What to order at local restraunts besides grilled chicken sandwiches

dasteve003

First off I'll say I'm glad I found a community of people who seem happy to help other with their weight and heath goals. I'm just looking to drop an additional 10-15 pounds more (down about 8 so far in a month) and drop overall cholesterol, LDL, and raise HDL.

I've been eating a lot of grilled chicken sandwiches instead of hamburgers when I go out to eat at local places. I figure their hamburger meat is probably 80/20 and don't want that amount of saturated fat for one burger. I've also been skipping fries and subbing for salads or soups.

My question is what else should I be looking to order that restaurants might have that is a healthy choice, feeling like I'll be getting burnt out on grilled chicken sandwiches pretty quickly if I keep this up. Also soups (and chili) the restaurant makes don't have near the sodium as canned soup right? The canned stuff has an insane amount of sodium and although I'm not as concerned with sodium I'm still keeping an eye on it.

Thanks for any thoughts!

-Steve

Quinn_Baker

I usually order soup/salad, grilled chicken salad, or salmon if they have it! Plus whatever fruits and veggies they offer.

Elanesse100

Most restaurants have "light" or healthy options available. And they're usually pretty apparent on the menus with a special logo and calorie count. Many of the items aren't just chicken, though a lot of variations of chicken are on the list.

You could always ask your server if they have a specific menu of light options you could see. I know they can provide you with nutrition facts if nothing else.

dasteve003

I'm referring to several different non chain local restaurants where lighter choices aren't really on the menus.

slw5X5

See if they have a menu online so you can find something that fits whatever is left in your macros.

fishshark

if i go out to eat i eat what i want and make it fit or eat at maintenance. If we are spending money to eat out im gonna enjoy it. I could make better tasting food at home for the "low calorie" options at most restaurants.

MinmoInk

Salad, soups, hamburgers (no cheese), Chicago or plain w mustard dog. go cubbies

jimmyhsharkey

I try to know what I'm going to get before I go out. It takes the spontaneity out of going out but it helps me stay on track.

RodaRose

Small steak with grilled veggies. Or fish.

Lounmoun

What do they have on their menus? Are these fast food type places or restaurants with a more varied menu?

I would not assume that restaurant soup has less sodium. A bean, lentil or vegetable soup is probably lower calorie unless it has added cream or cheese.
You can look up a similar item at a chain restaurant and get an idea of what the calories might be. A piece of meat, solitary vegetable or fruit is easier to guesstimate than a mixed dish.
Things that can sneak up your calorie count are overly large portion sizes, nuts, dried fruit, cheese, condiments, sauces, dips, dressings, butter, jam, bread, crackers. Breaded and fried foods have more calories but a grilled chicken sandwich or salad could be the same as a burger depending on what is added to it. It is easy to eat more rice than a portion should be.
Thin crust pizza, salad with a vinaigrette dressing, single burger, baked potato, grilled meats, vegetables, taco with salsa instead of cheese/sour cream/guacamole, eggs, yogurt, oatmeal without a lot of additions, fruit, unsweetened tea, water are probably safer choices when you don't know the calories.

Francl27

Well it really depends on your goal. I have no problem fitting a 1000 calorie meal at lunch, for example, as long as I plan for it. So it opens up a whole lot of options for me.

But yeah, it's pretty much impossible to find filling options for less than 600 calories otherwise. Even your grilled chicken burger is probably that many calories (most buns are huge and probably 250-300 calories on their own). Soups can easily be 300 calories a cup too... and not filling for me at all. So I tend to avoid local restaurants that don't have grilled meat and veggies, unless I'm really craving something specific. Or leave the bun out.

Otherwise, salad. But with dressing on the side (or just vinegar if possible) and being *very* mindful of the quantities of stuff on them... Typically I ask them to remove the nuts and croutons, it easily adds up 200 calories and I don't care for them, then I just eyeball the other stuff to get an estimate... still can easily come to 800 calories though.

RWClary

I am not eating out and ordering foods that aren't fabulous. I'd rather just pack my own healthy stuff and save the money.

coalz

Get what you want then only eat half. American portions are ridiculously large! You'll get more bang for your buck & less meal planning to worry about the next day. I just tell the server straight up - I'll take this & may I please have a to go box as well .

Francl27

coalz wrote: »

Get what you want then only eat half. American portions are ridiculously large! You'll get more bang for your buck & less meal planning to worry about the next day. I just tell the server straight up - I'll take this & may I please have a to go box as well .

