Blog: Quality Gift Boxes

From the guys over at CouponSherpa.com, who have selflessly scanned menus nationwide, here are the toughest food challenges you can subject your stomach to...

In the ancient battle of Man vs. Food, e-sportbooks and restaurants are betting on Man. For example, BetED.com recently posted odds for the epic "Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest," held every 4th of July.

Of course, Nathan's isn't the only place to find gourmands gorging themselves for fame, glory and free food. Amateur gluttons and the restaurants that serve them are found across the country. We researched 40 gut-busting restaurant challenges for those seeking free food and entertainment. A couple words of advice: Don't fill up on bread, and remember foods dunked in liquids slide down easier.

And if you scope out any ringers, let us know so we can call our bookie.

1. Denny's Beer Barrel Pub
Location: Clearfield, Pennsylvania
Food Challenge: If you have two people and three hours, take on the Beer Barrel Belly Buster. The 15-pound burger includes a 20-inch patty, 17-inch bun, two onions, a head of lettuce, 25 slices of cheese, three tomatoes, mayo, mustard, relish and ketchup. Finish the challenge in three hours and it's completely free. If you can't finish the burger, it'll cost you $49.95.

2. Jack 'n Grill
Location: Denver, Colorado
Food Challenge: As seen on the Travel Channel's popular "Man vs Food" show, the famous Jack-n-Grill seven-pound burrito eats more like a casserole than a burrito. Women who complete the challenge receive free food for life at Jack 'n Grill. Only three women have ever finished the challenge and word on the street is they never returned for more.

3. Papa Bob's Bar-B-Que
Location: Bonner Springs, Kansas
Food Challenge: Finish the Ultimate Destroyer -- a giant 12-inch sandwich with a half-pound pulled pork, half-pound hickory-smoked sliced pork, and two slices of bread -- and Papa Bob's will refund your $45 entry fee.

4. Pizza Party
Location: Santa Clara, California
Food Challenge: Eat one Belly Buster 20-inch pizza with cheese and two toppings in one hour or less. Unlimited water is included with the pizza, however you may not dip your pizza into the water (or any other drink). You have to keep down all the pizza and clean up your mess if you vomit. Finish and you'll receive your entry fee back (equal to half the cost of the pizza), a T-shirt, your picture on the wall of the restaurant, and a free extra-large pizza every month for a year.

5. Beau Jo's Pizza
Location: Colorado
Food Challenge: Finish a Grand Sicilian Pizza made of 12 to 14-pounds of hamburger and sausage on a loaded 16-inch thick crust pizza. You and a friend will have one hour to complete the challenge. If successful, the pizza is free and you'll receive $100 and two free T-shirts.

6. Pho Garden
Location: San Francisco, California
Food Challenge: Step up to eat three large bowls of "Pho Garden" combined in one massive bowl. This meal contains two-pounds of noodles and two-pounds of beef. If you succeed within the 60-minute time limit, the meal is free and Pho Garden will place your photo on their Wall of Champions.

7. Lucky's
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Food Challenge: You have one hour to finish three sandwiches in Lucky's Sandwich Contest (roast beef, pastrami, corned beef, Capicola, smoked turkey, ham, Cajum chicken, The Fredo, The Two Bagger or Salami plus toppings). Finish and receive the third sandwich free, a T-shirt, and your photo on the Wall of Fame. Finish in 30 minutes to receive all sandwiches free.

8. Big Pie in the Sky
Location: Kennesaw, Georgia
Food Challenge: Take on the Carnivore Challenge with a friend to eat an 11-pound pizza in one hour. If you follow the rules and succeed, you'll receive $250 (or $200, since the entry fee is $50).

9. Seiad Valley Store and Cafe
Location: Seiad Valley, California
Food Challenge: Chow down on the Pancake Challenge. If you manage to eat all five-pounds of pancakes (with syrup and butter) in two hours, your meal is free. Currently only seven people have managed to get through this amazing amount of pancakes in 15 years.

