What's your opinion on restaurant food?

cprys8942

I'm a server at Chili's Bar & Grill and although it's delicious food, I'm not unaware of how terrible it is for my body. We do have entrees on the menu that are considered "guiltless." What does everyone think about this? Should I be avoiding the menu at all costs or at least try to stick to the healthier choices?

BrianSharpe

If you've got access to the nutritional content of all the items let that guide you, stick with the items that truly are healthier (watch sodium content, it's not unusual to see calories & fat go down and sodium go up).

dad106

Personally I view restaurant food as I view all other food.. and try to eat smaller portions of it when I do have it.

Nothing says that you have to eat the whole entree in one sitting.. You can easily split it up into two or three meals, and save your self a lot of calories and sodium!

ebahde

try to stick to some of the healthier options, and you can always ask them to modify it slightly when they make it for you. My husband and I go to Chili's a lot and I typically get the grilled chicken fajitas, without the tortillas (grill veggies and chicken aren't too bad for you).

Also, like the previous poster mentioned portion control key. If I don't necessarily want to go with the healthiest option my husband and I will often split something or I will ask for a box as soon as the food comes out and put half of it in the box right away so I can eat it tomorrow because I know I will just keep eating it if its on my plate.

AdamB311

I just see any restaurant/pub food as a treat

I do love me some steak but damn why does it have to be so high in calories?

Its fine to have every now and again for me, but it is almost automatically a 'cheat day' just because I've had it

Clarecbear82

Personally I view restaurant food as I view all other food.. and try to eat smaller portions of it when I do have it.

Nothing says that you have to eat the whole entree in one sitting.. You can easily split it up into two or three meals, and save your self a lot of calories and sodium!

How can you split it up?

As for my pov I eat out a lot just make sure I log it like everything else

Kristinemomof3

The one problem that I have with restaurant food is the amount of butter/fat that it's prepared in. Even vegetables are sometimes smothered in fat. I do not use any extra butter/fat on vegetables when I cook them, we are used to eating them this way. I love how they taste in a restaurant, but I know they are high in calories. Eating that all the time is adding quite a bit of extra calories to your intake.

treetop57

[

How can you split it up?

Doggy bags! Not just for doggies any more.

toots99

I'm a server at a pizza restaurant, but I bring my own dinner to work. It makes a huge difference. It's a pain, but doable.

CMmrsfloyd

I research restaurant items and make the best choices I can from what they offer. Many chains have their info online which makes it quite easy to plan ahead. If they don't give nutritional info, I either make the best choices I can o call it a 'spike' day and not stress over it. LOL

Crystal_Pistol

The only problem I have with restaurant food is sodium content. Just like with all other foods, I'm just mindful of what/how much/how often I eat it.

I absolutely eat and enjoy it!

hiker282

Eat what you want, just don't eat all of it at once. Restaurant portions are usually at least 2-3 times what they need to be, so order something, ask or put half in a box and enjoy it as two meals instead of one.

Clarecbear82

[

How can you split it up?

Doggy bags! Not just for doggies any more.

Oh those are unheard of over here in the UK! What you don't eat just gets binned

AZKristi

That depends... I was a server in college and the restaurants I worked in typically allowed each server to eat one meal per shift for free. So, eating at work saved me a lot of money. I should have made better choices and I wouldn't be so heavy now, but alas, I did what I had to do so that I could eat AND pay rent. If the meal is free and money is an issue, take advantage of it as long as you can make healthy choices. Make it a rule that you'll only have a regular meal once a week and go guiltless for the rest of the week.

If the meal isn't free, I don't think I would actually pay to eat Chili's every day. EDon't get me wrong, I like Chili's and they have some delicious meals. But, I don't see the point in paying a company to make me less healthy on a daily basis. And even if the meal is half off, you could easily prepare yourself something healthier that is just as tasty at home.

As a rule, I pretty much avoid restaurants because they add a lot of fat, sugar and sodium to foods. The extra crap makes the supply chain function at massive levels, but it can easily be eliminated by preparing fresh foods at home.

Once a week I allow myself a meal where I don't worry about calories. I usually go out with my husband and I'll treat myself to a cocktail with dinner, or a higher calorie entree than I would normally choose. Works for me!

Kerri_is_so_very

I recently requested 2 veggies instead of potato and they were happy to make the exchange. On the flipside I had ordered broccoli and it was covered in a butter sauce of some sort. So be careful when ordering and ask questions/specify what you want. Most times places are flexible.

samhelen

[

How can you split it up?

Doggy bags! Not just for doggies any more.

Oh those are unheard of over here in the UK! What you don't eat just gets binned

That's unfortunate, its not uncommon here in the US to take your uneaten portions home, in fact when my family goes out to certain places its almost a no-brainer that there will be at least one additional meal worth of food left at the end of a meal to take home for someone to eat for lunch or a late dinner.

As for eating out -- it can be done, you just have to be mindful of what you're ordering.

iuew

I'm a server at Chili's Bar & Grill and although it's delicious food, I'm not unaware of how terrible it is for my body. We do have entrees on the menu that are considered "guiltless." What does everyone think about this? Should I be avoiding the menu at all costs or at least try to stick to the healthier choices?

i eat restaurant food almost daily; usually subway. it's not about restaurant vs non-restaurant; it's more a matter of calories and nutrition. it's possible to meet your calorie goals while still going to restaurants.

i will say that for the most part, the standard menu at most restaurants is laden with large, calorie-dense portions. but it's possible to make healthy choices.

