Eating Out: Best Choice Awards

buzzbug

What are the best choices while eating out? What are your standbys? How do you ask restaurants to accommodate your eating needs? Please be as specific as possible: you are all MFP geniuses and know all the good tricks! :happy:

skinnylion

Even though Applebees advertises a lot of "healthy" dishes, I don't think they're very great for you. Which is disappointing because I used to love that place. Plus they only have one entree in a healthy category without mushrooms or seafood, both of which I hate.

Outback is fun, since you can get a lean cut of meat with a side of veggies. Ruby Tuesday is "okay" and Olive Garden is a nice lunch spot if you go for soup/salad/breadsticks. Their pasta loaded with cheese? Not so much!

Oh, and in terms of asking a restaurant to accommodate you - as an example, sometimes I go with friends to Red Robin but pretty much all of their sandwiches are served with fries, which I do not appreciate. So I always ask them to substitute a side of broccoli instead. If you don't see anything you want on a menu, just ask them to make something special for you and they usually will. (Like leaving off sauces, toppings, or swapping a bun out for something different.)

I always browse the online nutrition facts for restaurants before I go. If they aren't offered, I usually will pick a different place. Some of my favorite dishes feature salad, grilled chicken, steak, etc. I rarely eat anything fried or doused in sauce.

mgnmsn

great post! i usually just order what i want and cut the portion in half and save the rest for later!

sc1572

If it's a place that has nutrition info available online, I plan ahead! Examples...Which Wich, BJ's, Chick Fil A, Subway, Applebee's, Carino's, Chili's, etc. If they don't, I try to use my best estimate, or get the healthiest thing possible, and modify. I used to think a salad was always a safe bet...definitely NOT! I try to ask for as little as the unhealthy stuff as possible, no dressing or the healthiest available, etc. I also go for grilled over fried, baked over fried, etc. Sometimes, I'll split a meal, or take half home. One downside to eating out is SODIUM!

ninerbuff

Never can go wrong with sushi or Vietnamese food.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

TrailRunner61

I like Applebees under 550 cal meals but.. they have TONS of sodium so I ask for the sauce on the side and I use a lot less of it.

Subway is always good.

Taco bell has fresco crunchy tacos that I love. They are made with chicken or beef. Again, a little too much salt but only 150cals per taco!

Chilis has an awesome grilled salmon with broccoli meal.

I haven't done it yet but if I ever go to KFC I'll get a chicken breast, strip the skin off and eat it. They also have green beans and a few other 'healthier' options. Not many though!

If I wanted a burger, I'd probably go to Burger King and get a Whopper JR without the mayo. and a side of apples.

McDonalds.. I've only been there once since joining MFP but the grilled chicken is so so without mayo and they also sell small side salads and apples. I skip the caramel sauce though.

Also, If I know I'm going out, I will search the menu online and pick something out BEFORE I get there! Planning ahead makes a BIG difference!

Spanaval

Never can go wrong with sushi or Vietnamese food.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

This! I indulge in both with nary a second thought.

foxbat2828

Fast Food Mexican like Moe's, Qdoba, Chipolte's ... beware of the tortillas. Get their burritos in a bowl instead and you can cut out up to 300 calories by just that one move. One word of caution ... check the rice. At most places, the rice is fairly innocuous and will only cost you around 130-160 calories, but at Qdoba, for example, that serving of rice can be around 230 calories ... almost the same as a tortilla. Taco Bell's fresco items aren't too bad either. If you really need a tortilla, try to find something with corn as opposed to flour. Corn tortillas tend to be much lower in calories than flour in most cases.

Chili's is really tough. About the best you can do is to get the steaks and add green veggies for the side ... or as others have said, eat half and take the other half home. The danger in places like Applebee's is that some stuff on the menu is pretty good for calories while other things that seem or sound healthier really aren't. You almost have to go into a place like Applebee's already armed because it's hard to figure out just from the names of the dishes sometimes. A good example of this can be found in the Eat This, Not That books where they'll have an eat this at Applebee's and then a couple of pages later there will be something about Applebee's on the Not That part of the page.