10. The Big Texan Steak Ranch
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Food Challenge: Try to take on the Texas King. A 72-ounce steak (four pounds) with buttered roll, shrimp cocktail, salad, beans and potato. If you succeed, you will be one of 7,000 who have completed the challenge in the past 50 years. The meal is free if you're able to finish, but costs $72 dollars if you leave anything on your plate

11. Clinton Station Diner
Location: Clinton, New Jersey
Food Challenge: You and three friends can try to mount the 50-pound Mt. Olympus Burger in three hours. It's free if you finish.

12. Gus and Paul's
Location: Springfield, Massachusetts
Food Challenge: Eat the Worlds Biggest Corned Beef Sandwich at Gus and Paul's. It contains 2.5-pounds of corned beef, one-pound of swiss cheese, two sliced tomatoes, half a head of lettuce, 1.5-pounds of water roll, half-a-pound of mustard, one-pound of sliced pickles, one-pound of coleslaw, and 1.25-pounds of French fries. Finish this giant sandwich in an hour or less and it's completely free.

13. Bang Bang Pizza
Location: Norwalk, Connecticut
Food Challenge: This challenge requires you finish a 22-inch Sliced Pie with two toppings in just 30 minutes. You may not consume any beverages during the competition. Finish and receive one free pizza per month for a year, a T-shirt, and your name on the Wall of Fame. Fail and you'll pay for the pie and forever face your picture on the Wall of Shame.

14. Kooky Canuck
Location: Memphis, Tennessee
Food Challenge: We dare you to try and eat the entire Kookamonga Burger. This monstrous burger includes four-pounds of ground chuck, two-pounds of bun, 1.5-pounds of lettuce/tomato/pickle/onion/and cheese totaling 7.5-pounds of food with optional fries. You'll need 26 hours of aerobics to burn of this whopping 12,387 calory burger. Finish in 60 minutes and it's free. Kooky Canuck also will post your picture on their Hall of Fame. Fail and you'll pay for your burger plus see your face on the Hall of Shame.

15. Pig n Chik
Location: Sherwood, Arkansas
Food Challenge: Attempt to finish the Sarge Burger in 30 minutes or less....a feat only accomplished by one person to date. This burger contains four-pounds of burger, a one-pound bun and plenty of fixings. Finish in less than 30 minutes and it's free.

16. Red Devil's Pizza
Location: Granada Hills, California
Food Challenge: Finish a 28-inch pizza between two people within a half hour. Finish the pie and receive a gift certificate for two additional 28-inch, four-topping pizzas and Red Devil Pizza merchandise. After every 20 winners, there will be a drawing for a $500 prize. (You must be at least 16 years old to enter this contest.)

17. LW Pizza
Location: Long Beach, California
Food Challenge: LW Pizza dares you to eat an entire

And other stuff. Also, it is cold outside. But there’s some tips, courtesy of Joanne Romano and Michelle DeLuca:

Tips for Staying Warm
When winter temperatures drop below normal, staying warm and safe can become a challenge. Exposure to cold can cause life-threatening health conditions. Exposure to cold temperatures, weather indoors or outside, can cause serious health problems and anyone can be affected. To keep yourself and your family safe, know how to prevent cold-weather health and safety problems and what to do if a cold-weather emergency arises.

• Wear a hat, hood, or scarf, as most heat is lost through the head.
• Wear water resistant boots and heavy socks.
• Wear layers, as they provide better insulation and warmth.
• Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered if you go outside.
• Keep clothing dry; if a layer becomes wet, remove it.

