good choices at chain restaurants

keziak1

My family loves to eat out or get take-out a lot. I've been working on go-to dishes at local places. What do you like to get? Mine include:

1. Panera - I like the pick-two with green salad and a low-calorie sandwich like the barbecue flatbread. Also love their mac & cheese but not the calories!
2. Subway - turkey sub. Used to always get Coke, cookie, and chips and avoiding them now.
3. Chick Fil A - really good salads and good grilled chicken sandwich
4. Privately-owned Italian restaurant - they have a very good veggie pizza and their slice is probably similar to two slices elsewhere, so one is a meal.

cwolfman13

I personally prefer local establishments to chain restaurants. The only two chains I eat out with any regularity are Wendy's and Sweet Tomatoes.

At Wendy's I usually get a baked potato with sour cream and chives and a small chili. Sweet Tomatoes is an all you can eat soup and salad bar...so I eat a bunch of salad and some soup.

All that said, I eat out maybe 2-3 times per month and maybe only once every other month or so at one of these establishments.

Jkj95

1. McDonald's has some decent options. The salads are very healthy if you don't drown them in dressing and the dollar menu has some decent options. The smaller sandwiches are still very filling and most of them are 300-500 calories. They also offer fruit now.
2. I always order naked burritos off the kids menu at Qdoba. It's cheaper and a much more reasonably sized portion than the rest of the menu. The smothered burritos are pretty good too, depending on what you put in them. The smother sauces are low in calories, except for the chipotle cream.
3. Subway can be very good, just watch out for the sauces and add plenty of veggies. The vinaigrette, sweet onion and mustards are all pretty healthy, though. They offer a light mayo, but I've never tried it because I don't really like mayo in the first place.

GrammyPeachy

Ruby Tuesday has their "Fit & Trim",(I love the salmon), options and Applebee's has a "Have It All" section on their menu, all under 600 calories.

For fast food I go with a regular hamburger at Mc Donald's for 250 calories or Wendy's small chili for 170 calories, either can be had with a salad, (just watch out for dressing calories).

The nice thing about chain restaurants is, they list their nutrition info online. They also usually have it printed at their locations.

my3boys424

There seem to be a bunch of new 'healthy' choices popping up since New Years Day. Applebee's has a new 'Pub Menu' that I'd like to try. I also think Chili's has some new lower calorie choices.

moto450

It is tough to eat healthy when eating out a lot. The restaurants don't make it easy. I applaud you for trying. I always look up their menu before going so I can do my calorie research beforehand and already know what I will get before I go. I make better decisions that way.

seltzermint555

Cracker Barrel has a kids menu with several very good options and it says right at the top "FOR ALL AGES" so they don't side eye you about ordering from it. I usually get the kids grilled strips (they are small but delicious) and baked sweet potato. It comes w/ a biscuit and small drink. I usually eat 1/2 the biscuit & opt for diet soda or hot cocoa (which is basically Swiss Miss - but the plus side of that is lower calories than "good" hot chocolate at a coffee shop).

Really, the fast food options I like best are nuggets or chili from Wendy's, egg sub w/ all the veggies at Subway, or a naked burrito bowl (usually w/ steak) at Chipotle & similar places...I usually don't get salsa, cheese, or guac...just meat, lettuce, beans, rice & sour cream.

About once a month or so, I'll have a double hamburger from Steak N Shake, Culver's or Freddy's Custard. I don't get any desserts or sides, just the big ol' delicious burger...my husband is pescetarian & we don't cook/eat meat in our home so once in awhile I absolutely love a big meaty burger and I'd rather have those than some of the other typical chains like McDonalds or BK.

As for sit-down restaurants, I usually choose a local and/or non-chain option. Partly because I'm not that into the chains, but also because I love dining out for sushi, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Greek, etc.

Also, the Mexican restaurants in my area are plentiful & fantastic. I sometimes get a more authentic option like chile relleno or huevos con chorizo...worth every badly estimated calorie. Other times I go for something they offer at my favorite Mexican place, it's a thin layer of rice & queso covered with a huge mound of steamed cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, onion & squash, and strips of fajita beef or chicken. I usually don't eat chips at all and leave behind a bit of the rice and doing this near weekly for the past couple of years I've been on MFP, it has never caused a problem for me. Meanwhile when I go to a chain and get fajitas or an appetizer quesadilla as my meal, I see a huge jump on the scale that lasts for days...I guess they use even more salt? I dunno.

higgins8283801

I get a small chili and a jr deluxe no cheese from wendys when I have to make a run.

