I recently saw the news that Costco’s food court is getting a makeover. It seems the calorie count on popular items being sold is just too high.

The killer for me is the decision to kick the Polish Dog to the curb in favor of the smaller hot dog which will be retained.

I know that a lot of you are thinking this was a good decision. We eat way too much unhealthy food and a Polish foot long dog is probably not on the Mayo Clinic approved diet.

This bad boy with bun, ketchup and mustard weighs in at a robust 522 calories. One fourth of a recommended 2,000 calorie per day healthy diet.

Plus, it’s full of nitrates and nitrites. What are those you ask?

Manufacturers add nitrates and nitrites to foods such as cured sandwich meats, bacon, salami or sausages to give them color and to prolong their shelf life.

When added to processed foods in this way, both nitrates and nitrites can form nitrosamines in the body, which can increase your risk of developing cancer.

And do we even need to mention the benefits of the sugar packed soft drink?

Healthy Menu?

Costco's new range of healthier food court options like the al pastor salad or the $4.99 acai bowl means there isn't as much room for things like the Polish dog.

First of all, who in Montana is going to even know what an al pastor salad or acai bowl even is let alone buy one? Or eat it.

I seriously doubt that the Costco food court will turn out to be a date night destination for the more elite Bozeman palettes.

A Costco in Wales served cottage pie (which is like shepherd's pie, but with beef) and jacket potatoes.

One of the more surprising items on the Costco food court menu in Cardiff, Wales is "jacket potatoes," or a baked potato stuffed with toppings for just $2.

The potatoes can be stuffed with baked beans, cheese, beef chili, coleslaw, tuna, and even something called "chicken baconnaise," which appears to be chicken dressed in bacon-flavored mayonnaise.

How Costco is not serving that in the U.S. is a mystery.

Costco in France serves chicken fingers and ham and cheese croissants. I guess healthy has a different definition in France.

I’m sorry I just don’t see Costco with its decorative concrete floors and metal display shelves at a French chicken fingers or croissants kind of place.

Some Final Thoughts

If you’re familiar with Costco’s layout then you know that just west of the checkout area there are more calories in those shelves than there are atoms in the known universe.

Definitely not Mayo Clinic territory.

In fact, I’m hard pressed to point you to the organic section in Costco or the low fat, low salt area.

There may be areas like that they are just unfamiliar to me. I doubt anyone is going to be confused and think they're in the Co-op.

I guess I’m going to have to purchase my polish dog from the refrigerator case, buy my buns, ketchup and mustard and soft drink separately.

I just can’t do all that for a buck fifty. Do you really want the Polish dog gone?

But I really want to try that “baconaise.”

Comments below.