Popular Restaurants with surprising calorie count

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  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
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    I have found that I have to watch the SODIUM content in restaurant foods as much as if not more than calories. Especially the "light" dishes. They can make you retain sodium like there's no tomorrow, and your weight will appear to shoot way up temporarily. Personally, If I know I am going to be eating out and want to stay on the wagon, I look for meals with lots of veggies and ask them to serve all sauces on the side.

    There are lots of ways to handle eating out, it depends a lot on your philosophy and goals. Unless it is a special occasion and you have decided to simply enjoy yourself without worrying about calories (which has its merits), some of these techniques may work:
    1. Look up the restaurant's menu beforehand and decide what to order. I agree, some calorie contents are amazingly high compared to what you'd expect!
    2. Ask for lots of water, and drink it.
    3. Order soup (broth based) or salad (dressing on the side or not at all) and eat it/them as an appetizer or as the main course.
    4. Stay away from items with lots of bread or sauces, especially cream and butter sauces. marinara sauce may be one exception.
    5. Order what you want with a take-out box. Before eating even a bite, divide the meal in 1/2 and put 1/2 in the box. Eat the other half.

    That said, I love to eat at Panera. They have some wonderful salads and soups, and they post calories on some of their menu items. Subway is my favorite sandwich shop (9-grain bread and no cheese or sauces keeps the calorie count lower and the sandwich more filling). anyplace such as Olive Garden, bringing "unlimited breadsticks and salad" are dangerous...that salad dressing at OG is crazy high in calories!

    I have been afraid to do Olive Garden. I know they have a few good options, but the salad and bread is just too tempting still.
  • Anamdalta
    Anamdalta Posts: 56
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    Subway's calorie count is pretty good, but their sodium is ridiculously high. A 6" sandwich has almost half the recommended daily amount of sodium.

    I couldn't believe how high it was the first time I was logging a Subway sub. Mr. Submarine is much, much better, but still higher than you'd expect from bread, cheese and veggies...
  • foleyshirley
    foleyshirley Posts: 1,043 Member
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    Outback Steakhouse
    Macaroni Grill
    Cheesecake Factory

    --And surprisingly--Taco Bell! I mean I know it's fast food, and no fast food is GOOD for you, but I was pretty shocked to learn that almost all of their stuff is pretty pricey, calorie-wise.

    Outback is not too bad. If you do a 6 oz steak, and stick with the veggies (or maybe the salad), it isn't bad at all. I could do it even on Weight Watchers. But I did have to give up their garlic mashed potatoes.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    Chilis and Olive Garden.
    Chili's has a low-cal menu. I love the Margarita Grilled Chicken. I think the entire dish is 550 calories. I don't eat the tortilla chips, so it's probably a bit lower for me. It has grilled chicken, beans, wild rice (not much), and pico.
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
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    Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen is high in calories, fat and sodium... no matter what you order (salads included). I was disgusted when I looked at the nutritional content. Haven't been back.
  • twinteensmom
    twinteensmom Posts: 371 Member
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    When I am in the mood for McDonalds, I will just order a happy meal with a bottle of water. If I get the chicken nuggets(only 4 per meal) and one sauce, which I use about half, the calorie count stays around 300 or so. I just give the toy to a child I see at the restaurant(with parent's permission, of course)
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
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    steak and shake classic grilled chicken salad with low fat ranch dressing comes in at right about 340. It's a HUGE salad and it's yummy..and the 340 is from the steak and shake website
  • StormyLlewellyn
    StormyLlewellyn Posts: 96
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    Alot of resteraunts have the Nutritional info posted online these days..
    Either on their own site or on DWLZ.com (Dotties Weight Loss Zone) under resteraunts..
    It can be a very usefull tool when planning on going out so
    you don't get home and feel like you ruined your whole week...
  • twinteensmom
    twinteensmom Posts: 371 Member
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    I ask for a side salad with the dressing on the side and ask them to NOT bring the bread sticks. I do the same at Texas Roadhouse(those rolls with the cinnamon butter are to die for). Problem solved. If they aren't in front of me, i can't eat them.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
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    Taco Cabana. A vendor brings their breakfast burritos to work every Wednesday, and I used to grab a bean and cheese one. Then I got serious about this and logged it one day - 730 calories when I was expected 450-500. I was STUNNED - I still have no idea what they do to get the calorie count so high, soak the tortillas in lard??? Needless to say, I don't eat those anymore.
  • Surecutie
    Surecutie Posts: 28 Member
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    Tropical Smoothie is insane unless you order your drink without Turbinado.

    Boston Market...I thought at least the rotisserie would be decent. Boy was I ever wrong.

