ordering salad at a restuarant

DianaV86

My go-to meal when I go out to eat with friends, etc is a chicken cesar salad without the cesar dressing....I ask for oil and vinegar on the side and usually end up only putting balsamic vinegar (I love the flavor!). Is this a good game plan or am I kidding myself thinking that is a health restaurant option. I assume the salad the way I order it is between 500-600 calories. Thoughts?

iAMsmiling

I'm right with you on that one.
Frankly, I don't see how it would get up to 600 calories.

5 oz grilled chicken is only 250 cal, I doubt you're getting that much. If you stay away from the croutons, you're just eating lettuce on top of that.

KimWW

Where does the kidding yourself come in? Even if the salad is not as healthy as, say, a salad you made yourself, I'd wager it is a darn sight better than most of what the menu offers. Of course it is the better choice. Did you mean "should I stay home instead?" Well, that is a personal choice. But don't let your diet make you a hermit.

The salad sounds fine as you describe.

2hobbit1

If the chicken is grilled and there is no cheese or croutons then it should not be anywhere near that high!

I do the same but go for grilled chicken on a garden salad- I like the tomato/onion/peppers with my greens and grilled chicken!

DianaV86

Thanks that makes me feel better! I overestimated the calories because I do like the cheese and croutons

kellygirl324

I dont know the size of your salad, but a 6.4 oz caesar salad with croutons and caesar dressing (on Mimis Cafe website) logs in at 217 calories. If you add about 3.50 oz of grilled chicken its an additional 123 calories. Im not sure of what kind of cheese you used, but as an example, a 1.6 oz serving of blue cheese would add an additional 215 calories. Of course, that doesn't include the calories from the dressing. Hopefully, this just gives you an idea!

*Edit....the calories from the dressing that you used.