Chick-fil-a ... go for the chargrilled chicken sandwiches and the soup as opposed to the regular sandwich and fries. The IceDream in a cup is a great way to reward yourself for eating healthier there as it doesn't have nearly the calorie count that you think it would. Kind of like cheating without wrecking you calorie count.

Wendy's ... chili and baked potatoes aren't bad at all. Danger in most things on Wendy's menu is the mayo, but that's also what makes the sandwiches so good. :-)

Firehouse Subs ... chicken and turkey are pretty good. Get the medium, fully-involved, but then tell them no mayo and no cheese. That'll give you the lettuce, tomato, onion, and spicy mustard and a sandwich that's under 400 calories, but pretty tasty.

McAlister's Deli ... Get the veggie chili ... just 180 calories. A lot of times, the veggie chili at most places tastes more like thick vegetable soup with lots of chunks of celery and tomato. At McAlister's, the chili reminds me more of the filling that you'll find in a bean/cheese burrito. Lots of flavor, thicker, and filling. Get the whole French Dip, without the cheese, and you are in for just 430 calories total for the sandwich.

Brittonloves

I'm a bit biased because I've worked for Outback Steakhouse since the day I turned 16. That being said, in seven years I have learned VERY well how to eat the most unhealthy food combos you could come up with in my restaurant (Alice Springs Chicken with Cheese Fries, anyone?). In one year of eating better and exercising, I've also learned how to eat AWESOME healthy food at my job-- and you can too! Outback offers nutritional information online, and if you have a droid it's very easy to access via their online mobile app.

On Outback's Under 500 calorie Menu there are 8 meals listed, but in reality you can come up with so many different combinations that are just as great but fit into whatever you're "in the mood for". There's seafood, chicken, steak, and even a sandwich on the menu already though, so you can always just leave that up to us! When eating work food at work, I usually rotate between my two favorites:

#1. Grilled Chicken on the Barbie with Fresh Seasonal Veggies
*Since the chicken is now automatically cooked with fewer seasonings and NO butter over an open flame with oak wood, it has great flavor without a bunch of what I call "sneaky cooking calories." The veggies do have butter (although you can ALWAYS ask to have them without) and of course, I don't use any BBQ sauce. Total meal comes in at 401 calories.
#2. Simply Grilled Mahi with Rice (don't worry, it's a garnish not a full side!) and Veggies
*Without the "Hearts of Gold" topping that usually comes on our 8 oz Mahi, you save a ton of calories but still get a GREAT meal. I've had customers say that it's "too salty" but I really love the flavor of it. If you're a light seasoning kind of person, it couldn't hurt to ask for it that way! The rice garnish is almost 2 oz of our lightly seasoned rice, and the vegetables do come with butter. This meals clocks in at 472 calories (and 53 grams of protein!) and is SO filling.

However, when I'm eating work food and NOT working (on my rare days off), I like to splurge a little. On the <500cal Menu OB has chosen to include the 6oz Outback Special (served with 2 selected sides) which is only $9.99! However, the 6oz Victoria's Filet actually has about 50 fewer calories than the sirloin and you can cut it with a fork. It's also double the price, but hey-- sometimes you get what you pay for! Since OB offers two styles of cooking steaks (Classic Seasoned and Seared & Woodfire Grilled) I'll break it down: SS means a mixture of 17 seasonings on our flattop grill, typically cooked with butter. If you're going that route, you can always ask for no butter with light seasonings (although those are the few "sneak cooking calories" that I'm willing to live with for the sake of taste). WF is definitely the healthiest of the two- instead of our seasoning blend, they use just a littttttle salt/pepper/garlic mixture and let the open flame and oak wood do the rest. The best sides to go for if you're taking the steak route are simple: Broccoli without butter or Veggies with butter, and a House Salad WITHOUT croutons or cheese & with Tangy Tomato dressing ON THE SIDE.

