Why do salads from chains ruin my diet?

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Replies

  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    I fail to see how an entree sized salad being 600 calories is an issue.

    600 isn't so bad. Especially if it has fruits, nuts, cheese which are calorie heavy.

    There are some salads that are like 800/900 calories. And 500 of those calories are from dressings .... That is what is ridiculous.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I fail to see how an entree sized salad being 600 calories is an issue.

    Yeah, no kidding.

    Also, not everyone who eats salads is on a diet.

    Also, how does 200 calories ruin one's day?

    Beats me. I am also curious as to why everyone seems dietary fat-phobic.
  • Cliffslosinit
    Cliffslosinit Posts: 5,044 Member
    My problem is the double meat and cheese that sits on the salad between the buns.
    Kidding.... Yummy!
  • randrews0407
    randrews0407 Posts: 216 Member
    It depends on what you select ... I'm eating a salad right now from Just Salad, roasted turkey health cobb - its only 250 calories (even though it has swiss and avocado). I enjoy the taste of the veggies so I don't use dressing, I have them put it on the side. Salads from restaurants are a joke ... it's less calories to get steak and potatoes. If you look at the low cal options at TGI Fridays, Cheesecake Factory, Applebees etc - notice how salads never make the cut.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    A 600 calorie entree salad isn't a big deal at all, and you're getting a lot of nutrition in there. If you wanted less calories, get the dressing on the side and put it on yourself...most restaurants are going to use full fat (nothing wrong with that, dietary fat is essential), but they also put on about a gallon of it on the salad.

    calories have nothing to do with nutritional value...don't confuse the two.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
    Restaurnts know that fat, sugar and salt make food taste good so they load everything down with those items so you will buy it. You and I wouldn't put 1/3 of a cup of sugar in our tomato sauce!, but "Hunts" type manufacturers do because they want our money. Typically when we eat at home, it tastes better, costs 1/2 as much, has 1/2 the calories, and we don't put xldiaoygapyroids and red dye number p3817 in our meatloaf, according to the eat this not that books.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
    I can calorie slash ANY salad at a restaurant. LOL. It's a hobby. I will ask for no cheese or nuts and then I bring my own red wine vinegar to the restaurant OR ask for oil/vinegar on the side. That way I end up with the protein and veggies...hopefully some egg or avocado for fats...and sometimes I'll ask for the cheese but on the side so I can add a small amount. Don't be afraid to customize. :-) Oh...and no croutons!
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    I get annoyed, too. No, I obviously don't expect every single chain to cater every (or any) menu item to my tastes and preferences. And I know I can customize stuff. But, sometimes, I just don't have time to make myself lunch or we've run out of lettuce or whatever the problem is (I bring a salad from home nearly every day), and I need to pick up lunch at work, and I can't find ANYWHERE near my office that sells a meal/salad with macros/nutrition that come even close to what I want (I strive to get my lunches to be about 350-450 calories and ~30g or more of protein, has at least a serving of veggies (preferably besides lettuce), and keeping the carbs low-ish because I like to spend my carbs on snacks), especially without paying an arm and a leg for "double meat" or whatever the case may be. That doesn't seem wholly unreasonable to me, but apparently, it is. Honestly, the best option tends to be Chipotle, believe it or not. Yes, I *can* work nearly anything into my day if need be, but there's not a single restaurant option near me I can rely on to be something that I don't need to WORK into my day, it just fits the way I want it to, and that's annoying.
  • KHalseth
    KHalseth Posts: 104 Member
    They factor in an entire package of dressing. Since I only use 1/4 of a package, I figure out the salad ingredients individually and then use the info on the dressing packet and divide it by 4. I like a taste of dressing, not drowing in dressing.
  • KellySue67
    KellySue67 Posts: 1,006 Member
    Perhaps choose a different salad. Panera has several that are 400 and under. And they are good.

    This! Their new power salads in their hidden menu are all under 400 calories. They use fresh lemon that you squeeze on yourself and olive oil, hummus or something along that line instead of dressing. They are yummy!
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    Perhaps choose a different salad. Panera has several that are 400 and under. And they are good.

    This! Their new power salads in their hidden menu are all under 400 calories. They use fresh lemon that you squeeze on yourself and olive oil, hummus or something along that line instead of dressing. They are yummy!

    What's this? I didn't even know this existed. I used to go to Panera all the time but haven't been since my office moved and I now have to drive a ways to get to one. Power Mediterranean Chicken? 360 calories, 35g protein, 8g carbs? Actual olive oil dressing instead of canola or soybean? And BACON? You, little miss, are my new hero. I think I might treat myself to lunch tomorrow...
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
    Perhaps choose a different salad. Panera has several that are 400 and under. And they are good.

    This! Their new power salads in their hidden menu are all under 400 calories. They use fresh lemon that you squeeze on yourself and olive oil, hummus or something along that line instead of dressing. They are yummy!

    What's this? I didn't even know this existed. I used to go to Panera all the time but haven't been since my office moved and I now have to drive a ways to get to one. Power Mediterranean Chicken? 360 calories, 35g protein, 8g carbs? Actual olive oil dressing instead of canola or soybean? And BACON? You, little miss, are my new hero. I think I might treat myself to lunch tomorrow...

    OMG ME TOO! One literally just opened up last month a football field away from my office building. When I used to go to Panera, I got so mad that their "healthy" choices were not that low cal. This is great news. As long as I avoid a baguette ;)

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