Tara4boys

I would not eat it regularly. Even chains like chilis that publish nutritional information - the data they publish us best case scenario. I've seen reports saying counts are actually higher. An extra scoop of "grill oil" can easily add 100+ extra calories.

Guitarjon

I used to work in a number of restaurants/pubs here in the UK and as daft as it sounds were never allowed to give out doggy bags for fear of food poisoning if the customer re-heated it badly or ate it much later that they should have done. Too easy to get the blame and a law suite against you/get closed down and loss of buisness. Sucks I know but I can see why they do it.

Jesea

I love to eat out. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so any meal I don't have to shop for, prepare, or clean up after is a bonus. We eat out usually once a week, and I try to plan ahead so I know what healthy choices they offer. We do, however, also like to eat at local restaurants, and their info is not always readily available, so I try to be mindful of my portion size as well as choosing healthier options. I also eat my exercise calories back, so if I burn extra calories, I have more to use!

meshashesha2012

i now got for the healthier options or ask for substitions.

like someone else noted, sometimes the problem is in the preparation in terms of oils and butter. for instance i can fry chicken thighs using pam on my non stick skillet and there's very little additional fat added, but if i ordered fried chicken thighs from popeyes you can be sure it's been deep fried in a huge amount of fat

cprys8942

Thank you everyone for your opinions and advice! The good thing about working at Chili's is that I know what's put into the food that makes it more fattening or higher in calories. Modifying the food would probably be a good idea and I'm sure the cooks wouldn't mind(: Also, I usually eat the food during my short breaks between shifts so taking the food home isn't usually an option. However, I could order a half order of the food I want so thanks everyone those are some very good ideas. If anyone loves Chili's and wants to know what some healthier choices we have let me know(:

Shelby814

I do not eat out on a regular basis, but if I'm going to eat out, I go online before & look up the healthiest/lowest cal options on the menu so I have a plan when I get there & I stick to it. Do not be fooled my salads! The Oriental Chicken Salad at Applebee's is one of the highest cal things on their menu!

RyanPerry2012

If I go to Chili's, I usually get a small bowl of chili (no cheese, no sour cream, etc) which is still awesome. Or if I want a full meal, I'll get the grilled steak and chicken fajitas, hold the cheese, sour cream, all that fattening stuff. Just the grilled meat and one or two tortillas in moderation are great, as long as you account for everything on MFP!

cprys8942

If I go to Chili's, I usually get a small bowl of chili (no cheese, no sour cream, etc) which is still awesome. Or if I want a full meal, I'll get the grilled steak and chicken fajitas, hold the cheese, sour cream, all that fattening stuff. Just the grilled meat and one or two tortillas in moderation are great, as long as you account for everything on MFP!

Those are good ideas. They aren't the healthiest thing on the menu but those are good ways to cut down the calories and fat. And yes i couldn't agree more, SALADS DO NOT MEAN HEALTHY. Our Quesadilla Explosion Salad is one of the worst on the menu

becoming_a_new_me

If I go to Chili's, I usually get a small bowl of chili (no cheese, no sour cream, etc) which is still awesome. Or if I want a full meal, I'll get the grilled steak and chicken fajitas, hold the cheese, sour cream, all that fattening stuff. Just the grilled meat and one or two tortillas in moderation are great, as long as you account for everything on MFP!

Those are good ideas. They aren't the healthiest thing on the menu but those are good ways to cut down the calories and fat. And yes i couldn't agree more, SALADS DO NOT MEAN HEALTHY. Our Quesadilla Explosion Salad is one of the worst on the menu

I noticed about the salads when I ate there last night. I ended up getting the margarita chicken, and couldn't finish it because it is so big!

When I was a server at a different large chain, there was an option to order items "ala carte". Why not just order a chicken breast, chop it up, then get a side salad. Top with salsa and beans and you have a delish taco salad for about 300 calories

EQHanks

Google their nutrition information and see for yourself which options work for you

MB_Positif

Restaurant food is a sodium nightmare, but that is why it is so delicious. You can always ask for sauces on the side or skip the cheese or whatever you have to do to get the calories down, but the sodium is pretty much there to stay!

hesn92

ugh. I hate restaurants.

fiberartist219

When I worked at Ruby Tuesdays, they had the nutrition info readily available, so I knew what I could get. Then again, I didn't own a scale at the time, and I felt I was ok since I was on my feet carrying heavy food all day. They had an awesome salad bar, so that was always nice.

I am sure you can figure out which foods are better for you than others. You can ask the cooks to cook with less grease, and I know you probably have hungry coworkers who are in the same boat, so if you want to share your food, that's an instant way to make your portion smaller, and probably make a new friend too.

carolann_22

I love Chilis!!! I usually get grilled fajitas (steak and chicken combo) and just eat the fajitas with some guac, no cheese or tortillas or sour cream. Delicious, full of protein and fat, and while high in calories not a unhealthy choice.