HOW TO EAT HEALTHY AT A MEXICAN RESTAURANT!!!

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  • ASH2038602
    ASH2038602 Posts: 215 Member
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    Order water? Lol. I would likely get fajitas.
  • livelaughrunn
    livelaughrunn Posts: 4
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    I'm mexican, I live in Mexico and I deal with this every day woohooo I can help! :)

    I only know about "real" mexican food, which does not include Tex-mex (fajitas, flour tortillas, giant burritos, most people's concept of quesadillas.. ew gross omg) Anyways, if you are going to a traditional restaurant, here are my 2cents:

    SKIP THE TORTILLLASSS!! (80-100 cal, not worth it when you have the following dishes!)

    - Ceviche ( fish cured in citrus juice)
    - Chiles Rellenos (Stuffed poblano pepper - just make sure that they're not fried)
    ->**Ensalada de Nopal - Cactus salad (yep you read correct, usually with tomato and white cheese - low in calories and delicious)
    - Sopa Tlapeno - Our version of "chicken soup" but with tons of other stuff (avocado, chickpeas, onions etc)
    - Any meat "a la plancha" meaning "grilled" and usually comes with a side of Frijoles and guacamole.
    - Arrachera - Skirt Stake
    - Mole - Chicken with chile and chocolate sauce (hell yeah)

    hope this helps and have fun!! provecho.
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
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    Overkill.jpg

    avoid this mound of heaven

    SHARE THIS MOUND OF HEAVEN!!!
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    You can't eat healthy!! One night isn't gonna kill you! Have a good time!!!
  • claram5415
    claram5415 Posts: 512 Member
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    You can actually tell them not to bring the chips to you. You'll want the salsa for your food so get that. Or if the other folks at the table want the chips, push them away from you towards your least favorite relative so they can gain the weight! That way you have room for the red chili and other good suggestions everyone's made. A lot of times it's not that the Mexican food is too fattening, it's that you fill up on the chips. Oh, and take 1/2 home with you. I do that for every restaurant meal.
  • katrinadulce
    katrinadulce Posts: 61 Member
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    If the place has a bar or serves booze, you can ask for a small bowl of celery sticks. Salt them and use them to scoop the salsa while you wait for your meal. While there is no substitute for chips, it does give you the salt and the crunch and it will keep you busy till the food comes. You won't feel so left out if you are sharing the salsa and conversation as you munch away.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    Why the H-E-double hockey sticks is everyone so worked up about going over on calories on one silly meal? Celebrate mom's bday in style! you won't gain weight with ONE meal, I promise. The sodium might make you retain a little water for a day, but that's about it. It's not like you're going to eat 3,500 calories in that one meal (that's what you'd have to eat to gain one measly pound).
  • AlliSteff
    AlliSteff Posts: 211 Member
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    I often order chicken fajitas, don't eat them in the tortillas, and take the rest home. I suualyl get 3 meals out of that filling!
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
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    I guess the question is, are you going to a real mexican restaurant, or like... on the border?

    At a traditional (mom and pop) mexican restaurant I get 2-3 tacos with carne asada or lengue - traditional mexican tacos aren't loaded with cheese and lettuce/tomato - just radish, chopped onion and a lime to squeeze, though they are usually wrapped by 2 corn tortillas, so I drop the outside and only eat one. I eyeball 1-2 portions of chips and salsa, and share a side of rice and beans with someone. Is it "healthy?" - that's arbitrary. Does it fit your calories? Maybe, maybe not, but one meal isn't going to ruin everything.

    If you are going to a chain place, obviously look online before you go for calorie values.
  • katrinadulce
    katrinadulce Posts: 61 Member
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    Why the H-E-double hockey sticks is everyone so worked up about going over on calories on one silly meal? Celebrate mom's bday in style! you won't gain weight with ONE meal, I promise. The sodium might make you retain a little water for a day, but that's about it. It's not like you're going to eat 3,500 calories in that one meal (that's what you'd have to eat to gain one measly pound).
    This is why, hon:

    The California burrito at Santana's (which you would expect to be high, and is) comes in at 900 cal.
    But, the grilled fish tacos at On The Border (which you would expect to be low, but isn't) comes in at over 1,100 cal. and makes the french fry stuffed burrito a relative caloric bargain.

    The crab and shrimp Quesadilla at Chevy's is over 1,700 calories
    But seriously, cheese, fried between two disks of carbs and lard... you can't expect it to be healthy.

    So how about a salad?
    The chicken fajita salad at El Torito is over 1,200 calories (the steak has only 1,100)
    And the taco salad at On The Boarder without dressing is over 1,200 calories

    You can find healthier options
    The chicken fajitas at Hacienda's come in at only 240 calories
    But the serving size is 1/4 of the skillet! Normal people usually eat the whole thing, and take in 960 calories.

    Add chips at roughly 150 calories per ounce and salsa for roughly 30 calories for a 1/4 cup,
    and as long as you're going for it, one 12oz frozen margarita which can range anywhere from 300-500 calories,
    and you MORE than blow your entire day's calories (not to mention a weeks worth of sodium) on one meal. Add a dessert (it is a birthday after all), and you can easily, if you're not careful, reach that 3,500 calories you think is unthinkable.

    And, while it's true that a single meal will not reverse your entire progress, this is not the only birthday celebration of the year - not the only holiday - not the only trip to a restaurant - not the only place or time or meal where there won't be a whole lot of control over food selection. She is not threatening not to go, she's going in with a plan.
    That's a pretty great idea.

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