The first comprehensive report on kids' meals at popular fast-food and chain restaurants finds the servings are far too high in calories for a single meal.

Some of meals contain more than 1,000 calories, almost as many as some elementary-school children need for the entire day, according to the analysis from Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer group.

The report shows:

Chili's country-fried chicken crispers, cinnamon apples and chocolate milk total 1,020 calories.

KFC's popcorn chicken, baked beans, biscuit, Teddy Grahams and fruit punch total 940 calories.

Sonic's Wacky Pack of grilled cheese, fries and a slush has 830 calories.

The study shows 93 percent of the kids' meals at McDonald's and Wendy's contain more than 430 calories, the average number federal guidelines suggest children ages 4 to 8 get at a single meal. The percentage of meals that top 430 calories at other chains are: 92 percent at Burger King, 89 percent at Dairy Queen, 69 percent at Arby's and 60 percent at Denny's. The kids' meals at Denny's don't include drinks.

On the healthful side, about 67 percent of kids' meals at Subway have fewer than 430 calories.

"When you go to most chain restaurants, ordering off the kids' menu is a nightmare," says Margo Wootan, the center's nutrition policy director and mother of a 10-year-old daughter. "At the very least, restaurants should list calories on the menu so that parents can navigate through this minefield of calories and fat to find the healthy options."

Sheila Weiss, director of nutrition policy for the National Restaurant Association, says, "There have been a lot of changes to our restaurant menus, especially children's meals. More and more options are available. Restaurants are offering low-fat milk, yogurt, apples and vegetables as part of the children's menu. They are helping parents help their children make wise choices."

The average child eats 167 restaurant meals in a year, according to NPD Group, a market research firm.

Center for Science in the Public Interest nutritionists analyzed calories in 1,474 different meal combinations at 13 chain restaurants. The nutrition information was gathered from the chains' Web sites and corporate offices.

It used recommended nutrition standards from different groups to determine children's nutrient needs. The Institute of Medicine guidelines recommend moderately active children, ages 4 to 8, consume about 1,300 calories a day. Therefore, the consumer group calculated a single meal should not contain more than 430 calories.

Chains that did not offer nutrition information or do not have children's menus, such as Applebee's and Pizza Hut, were not part of the study.