories. Next up, he ventured to another popular food spot in Ebbw Vale called Frenchie's. After reading rave reviews online about the Acafe's 'Big Daddy' breakfast, Tennyson puts in an order for one and he is astounded by the size of the morning platter. His plate contains four sausages, three hash browns, four pieces of bacon, several fried eggs, baked beans and two helpings of black pudding. It also comes with a 'tray of toast' topped with a 'diabolical amount of butter,' Tennyson showed off in a YouTube video. He said: 'Look at that! That is crazy... we're like well over 2,000 calories for sure. 'Absolutely it doesn't even look like I got this at a restaurant, looks like I served myself at a buffet. Like this isn't an English breakfast, this is a full empire. I'm going to get high school acne for a week after this man.' Between his bakery stop and behemoth breakfast, Tennyson has already consumed more than 3,000 calories. The average recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men, but individual needs vary based on factors like age, activity level, and body size. Defeated by his two heavy breakfasts, Tennyson goes for a walk around town to work them off and talk to some locals about their views on diet and fitness. Many people reveal that there are high unemployment rates in the area and money is a struggle, therefore fast food is a cheap and easy convenience. Along with kebab stores, McDonald's appears to be a very popular spot. One man Tennyson speaks to says he ate McDonald's up to five times a week when he weighed 266lbs but he has since tried to cut back. In the local McDonald's, Tennyson finds long lines at the drive-thru during a lunchtime rush and it is packed with customers inside. One of the workers says that she has many repeat customers during the day, and some people come in up to four times to have meals from dawn to dusk. Reflecting on why Ebbw Vale has been plagued by obesity, one local woman says: 'Obesity is normalized, everybody's obese. 'It's a lack of education and social normality in the environment that you're living in.' Meanwhile, the receptionist at the hotel Tennyson checks into, muses: 'There isn't a great deal around here other than kebab shops and vape shops.' After popping into McDonald's, where he resists the urge for a familiar taste from home, Tennyson ventures to Southern Fried Chicken for lunch which has a bountiful selection of foods on the menu. Tennyson says: 'They're known for pizza, burgers, kebabs and fried chicken. That's an elite lineup back where I'm from. 'If a place served up all those things I would see that as a warning and I'd probably never go but here I think that just means there's a master at work in there.' Tennyson gets a buy one get one free pizza deal and he opts for one with chicken and another with a cheesy beef topping. He is impressed by the amount of meat that the pizzas are dressed with, and the store owner also throws in some fries and soda. The fitness enthusiast doesn't give a calorie estimate for the meal but a whole pizza typically contains up to 3,000 calories, while a serving of fries typically contains an average of 300 calories. Throwing in two cans of Pepsi (150 calories per can), brings the lunch to more than 6,000 calories. Concerned about his high calorie intake, Tennyson finds a gym in town but he is too full to get any serious exercise in. He is surprised to see a few people in the gym but he notes that it is still fairly quiet considering it is a 'peak time'. 'Everything's sloshing around,' the fitness influencer says, as he goes for a run on the treadmill. After a gym session, he looks for somewhere for dinner to round out his day and he settles on an Indian restaurant. He estimates his meal of chicken and rice contains around 1,500 calories. This brings his daily total to more than 10,000 calories. But back in his hotel room, Tennyson can't resist ordering dessert. A sweet medley eventually arrives and he shows off his picks; a melted ice cream, a 'brownie explosion tray', and a 'Biscoff heaven'. In total, it's estimated that Tennyson consumed more than 11,000 calories after a day of dining in Ebbw Vale with baked goods and a fry up for breakfast, pizza for lunch, Indian for dinner and a medley of desserts in bed. The foods also served up more than 300g of fat. For a balanced diet, most adults should aim to get 20-35 percent of their daily calories from fat, with a focus on unsaturated fats. For a 2,000 calorie diet, this translates to roughly 44 to 78g of total fat. A high calorie, high fat diet generally leads to people becoming obese, especially when no exercise is factored in. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing various serious health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. It can also lead to sleep apnea, liver disease, kidney disease, and pregnancy complications. Research showed that adults living in the most deprived areas in Wales are about 50 percent more likely to have obesity than those in the least parts. Blaenau Gwent, which is the county Ebbw Vale sits in, has higher than average rates of both heart disease and cancer, particularly when looking at premature deaths. Touching on his experience of the town, he concludes: 'You know, [spending] around 24 hours in the UK's most obese town was eye opening. 'People here are kind of trapped they have limited choices to healthy food. 'Breaking the norm is extremely difficult and when financial troubles are in the mix, it isn't about health it's purely about survival and putting food on the table.'