That never works for me. Half a sandwich will keep me full maybe 2 hours... I don't find most portions that huge (except the fries that come with everything, there's always probably 400-500 calories worth)... In chains, yeah, but this isn't about chains.

JeepHair77

I'm all about the seafood, if that's an option. Grilled shrimp, blackened fish. We're going out for seafood for lunch today, actually.

Lizzy622

The main place we go is a Greek place. They have turkey burgers and various vegetarian options using mushrooms instead of meat. Another lunch place has grilled shrimp or salmon but it is a bit more expensive. I like going to the local places rather than the chains because they are usually more flexible.

Noreenmarie1234

Grilled chicken baked potato and steamed veg no butter is always my go to for restaurants. Or salads with dressing on the side and no cheese.

DanSTL82

You're not going to get much variety for healthy options at most restaurants. You're pretty much stuck with grilled chicken or fish, and salads. Anything else is fatty meat, cheese, and bread.

LazSommer

Grilled turkey sandwich.

CrabNebula

RWClary wrote: »

I am not eating out and ordering foods that aren't fabulous. I'd rather just pack my own healthy stuff and save the money.

Pretty much. I can grill a chicken breast myself. Why would I pay someone else to do that at some obscene cost? If I am eating out it is probably a special occasion or I am on vacation. In neither of those cases, am I cheaping out in terms of calories or cost if I'm eating out.

lemurcat12

I'd avoid sandwiches, personally, since I don't find bread particularly filling. Fish and veg are good. With salads, be careful as to what's on it.

I'm going out tonight and depending on the specials and the soup am planning to have either salmon with spring veg, Israeli cous cous, and potato-leek puree or striped bass with bok choy, kohlrabi, and apple miso. Will eat as much of the various components as seems reasonable given serving sizes. (I tend to go out a lot on Friday night and just assume it will be lots of calories and fit it into the week.)

perkymommy

Don't eat out maybe. Seriously, is there a reason you have to eat out? I rarely, if ever eat out and can go a whole month or more without eating out anywhere. If I were to eat out then I have to stick with the grilled chicken or side salads or a very plain baked potato - and even with those there is so much sodium I can't eat out for that reason. They totally throw me off. Too many hidden calories in food that I didn't prepare from raw.

perkymommy

RWClary wrote: »

I am not eating out and ordering foods that aren't fabulous. I'd rather just pack my own healthy stuff and save the money.

I agree. Too many hidden ingredients in food you don't prepare yourself.

lemurcat12

I love eating out and trying local restaurants and it's part of my social life. I ate out at least once a week, often 2x, while losing, and simply fit it into my calories (I had to estimate calories and estimated high, since nowhere I go is a chain with calorie counts). My only rule is that the food has to be worth it, and not simply a higher calorie version of something I could make at home.

Rage_Phish

grilled protein
veggies side
maybe starch side, or just more veggies

Francl27

RWClary wrote: »

I am not eating out and ordering foods that aren't fabulous. I'd rather just pack my own healthy stuff and save the money.

Pretty much why I rarely eat out now. It got to be something I'm really craving for it to be even worth it (or I just REALLY don't feel like cooking).

And yeah, if it's something I can make at home easily for less calories, I'm not even considering it... I'd rather have grilled steak and veggies, frankly.

So I go out for sushi, pizza (I can make it at home but it's just not quite the same), lasagna/gnocchi when I feel like it (I guess I could save some calories on that but it's a PITA to make), gyros... yeah that's pretty much it (but I'll gladly have steak and veggies at some place that has fantastic desserts).

Oh and buffets... once in a blue moon (like my birthday).

dasteve003

Thanks for all the input, I don't go out all the time but we do go out for lunch at work sometimes and I'm not wanting to count an average tasting burger and less than average fries as a cheat meal for the week when the taste isn't there so just looking for some other options.

WinoGelato

lemurcat12 wrote: »

I love eating out and trying local restaurants and it's part of my social life. I ate out at least once a week, often 2x, while losing, and simply fit it into my calories (I had to estimate calories and estimated high, since nowhere I go is a chain with calorie counts). My only rule is that the food has to be worth it, and not simply a higher calorie version of something I could make at home.

This. I have always enjoyed eating in restaurants and had no issues with managing it while losing, or now that I'm maintaining. Planning ahead, banking some calories, making smart choices, are all tactics that I use. I eat at a fast casual place probably once a week for work, pizza or mexican maybe once a week with my family, and a nice meal out with my husband or friends about once a month.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Shrimp or grilled fish tacos, black beans for a side.