• If you have pets, bring them indoors. If you cannot bring them inside, provide adequate shelter to keep them warm and make sure they have access to unfrozen water and food.
• Do not ignore shivering. Its an important first sign that the body is losing heat. Persistent shivering is a signal to return indoors.
• If you lose heat, take measures to trap existing warm air, and safely stay warm until heat returns:
• Insulate your home as much as possible. Hang blankets over windows and doorways and stay in a well-insulated room while power is out.
• Dress warmly. Wear hats, scarves, gloves, and layered clothing.
• If you have a working fireplace, use it for heat and light, but be sure to keep the damper open for ventilation.
• Open your faucets to a steady drip so pipes do not freeze.
• Avoid unnecessary opening of doors and windows. Close off unneeded rooms.
• Eat and drink wisely. Food provides your body with needed energy to produce its own heat and drinking helps your body avoid dehydration. Avoid alcoholic or caffeinated beverages, they cause your body to lose heat faster.
• If the cold persists and your heat is not restored, call family, neighbors, or friends to see if you can stay with them.
• If your service line, pipes or water meters freeze:
• Open a faucet near the frozen point to release vapor from melting ice.
• Direct a hair dryer or heat lamp at the frozen section, or put a small space heater nearby.
• NEVER thaw a frozen pipe or meter with an open flame; this could lead to fire or cause a steam explosion.

Safe Home Heating Tips
If you plan to use a wood stove, fireplace or space heater, be extremely careful. Follow the manufacturers instructions as well as the safety tips below. Improper use of portable heating equipment can lead to fire or dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Take precautions to ensure you are heating your home safely.

FIRE SAFETY:

• Use fireplace, wood stoves or other combustion heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside and do not leak flue gas into the indoor air space.
• Do not burn paper in a fireplace.
• Use of the type of fuel your heater is designed to use- Don’t substitute.
• Use only portable heating equipment that is approved for indoor use.
• Keep combustible materials, including furniture, drapes, and carpeting at least three feet away from the heat source. NEVER drape clothes over a space heater to dry.
• Always keep an eye on heating equipment. Never leave children alone in the room where a space heater is running. Turn it off when you are unable to closely monitor it.
• Be careful not to overload electrical circuits.
• Never place a space heater on top of furniture or near water.
• Make sure that the cord of an electric space heater is not a tripping hazard, but DO NOT run the cord under carpets or rugs.
• Avoid using extension cords to plug in your space heater.
• Make sure you have a working smoke detector in every room. Check and change batteries often.

CARBON MONOXIDE SAFETY:

• Install a carbon monoxide detector in your home and check it regularly to make sure the battery is working.
• Make sure your heating system is kept clean and properly vented; have worn or defective parts replaced.
• Don’t heat your home with a gas stove or oven.
• Do not use any gas-powered appliance, charcoal grill, or hibachi indoors.
• Open your garage door before starting your car and do not leave the motor running in an enclosed area. Clear exhaust pipes before starting a car or truck after it snows.
• The most common symptom of carbon monoxide poisoning is headache. However, symptoms may also include dizziness, chest pain, nausea, and vomiting. In severe cases, people can become increasingly irritable, agitated and confused, eventually becoming lethargic and lapsing into unconsciousness.
• If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, call 911, and get the victim to fresh air immediately, and open windows.

Learn more about carbon monoxide

How to Help Others
Infants, seniors, and people with paralysis or neuropathy are at increased risk of hypothermia and frostbite. Check on friends, relatives, and neighbors who may need assistance to ensure they are adequately protected from the cold.
Recognize symptoms of cold weather illnesses such as frostbite and hypothermia:
Hypothermia: symptoms include slurred speech, sluggishness, confusion, dizziness, shallow breathing, unusual behavior, and slow, irregular heartbeat.

Frostbite: symptoms include gray, white or yellow skin discoloration, numbness, and waxy feeling skin.

If you suspect a person is suffering from frostbite or hypothermia, bring him or her someplace warm and seek medical help immediately or call 911.
If medical help is unavailable, re-warm the person, starting at the core of their body. Warming arms and legs first can increase circulation of cold blood to the heart, which can lead to heart failure. Use a blanket, or if necessary, your own body heat to warm the person.
Do not give a person suffering frostbite or hypothermia alcohol or caffeine, both of which can worsen the condition. Instead, give the patient a cup of warm broth.
For additional safety tips, please visit www.norwalkct.org and click on the Emergency Management link. For questions or for more information, please contact the Norwalk Fire Department- Office of Emergency Management at 854-0238 or mdeluca@norwalkct.org