Restaurant's Weight Loss Mission?

Options
Jess814
Jess814 Posts: 18
in Food and Nutrition
So, I've been moderatley healthy. Working out, eating right, & such. I posted this on my blog & was just so excited about this! In case no one knew, Applebee's really kicks butt at their whole Eating-Right thing. They actually have a under 550 Calorie Menu & they also have a Weight-Watchers menu. Noodles & Co. also has a little tab thing on their website for people watching calories, fat, sodium, etc. This is also with Wendy's. Just thought I'd let you know 'cause I don't know about you guys; but, I'm almost never home & live in my car, practically, so I always just have to run to go get something somewhere.

Wendy's:

http://www.wendys.com/food/NutritionLanding.jsp#

Noodle's:

http://www.noodles.com/home/food/foryourhealth.aspx

Applebee's :

http://www.applebees.com/Menu_Under550.aspx

Is Applebee's only in Ohio? I also just found out about Subway's whole Fresh Fit menu, I know a whole lot of you probably either don't care or already know about this; but, I found it preeeetty exciting! http://www.subwayfreshbuzz.com/menu/freshfit_choices/turkey_melt/

McDonald's may not be the healthiest thing; but, the way their Nutrition Menu is set up, is really cool. Nothing to post the link about, though & Jimmy John's is also pretty cool also.

Just thought I'd share this because I think I got WAAAAY too excited over this. :)

Replies

  • orange_avocado
    orange_avocado Posts: 232
    Options
    Applebee's is all over, not just Ohio. I actually tend to go to a restaurant's website and look for nutrition information before I go eat there. They get bonus points if they have a special low-cal section or something like it. Even *more* props is they post the calories right on their menu! (Panera does this!)

    In the DC area, I noticed that Chicken Out and Baja Fresh have a low-cal menu on their site.
  • Jess814
    Jess814 Posts: 18
    Options
    Applebee's is all over, not just Ohio. I actually tend to go to a restaurant's website and look for nutrition information before I go eat there. They get bonus points if they have a special low-cal section or something like it. Even *more* props is they post the calories right on their menu! (Panera does this!)

    In the DC area, I noticed that Chicken Out and Baja Fresh have a low-cal menu on their site.

    I didn't know since when I went on Applebee's website, it only showed my area. I didn't stop to think that it was just because it knew my zipcode. Silly me!

    Panera does that?! Well, that just has FABULOUS written all over it!
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Options
    Panera is as fast food as I get. But I love that you can build your meal on their website and take away dressings, add a side, etc... I don't eat out a lot, but I choose Panera when I do. Plus it's delicious and affordable!
  • havfaith
    havfaith Posts: 61
    Options
    Thanks for the info
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Options
    I have noticed the Applebees is trying to include lower calorie choices, but what I am still unable to do is the amount of sodium they have in nearly everything! Often low fat=high sugar, and low cal=high sodium. Be careful out there!
  • ganesha303
    ganesha303 Posts: 257 Member
    Options
    Yep, Panera totally rocks!
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
    Options
    WHat are you guys ordering that has you loving Panera? I have heard so much about it, and when I went there, the food was...ok. Not bad. Not great. Just....eh. Nothing to crow about. Am I missing out on something divine? Did I just order the wrong thing? All that BREAD :noway: !

    Thoughts?
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
    Options
    I personally don't like the less than 500 cal meals at Applebees.

    Red Robin also has low calorie meals. Their grilled chicken sandwich and melon wedges are around 400 cals.
  • fitnesspirateninja
    fitnesspirateninja Posts: 667 Member
    Options
    I like the Wendy's apple pecan chicken salad (without cheese). It's pretty good for a fast food salad.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
    Options
    WHat are you guys ordering that has you loving Panera? I have heard so much about it, and when I went there, the food was...ok. Not bad. Not great. Just....eh. Nothing to crow about. Am I missing out on something divine? Did I just order the wrong thing? All that BREAD :noway: !

    Thoughts?

    Well I used to get the Bacon Turkey Bravo...but it's a bit off the charts for me now. I ABSOLUTELY love the Chopped Chicken Cobb Salad. I get it with a 1/2 portion of balsamic instead of the Greek (gets rid of 160 calories!) and with no bacon. 290 cals/13g fat/670mg sodium/34g protein. The sodium and fat are a bit on the high end - but with the protein being so high, I think it's a reasonable trade! I don't always get the baguette side, but it's delicious as well!
  • Yarnpiggie
    Yarnpiggie Posts: 181
    Options
    Red Robin's website is also one that has a cool meal genrator thing. You can add and subtract things to get to a calorie level you want. Awesome.

    One time when I first started losing weight, i had enough calories left in my day that i could order a turkey burger and such from them... AND there was room for french fries. I don't crave french fries at all, but let me tell you... when i opened the to go box and got a whiff of those fries..... awesome. :-)
  • ErinMarie25
    ErinMarie25 Posts: 733 Member
    Options
    Red Robin's meal builder is quite awesome!
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    Options
    I can't eat at Panera and have it lowcal, seems like a waste of money when I can't eat what I really want;)
    This site has some healthy choices for chains (applebee's, chili's, PF Chang's, Red Lobster and Ruby Tuesday)
    http://www.drgourmet.com/health/restaurants/index.shtml
    and lots of fast food:
    http://www.drgourmet.com/health/fastfood/index.shtml

    Love the Noodles trio with Japanes Pan noodles, shrimp and salad-yummy.
    I also like Chik-fil-A and Baja Fresh.
  • orange_avocado
    orange_avocado Posts: 232
    Options
    I can't eat at Panera and have it lowcal, seems like a waste of money when I can't eat what I really want;)
    This site has some healthy choices for chains (applebee's, chili's, PF Chang's, Red Lobster and Ruby Tuesday)
    http://www.drgourmet.com/health/restaurants/index.shtml
    and lots of fast food:
    http://www.drgourmet.com/health/fastfood/index.shtml

    Love the Noodles trio with Japanes Pan noodles, shrimp and salad-yummy.
    I also like Chik-fil-A and Baja Fresh.

    I usually get the You Pick 2 at Panera, with the turkey or ham half sandwich and a small bowl of soup. Not sure what the calories are, but I'm always able to fit it in okay when I do go there (uh, not that often actually).

    asjerven, what do you get at BajaFresh? There's one right near my work so I tried the shrimp salad with verde sauce and a small tortilla soup w/o chicken. It met my calories goal, yeah... but it was so expensive and I didn't feel filled up at all. Plus it didn't really taste good. I ended up being really disappointed and haven't gone back.

    Also, thanks for the links!
  • Yarnpiggie
    Yarnpiggie Posts: 181
    Options

    I usually get the You Pick 2 at Panera, with the turkey or ham half sandwich and a small bowl of soup. Not sure what the calories are, but I'm always able to fit it in okay when I do go there (uh, not that often actually).

    Also, thanks for the links!
    [/quote

    Panera has a meal creator on their website. You can add and subract items from your sandwiches and salads and have it tell you what the nutrition info is.
  • Yarnpiggie
    Yarnpiggie Posts: 181
    Options

    I usually get the You Pick 2 at Panera, with the turkey or ham half sandwich and a small bowl of soup. Not sure what the calories are, but I'm always able to fit it in okay when I do go there (uh, not that often actually).

    Also, thanks for the links!
    [/quote

    Panera has a meal creator on their website. You can add and subract items from your sandwiches and salads and have it tell you what the nutrition info is.

    Well I didnt quote that quite right did I? lol

Categories