Biggest tips for eating well at Outback (since this is becoming a freaking thesis, geez):
*When in doubt, get it on the side-- whatever it is.
*Don't even think about any dressing other than Tangy Tomato for salads OR dipping. Trust me on this one-- that small ramekin of our made in-house ranch or honey mustard just blew your calories out of the water. Same with the croutons. I know how they're prepared, and seriously, you could eat an entire bag of those diet croutons from a health food stores and it would probably be equal to THREE little homemade croutons at Outback.
*Ask your server questions!! A lot of servers don't necessarily remember the modifications that make the meals "Light Style" and if they don't know, they're putting 100% faith in the kitchen to remember the details. That's a leap I wouldn't take. If they know what makes your meal different, they're able to ensure that it gets prepared correctly.
*Skip the bread before the meal. I know it's delicious, but that tiny loaf we bring to the table has 275+ calories WITHOUT EVEN PUTTING BUTTER ON IT.
*Plan ahead! Outback's website actually has a Nutritional Information tab that goes beyond just listing the entrees-- you can build your meal to a T on the site and it'll tell you exactly what's in it. Walking in and knowing what you're ordering helps when the Bloomin' Onion and Aussie Cheese Fries are calling your name. Plan plan plan! (http://outback.com/menu/nutritionselection.aspx)
**This could also help you in making sure your server & the kitchen staff cook what you want. If you already know that you're ordering the Grilled Chicken and Swiss sandwich, instead of simply saying "I want it Light Style" you can tell your server what that means for you!
*&MOST IMPORTANTLY- Treat your server with kindness and respect and they will go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your dining experience while still staying in a calorie range that is comfortable for you. This is my 4th year in my current store and for 4 years the people competing in the NPC Bodybuiling Competitions in town keep coming back to see us. I've had some of the SAME return customers once a year, for 4 years and all of them say the reason they choose to eat with us instead of elsewhere is because we're happy to tweak our entrees for what THEY need. That's the same for all of my customers, and most of my staff feels the same way. However, I'm always more motivated to make sure everything is perfect when the person asking for the changes is kind with their requests, instead of rude with their demands. Just sayin'...

& Now that I've accidentally written a thesis on how to eat healthily at Outback Steakhouse, I'm off to work, feeling like a nerd. Geeeeez.

yuliyax

Never can go wrong with sushi or Vietnamese food.

Not true at all, what about tempura sushi rolls and other sushi with duck or cheese?

Caseyeatsclean

I always opt for thai because I'm obsessed with Tom Yum soup! I usually get it with tofu (steamed not fried) and it is so flavorful and fresh - I might have to get it for dinner. Tonight.

Kalynx

If you're lucky enough to live where there is a Culvers, that is my go to fast food place. I can get a double sourdough cheddar melt and the sodium is only 770 for the whole delicous sandwich! I try to stay away from the fries when I get that becaue of the carbs and fat, but the normal fries (a regular) is only 56 on sodium. Definately a nice treat! And love their lemon ice in the summer. A one scoop dish of lemon ice is only 84 calories, 21 carbs 18 sugars and 4 sodium, and I think much more satisfying than any iced/fruity concoction from Dairy Queen (and much healthier!).

A great trick to learn is to visit resturants that only use fresh, never frozen ingredients and the overall taste will be much better and sodium levels will be easier to control. Like others mentioned - check the online nutritional stuff posted before you even go so you can understand whats good for you to get and what to stay away from. I've noticed that even if they are not posted on the resturant's website sometimes they are listed here on the MFP database. Also for burgers - try to get cheddar and stay away from processed american cheeses - that really helps the sodium levels.

****ys BBQ Pit is another chain that was suprisingly low sodium on a lot of their things --just stay away from the sausages! LOL

julesmcclelland

The Outback breakdown was great! I haven't eaten there in years (and haven't considered it because I associate it with unhealthy chain fare), but I may have to go by there. Thanks!

Kalynx

ok..well i tried to say ickys with a D but I guess thats perverted or something lol