Popular Restaurants with surprising calorie count

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Replies

  • cbevan1229
    cbevan1229 Posts: 326 Member
    I've been choosing Outback, Panera, Chipotle, Ruby Tuesdays, and Boston Market, because there are things on the menu that I like and know I can fit into my calorie budget.

    Hard to find much at Fridays or Chili's that won't push you way over your goal.
  • kiittenforever
    kiittenforever Posts: 478 Member
    I looked up The Keg (Canada) last night and was baffled at the calorie amount I used to consume in one sitting. More then a whole days worth. Disgusting!
  • jennaworksout
    jennaworksout Posts: 1,739 Member
    I looked up The Keg (Canada) last night and was baffled at the calorie amount I used to consume in one sitting. More then a whole days worth. Disgusting!

    ^ yep I looked theirs up as well, shocked is an understatment....

    if I know I'm going out to dinner, I always look up menu's online before I go so I know which choices are the best :)

    I rarely go out to eat though lol
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I was going strong losing weight a couple years ago, and had a meeting in a small town about an hour away, and I drove a colleague with me. I brought my own lunch and was doing great. At the end of the meeting, he said "I'll take you to Dairy Queen..." which I NEVER go to, never eat there, never had an urge to. But he really wanted something, so I went, and tried to think of the smallest, least-offensive/bad thing I could order for a little treat. They did not have the frozen yogurt or low-fat/low-sugar ice cream. So I ordered a small vanilla malt. Tiny thing, about 3/4 -cup of blended ice cream and a spoonful of malt.

    Went home and looked it up on the DQ webpage. 650 calories. I about passed out.

    However, that week I continued to lose my 1-2 pounds per week as I had been for several months. I learned important lessons, though: 1) processed and fast foods of any kind (salads included) seem to always have more calories than you expect, so reduce those as much as possible; and 2) one goof during a week won't kill you.

    But I'm much more mindful--and forgiving of myself--now and that's probably been my only visit to DQ in the past 10 years and I have no urge to ever set foot in one again.

    I am obsessed with DQ. That is one thing I refuse to give up. I'd run hard for 2 hours or do anything to have a blizzard. Ice cream is probably my favorite food.

    Dairy Queen is my absolute favorite! Even before I tried to eat healthier, I would only eat there once every other month or so because of prices! :tongue:

    I will still eat there through. I agree! It's worth a 2 hour hard run or whatever I gotta do to eat a Peanut Buster Parfait!
    BEST
    ICE CREAM
    EVER!!!!!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    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.

    OK, weird!~

    I just ate at Taco Bell and was remarking on how low their calorie counts are! It's less than 200 calories for a taco supreme and only 230 for a volcano taco. I can fit in three tacos for my dinner, two if it's lunch.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    I love getting frozen custard at places in the summer, went to get some ice cream and looked up some of the calorie amounts and it was damn near a meal just for a single scoop if ice cream.. I sadly realized I shouldn't be eating as much custard as I love eating.. Just can't have 1 scoop for at the least 700 calories.. then you add the real good flavors (chocolate items, or anything with mints, nuts, etc) almost 1000..
  • KipDrordy
    KipDrordy Posts: 169 Member
    I found that with a little investigation, you could eat at Taco Bell, and be satisfied without going too high on the calorie count. My favorite is the Double Decker Taco. It's filling and it combines chewy with crunch. At 320 calories, it's hardly over the top. I get the $2 meal deal which also includes a 1 oz bag of Doritos and a drink.

    I'll usually order a Fresco Hard Shell Taco in addition to the $2 meal and save the bag of Doritos for later. The taco has the same calories (140) as the bag of Doritos. You can eat at Taco Bell and get filled up in under 500 calories.
  • KipDrordy
    KipDrordy Posts: 169 Member
    At Wendy's you can get a Grilled Chicken Go Wrap (260 calories) and a small Chili (260 calories). I always substitute a small chili (210 calories) instead of fries at Wendy's. With a diet drink, I'm sitting pretty at 470 calories. An easy way to save 35 calories from this one is to get the wrap without sauce. Keep a bottle of Tobasco handy as a substitute to creamy sauces.
  • Coming4U
    Coming4U Posts: 93 Member
    I know a lot of people stay away from baked potatoes because of the carbs but for those of us who love them, be careful at restaurants. I know for a fact that Texas Roadhouse roll their potatoes in bacon grease and salt before baking them.

    So that is why they taste SO GOOD there! I always say why do their baked potatoes taste so much better than everyone else? *sigh* lol
  • enewsome2
    enewsome2 Posts: 355 Member
    In my experience: all chain restaraunts and fast food places are evil.

    Sure, there are lower-cal options, but to me, for the price and sodium, it's usually not worth it. (Plus, I'm a 90% vegetarian, so a lot of places don't have any options for me anyway.)

    About a week ago I was starving for breakfast and on-the-go, so I stopped at McDonalds and got a breakfast bagel without bacon and without mayo.... 490 Calories, really?!

    I do get cravings for PF Changs from time to time, but I'll usually just whip up a stir fry at home. :)
  • redheadmommy
    redheadmommy Posts: 908 Member
    I always shocked on supposedly earthy option are super high in calories like soup & salad comboes are evil in restaurants.
    On the ter hand, I am positively surprised that most restaurant standard steaks are totally reasonable. My safest restaurant food right now is sirloin without butter, and steamed veggies. It is high on protein , so it s filling too.

    Also the worst offenders are the desserts and drinks.
  • leejayem
    leejayem Posts: 120 Member
    I have discovered that if I'm out with the kids & we end up going to McDonald's (yes we do occasionally as a treat!!!) I can get a cheeseburger, garden salad & diet coke & it's about 350 calories - which is about my usual lunch count. I once made the mistake of getting a seared chicken wrap from McDonald's (from the "healthy menu"!!!) & it was 380 calories & not exactly filling!! Give me the cheeseburger any day (but not every day, ha, ha)...
  • gdrmuzak
    gdrmuzak Posts: 103 Member
    Red Robin, TGI Fridays, Famous Dave's & Mongolian BBQ are big favs in our family, we just don't go much except for bday celebrations with coupons. I just get sick looking at the calories so I plan ahead when we go there in both menu planning and exercise for the day. Sodium count is off the chart typically for the day but I work hard to stay under in the other areas except for sugar.

    I always go "no mayo" on items like burgers/sandwiches, which is a significant reduction in cals & fat!!! I have a hard time say no to fries but Famous Daves has some AWESOME sides that are 90-150 calls each!!!
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,749 Member
    I am always suprised at the amount of fat and calories in salads in general at restaurants. I can't believe that it is sometimes healthier to order a burger at some restaurants than it is to order a salad. I can never understand why restaurants don't have fat free salad dressings to go with their salads either, I mean come on, you say you have "healthy salads" so why not offer the fat free dressings as well. lol

    Why not get the dressing on the side and do the fork-dip? That's what I do. Cuts the consumption of the dressing down significantly.

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