Your Favorite Healthy Eating Out Choices in the USA

Happymelz

Cracker Barrel is actually quite EASY for eating out.
They've added a few new lighter options and they have more veggie choices than most places.
Yes, a lot of their veggies have added sugar/butter/fat BUT still less calories than most side dish options anywhere else.

The oven baked chicken breast is coated in cornflake crumbs and is SOOOO yummy for 290 calories per portion.

Their grilled catfish is 120 calories per piece.

askcupid117

Wawa is ALL over Florida as well!!

RodaRose

Consider breakfast food.You can get eggs, bacon, grits (skip the bread) at Denny's for 540 calories.
Or go to a place that has grilled chicken/fish/steak with veggies: Chili's has a 6 oz Sirloin for 250 calories.
I also like the Australian Outback for small steak and veggies.
Good luck on your trip.

enterdanger

Wawa is only in the NJ, PA maybe DE area though.

Actually, they are also in MD, southern NY, VA, and Tampa and Orlando FL. Hubby works there, so I know my WAWA

enterdanger

If I'm eating fast food I love the Southwest Salad from McDonalds. It doesn't even need dressing and is like 290 calories. The chicken flatbreads from Wendy's are ok too.

emmooney235

Applebee's had an Under 550/Weigh Watchers menu that is good.

IHOP also has a Light/Weight Watchers selection as well.

Love Panera Bread, and depending on the area of the country it's St. Louis Bread Co.

Noodles can be ok as long as you order the small serving.

tsetterholm

WaWA is also in VA

PRMinx

Loving the Wawa love here! They just opened a new one about 50 feet from my office door. I'm so happy.

rjmudlax13

Shake Shack in NYC!

askeates

Panera is definitely my favorite choice for if I need to be quick. The fact that they have the calories on the menu is an added bonus and helps me change my mind

I have also found that most of the chain restaraunts have a "lighter side" portion to their menu. I will often times choose a steakhouse, like Longhorn, Outback or Texas Roadhouse. Even if you don't take the time before going to lookup their nutrients online, the food is pretty straight forward.

Oh, and we have WaWa's in MD, along with Sheetz.... they both have great MTO's!

Francl27

Most chain restaurants have their menus with caloric information available online. You can eat responsibly at almost any restaurant if you're careful. The problem is resisting the high calorie food once you look at the menu.

This. Especially desserts :sad:

But a lot of local restaurants here don't have much of a choice if you want to avoid sauces and high calorie foods, so I'd stick to chains that have calories on their websites unless you don't mind ordering something with sauces and condiments on the side, and not cooked in butter/oil. Plus most places don't give calories inside the restaurant, even if it's on their website, and the only restaurants I know that have a 'light menu' are Applebee's, Cheesecake Factory, On the Border, Chili's, Olive Garden,
Ruby Tuesday, and obviously any steakhouse as you can just order steak and veggies. I'm sure there are others though.

Panera here does not have calories on the menu, at least they didn't last time I checked

justcat206

I'm in Kansas and I love Jimmy John's for their "unwiches" (lettuce instead of bread), Red Robin's lettuce wrap burgers (without cheese) aren't super calorie crazy as far as burgers go (and they're huge) - they also have some awesome salads. I do a lot of Wendy's salads or salads from Subway. And honestly it's a little spendy but I'm a big fan of picking up yogurt or fruit or cobb salad kits at the gas station or a grocery store and eating it in the car.

amberj32

Panera Bread is a good choice like many mentioned. Firehouse Subs has some good subs. They aren't in CA where I am but I get them every time I go to Tucson, AZ. The chain restaurants are all starting to offer some lower calorie items. Never heard of this Wawa everyone on here is talking about. Since I'm from CA I personally love In-N-Out! Double double, grilled onions protein style(or not). I'm diabetic so I have to decide between the bun or fries, not both.

hallo_spacedog

Dang, well Wawa USED to be pretty limited in scope to my native NJ, however I am glad to hear that this is not the case any more!

