Restaurant tips

mkdm291
mkdm291 Posts: 139 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello there! So I have been just getting started on here and I need help! I go out to lunch with co-workers every Friday and they chose a local restaurant. This makes it really hard to "log" my lunch.
I'm doing some research with their menu and the food database. It's similar to a TGI Friday's, I guess.......
What would be a healthier choice? Turkey burger? Garden burger? I know a salad with grilled chicken can be very deceitful when dressings become involved (and a dry salad is torture for me!)
Sorry if I sound unintelligent, but I really don't want to blow through all my calories at lunch!

Replies

  • Just_Ceci
    Just_Ceci Posts: 5,926 Member
    Most restaurants have "lighter" menu items available.

    Grilled chicken or even a small steak would be a better choice calorie wise than any kind of burger.

    I often ask for a to go box as soon as my meal comes and save half for later.

    Or, you could just go enjoy your meal, and don't worry about it! A high calorie day every once in a while won't sabotage your success!
  • mkdm291
    mkdm291 Posts: 139 Member
    Thanks for your response! I'm going to work off their "healthy options" menu and hope it is legit. I would LOVE to have my cheat day today, but going into Memorial Day Weekend --- may have to hold off on that.
    Thanks again!
  • bravid98
    bravid98 Posts: 80 Member
    I would order a chicken dish, but get any sauces on the side. Stick with steamed veggies and you can log the chicken and veggies by estimating their weight/volume. You can decide if you want to estimate what type of sauce it is or just don't put it on.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    My main thing is to stay away from creamy sauces and go for the meat and veggie type meal. As you said the salads can be very deceptive so I just tend to stay away from them.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    You can also get something that can be broken up and take half home in doggy bag. Burgers are bad for that, but things like pasta, sliders, flatbreads, etc can be taken home and reheated if you don't want to eat 1,000 cals for lunch. Additionally, since you know that this is a Friday thing, you can get up early on Fridays and squeeze in an extra workout, save 100-200 of calories Thursday night, or have a petite breakfast.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Ask questions of the staff. It can be very enlightening. Stay away from the turkey burger unless they say it is all white meat and no fats added...turkey burgers in restaurants are surprisingly fatty, often more than the beef. Garden burgers or salads are usually a good way to go. If you're worried about the dressing, bring your own. I keep several bottles in the fridge at work for just such an occasion. Grilled chicken and seafood are also good options as long as they're not covered in cheese and rich sauce. You also have the option of ordering pretty much anything and putting half of it in a to-go box the moment it hits the table. Get it off your plate. Fill up on salad before eating the main dish. You can also find a few choice sides like steamed veggies and just order a couple of those.
  • mkdm291
    mkdm291 Posts: 139 Member
    Thanks for the responses! I took a lot of the advice (and will continue to do so!) Really appreciate it!

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