TheVirgoddess

I usually go for the chicken. Fajitas, quesadillas, grilled chicken sandwiches, etc. When we do fast food, I prefer places like Wendy's or Subway - they just feel fresher to me.

keziak1

seltzermint wrote: »

Other times I go for something they offer at my favorite Mexican place, it's a thin layer of rice & queso covered with a huge mound of steamed cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, onion & squash, and strips of fajita beef or chicken.

I envy you that. We have a lot of Mexican and related places here but I haven't found a dish like that.

trackercasey76

Famous Dave's has a Low Calorie menu, the Salmon w/ Grilled pineapple is amazing!

gwayby

Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill is only 370 calories, which is pretty good considering it's considered a "full size" sandwich. I had that and a bottle of water for dinner tonight, actually

Winterlove28

I'm actually in the process of checking out the chain restaurants websites where you can see all the nutritional information. Write the information down for a few items so when you go to order your prepared. Better yet add them to your foods and make logging your meal a breeze.

Although the websites are probably fairly accurate they may very depending on who's making your food. As in they may be adding more sauce or cheese than the chain intended.

sssgilber

Noodles and Co. has great nutritional info on its website. Food is cooked to order and the regular portions are big, easy to divide into 2 meals.

I also like HuHot because I can fill get lots of vegetables and go light on chicken and noodles. Be sure to check their website for calories in their sauces before you go.

47Jacqueline

I occasionally go to chain restaurants that have full menues; very infrequently to limited menu ones and never to fast food joints. So, decent chain restaurants will always prepare food to specifications because they want return diners.

keziak1

My son and I went to Ihop recently w here I was disappointed to find they had removed their grilled chicken sandwich. I had expected to get that. The menu flagged low calorie dishes - almost nothing. They did have a better salad than before, but just lettuce and a little tomato.

rcottonrph1

Chipotle: I get bowls with 1/2 normal amount of brown rice, beans, veggies (Skip cheese, sour cream) If you have room for calories, go for guac!

Panera: Lots of great options, Calorie counts are right on their menus now! Awesome.

Cheesecake Factory: Skinnylicious menu (Just stay away from Cheesecake and tell them not to bring you bread!)

Applebees: Some of their Weight Watchers Menu options are decent

Bravo: They have a lighter options menu

hgycta

I love eating out, especially since it seems like more places are striving to offer healthier options for us ^-^
McDonald's - I'm in love with their southwest salad with grilled chicken (has so many toppings for just 290 calories that it doesn't even need dressing!) and sweet chili chicken mcwrap (grilled-380 calories)
Starbucks - A caramel macchiato or cappuccino with their Spinach & Feta Breakfast wrap
Chick-fil-A - Grilled Chicken Cool Wrap & a medium or large fruit cup
Panera Bread - Just about any of their power bowls (although I'm dying to try their new broth bowls!)
P.F. Chang's - Shrimp with Lobster Sauce (ok, so this isn't healthy when you consider the sodium content, but it's only 360 calories, is VERY filling, and delicious!)

Liftng4Lis

I go for what I'm hungry for.

seltzermint555

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

I go for what I'm hungry for.

I agree. Honestly, not dissing any of the others' orders at all because they might be ordering what they like, too! But for me, getting a big plain salad or a grilled chicken breast just is not fun and never sounds good! I would rather eat a tiny burger, some ice cream in a small cup, or very plain sushi roll...or just stay at home!

jackie26us

I love Applebee's and there new cedar lemon grilled chicken. It comes with an apple relish (mostly just diced granny smiths) and quinoa. Very yummy and filling. I really didn't think I'd like it that much.

boilerqueen43

Try one of the grilled snack wraps at McDonalds. They're under 300 calories and not too bad.

katherine_startrek_fan

There's a local all natural fast food place by me that I absolutely adore. The menu features a wide range of tacos, quesadillas, and salads, as well as burgers and fries. My favorite - a veggie quesadilla and half order of fries- runs me under 500 calories. Even a big meal - two large tacos and half fry order remains under 750. Not super low cal, but very delicious and satisfying without feeling like I've given anything up.