    Dunkin Donuts bagels and muffins will set you back further than many burgers.
  • Josephina57
    Josephina57 Posts: 170 Member
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    Outback Steakhouse
    Macaroni Grill
    Cheesecake Factory

    --And surprisingly--Taco Bell! I mean I know it's fast food, and no fast food is GOOD for you, but I was pretty shocked to learn that almost all of their stuff is pretty pricey, calorie-wise.

    Outback is not too bad. If you do a 6 oz steak, and stick with the veggies (or maybe the salad), it isn't bad at all. I could do it even on Weight Watchers. But I did have to give up their garlic mashed potatoes.
    Outback's 6 ounce steak with seasonal veggies and a salad without croutons and with Tangy tomato dressing is 570 calories for the meal. Just tell the server you want it fixed "skinny style", i.e. no added butter. Well worth the calories for the whole meal.
  • Sailorwind
    Sailorwind Posts: 158 Member
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    I LOVE the Cheesecake Factory's Skinnylicious menu, the food is delicious and all under 600 calories for the entire meal.

    I'm also a big fan of Zoe's Kitchen, they are ridiculously low cal, like to the point of if I made the dishes myself in my own kitchen, so they must not use much oil and fat.

    Olive Garden, while rife with high calorie meals, also has a fair number of dinners under 800 calories, some under 600. Their dinner portions are huge, so I usually only eat the lunch portion size myself. Last time I was there I had some delicious seafood cannelloni's for under 600 calories.

    What's surprised me the most has been salad dressings at restaurants. It seems like they must be injecting fats into the bottles of dressing.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
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    When I am in the mood for McDonalds, I will just order a happy meal with a bottle of water. If I get the chicken nuggets(only 4 per meal) and one sauce, which I use about half, the calorie count stays around 300 or so. I just give the toy to a child I see at the restaurant(with parent's permission, of course)
    I've done that. I get the McNugget meal (no sauce) with apple slices and 2% milk. I keep the toy, though. ;)
  • klynn08
    klynn08 Posts: 151 Member
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    I was shocked by the calories in most salads! I know it all depends what is put on it and what dressing is used, but i never expected 800 cals for a salad
  • kareinlib
    kareinlib Posts: 98
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    I was also surprised and disappointed with the calorie counts in Jimmy John's! I guess a lot of it can be attributed to their mayo and french bread that they put on most things.

    Panera Bread came out with a chicken poppyseed salad that is FANTASTIC and it's only around 340 calories, though. I've been all up on that, it's so good.

    IHOP has a lot of whole-grain stuff now, and turkey bacon and egg substitutes. They also have tagged healthy selections on their menu now with calorie counts, and most of them are under 600 calories. I went there today and was surprised that my favorite choice there was under 600 calories.
  • chicpeach
    chicpeach Posts: 302 Member
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    Applebee's Weight Watcher entrees look enticing with fewer than 550 calories, but many have 3000mg or more of sodium! That's over a day's worth in one tiny meal!!! You will swell up eating a small amount of calories like that!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    Worst place - Cora's.

    No nutritional info. Don't even ask about it. When you pick apart your meal and log everything individually, that's your daily allotment or more in one shot. The healthiest thing I found is the Samira Wake-UP - mostly fresh fruits and comes with 2 thick slices of toast with about 3T of margarine/butter.

    Biggest surprise - Domino's

    They provide nutritional info online, breaking most things individually, though the macro numbers are a broad range (like a portion of sauce for medium pizza is 10-15 calories). I always err on the higher numbers. My regular order is a medium, thin crust (a tortilla) green pepper, onion, and cheddar cheese pizza with regular sauce.

    As for Subway, I love it. I only get a 6" veggie on white, no cheese, no condiments. It's the lowest sodium sandwich with 38 carbs. I add cheese from home, either low sodium cheddar or Swiss.
  • stephanieb72
    stephanieb72 Posts: 390 Member
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    Ruby Tuesday has good "healthy" choices. Ate there last night and it was amazingly good!
  • orishp
    orishp Posts: 214 Member
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    I ask for a side salad with the dressing on the side and ask them to NOT bring the bread sticks. I do the same at Texas Roadhouse(those rolls with the cinnamon butter are to die for). Problem solved. If they aren't in front of me, i can't eat them.

    Yum, love love love texas road house, I usually get the sirloin kabobs, with veggies and the side salad and ask for oil and vinegar so I can do my own dressing. Very reasonable price wise, calorie wise and delicious!!!!!

    And yes, that cinnamon butter bread is to die for, I just take a pinch from one of my kids ;)

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