EDIT: More on topic, um... if you can't find a Wawa... I don't know. I guess accept the fact you're gonna gain a little weight on Vacation, enjoy yourself. I would say don't eat at chain places if you can avoid it, because the food at other places is way better but if you're on the road that's not always a choice. Easier now with Yelp though, these days.
If you've been out of the country for a while though, Five Guys is pretty good! In the middle of the country I LOVE steak n shake. And if you're out west, then it's In N Out burger all the way. Other than that I don't really like fast food.

Jenninscotland

Which states are you traveling through? Are you going on the 95 corridor? Subway is freaking everywhere along the highways. Chipotle.. not so much. I have held my hunger multiple hours to get to the next Chipotle.

Panera has recently made their calorie information even more transparent. Their salads are awesome: https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/menu-categories/salads.html I usually get the paninis, but that's much more "make it fit the calories" vs "eating low cal."

If you tell us the general area you're going we can be of better assistance. There are a lot of chains that don't repeat as much as you'd think, especially regionally (like Wawa, Blimpie, etc).

ETA: Wawa has some great pre-packaged cheese and grapes-type packs. Hummus and carrots. Veggie + spread. You get the idea. They also have hard boiled eggs, yoghurts, hot oatmeal, and smoothies.

Hi there, we will be traveling through the south - Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and the panhandle of Florida

Thanks so much for sharing - Wawa sounds great although not on our journey.

Jenninscotland

Applebee's and Olive Garden both have a "lighter " section where the entire meal us under 500 calories and they are clearly marked on the menu. I dont eat in very often but they have car side to go which i do every so many months for a treat ( hate eating out with crowds)

The grilled chicken lasagna at Olive Garden is one of my favorites! ugh its a light ricotta and summer veg lasagna, very light n fluffy topped with grilled chicken and the BIGGEST salad you ever seen hehe

Also for a quick bite through the drive through. A small chili and baked potato at Wendy's is under 500

Low calorie is becoming quite popular and a majority of places now have a few selections on the diet friendly list. I suggest checking for eating establishments in the area you are visiting and looking at the online menu's ( and try not to drool too badly lol)

Super tips - thank you. Good to know that lighter menus are becoming more popular

Jenninscotland

I've had the Napa Chicken & Portobello's at Applebee's and liked it.

480 calories
14g fat
Sat. fat 3.5g
Sodium 1450
Carbs 35g
Fiber 5
Protein 54
They have other 'light' menu items.
Their nutrition guide: http://www.applebees.com/~/media/docs/Applebees_Nutritional_Info.pdf

I recently had the 'Lasagna Primavera with Grilled Chicken' at Olive Garden and while it was tasty the portion was reallllly small. Like child's size, maybe smaller. Which I guess is why it's on the 'lighter side' menu choices. :laugh:


Calories 560
Fat 29g
Sat fat 10g
Sodium 1700
Carbs 41g
Protein 38g
Their nutrition guide:
http://media.olivegarden.com/en_us/pdf/olive_garden_nutrition.pdf

Both sound yummy thanks for sharing

Jenninscotland

I usually eat at Subway or Chipotle. My rationale is that I "control" what goes into my meal to some extent. Of course, you can get less healthy options at both...and load both up with less than stellar options.

My default at Subway is a 6 in. Turkey & Cheese (no mayo); it's just over 300cals. My default at Chipotle is the chicken tacos with veggies and salsa...and yes, sour cream. That's closer to 600 cals, but 42 grams of protein.

Looks like one of the first stops will be Chipotle - I am drooling already

Jenninscotland

I should add...we went to England/Scotland in 2007. We ate at groceries stores for the majority of our meals (I can't remember the big chain there). We bought sandwiches from the deli and supplement with yogurt cups/fruit/etc. That worked very well for us. You could do the same here. Depends on where you are going, but stores like Giant should have a premade sandwich section.

Great idea! I love Publix for the same thing when I come to the USA. We will however be visiting family members who are spread out and they will want to eat out...so good to have some options to suggest for venues

Hope you enjoyed Scotland - very unique and beautiful country.

Jenninscotland

The problem is resisting the high calorie food once you look at the menu.

Indeed! If I can plan ahead of time, that will help tremendously. Also difficult to stay away from the free bread/tortilla chips/bread sticks that they just give away there - they don't do that here so never a temptation.