what restaurants do you choose when you want to go out?

victoriannsays
victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Any healthy suggestions? No fast food
«1

Replies

  • clairecandoit11
    clairecandoit11 Posts: 62 Member
    A lot of places have calorie counts for their meals on their websites or sometimes even in the menu (like buffalo wild wings)!! I would say Outback is usually a place I can eat a good meal for under 500 calories and Applebees has some good options too! Also... if you have a Noodles & Company, they have a TON of healthy options that are really yummy!
  • tigerlily8045
    tigerlily8045 Posts: 402 Member
    I like Ruby Tuesday because of the salad bar plus their fit and trim selection is easy to know where you are calorie wise. Just stay away from the croutons... =)
  • sweetd_cali
    sweetd_cali Posts: 323 Member
    If you like seafood, Red Lobster has lighter items on their menu (Woodhouse Grill I think?) I know Applebee's has done Weight Watchers and low cal menus too.
  • mistikal13
    mistikal13 Posts: 1,457 Member
    I love Benihana!
  • victoriannsays
    victoriannsays Posts: 568 Member
    I like Ruby Tuesday because of the salad bar plus their fit and trim selection is easy to know where you are calorie wise. Just stay away from the croutons... =)
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    Those rubytuesday croutons are my weakness!
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    My wife and I - if I'm really worried about how much I'm eating - usually go to 99. They have a handful of healthy options that all have the calories listed. I *think* they even have the macronutrient info available if you ask.

    *I'm not entirely sure, but I think they do.
  • junipearl
    junipearl Posts: 326 Member
    Do you guys have BPs there? They have some healthy choices items, such as a lemon salmon filet with veggies on the side.

    As a general rule though, and I know this is neurotic of me, but whenever I know I will be eating out (someone has invited me out for a birthday dinner or something), I ALWAYS look at the website ahead of time to get an idea of the calorie counts for the meals.

    I usually choose what I am going to get from this, or at least narrow it down to a few options.

    if there is nothing low-cal other than a salad (and really, who wants to be THAT person when eating out) then I get something higher cal but eat only half of it, before packaging it up and saving the rest for lunch the next day!
  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
    Sometimes I pick Mimis because they have a healthy section on their menu. It only has about five things on it, so I've grown tired of the selections! Especially since a lot of the other stuff on their menu is **very** high in calories.

    I will also go to Chilis. They have a few lighter selections. In some of them, they substitute brocolli for french fries. I really like brocolli so that works for me!
  • cbrrabbit25
    cbrrabbit25 Posts: 384 Member
    noodles and company (bangkok curry is awesome there and only 280 cals!) . or somewhere that has grilled shrip or chicken or eggs and bacon!
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    If I want a salad, I have a salad. If I want a burger, I have a burger and get a side salad and eat some of my BF's fries. Then, I make sure to either have an awesome work out the day after, or earlier in the day!
  • Krissy366
    Krissy366 Posts: 458 Member
    A lot of places have calorie counts for their meals on their websites or sometimes even in the menu (like buffalo wild wings)!! I would say Outback is usually a place I can eat a good meal for under 500 calories and Applebees has some good options too! Also... if you have a Noodles & Company, they have a TON of healthy options that are really yummy!

    What do you get at the Outback? And how do you know the counts? I thought they didn't publish their nutrition info. I'm asking in seriousness (not to be snarky). I love the Outback but I tend to avoid the place like the plague because I don't view anything on their menu as a particularly good choice.
  • rebeccap13
    rebeccap13 Posts: 754 Member
    Local as much as possible, they have the best food. And I want quality food if I'm really going big. No sense wasting a meal out on some chain restaurant or fast food.

    If you're eating out pretty rarely, don't worry about the meal, enjoy it and get back on track the next day. If eating out is a weekly or daily occurrence, maybe look for some lighter options. A big salad with lots of veggies, good fats and protein is always an easy choice or a steak or chicken entree with steamed veggies and rice.
  • nofailureallowed
    nofailureallowed Posts: 51
    Outback has great grilled salmon w/ steamed veggies.
  • turboturtlepower
    turboturtlepower Posts: 79
    If I eat out, it's going to be a "cheat" meal and I'll love every minute of it. Red Robin. Double bacon cheeseburger & bottomless fries. No guilt here.
  • amybrauch
    amybrauch Posts: 250 Member
    A lot of places have calorie counts for their meals on their websites or sometimes even in the menu (like buffalo wild wings)!! I would say Outback is usually a place I can eat a good meal for under 500 calories and Applebees has some good options too! Also... if you have a Noodles & Company, they have a TON of healthy options that are really yummy!

    What do you get at the Outback? And how do you know the counts? I thought they didn't publish their nutrition info. I'm asking in seriousness (not to be snarky). I love the Outback but I tend to avoid the place like the plague because I don't view anything on their menu as a particularly good choice.

    Outback has a nutritional meal calculator on their website.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    I try to stick with the local joints as much as possible. Most chain places use fake flavor enhancers and other crap that does not agree with my stomach. Real food tastes best. And at the end of the day, most of these meals will have less calories as well. It's always a guess, but if you are familiar with the ingredients, you can get a pretty good estimate.

    Last week I was dealing with a family emergency and had no choice but to eat out almost every meal. And mostly at chain places. My body is paying for it this week!
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
    I have to say that I honestly choose restaurants based on what I feel like eating and not based on what they offer for "healthy" items on the menu because many times the calorie count alone doesn't tell the whole story (excessive amounts of sodium/sugar immediately comes to mind). If I'm going to spend money for someone else to make me a meal then I'm going to get something I couldn't (or wouldn't) make at home like sushi, pizza or Indian curry.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    My family has a favorite Mexican restaurant here in town. There are a few healthy, low-fat options on the menu.
  • JinksE21
    JinksE21 Posts: 77 Member
    A lot of places have calorie counts for their meals on their websites or sometimes even in the menu (like buffalo wild wings)!! I would say Outback is usually a place I can eat a good meal for under 500 calories and Applebees has some good options too! Also... if you have a Noodles & Company, they have a TON of healthy options that are really yummy!

    What do you get at the Outback? And how do you know the counts? I thought they didn't publish their nutrition info. I'm asking in seriousness (not to be snarky). I love the Outback but I tend to avoid the place like the plague because I don't view anything on their menu as a particularly good choice.

    Outback's nutritional information is available online and is listed on MFP. I was just there last night and had a 6 oz special with no butter, mixed veggies with no butter, a salad with the tangy tomato salad dressing, and half a loaf of their yummy bread. All for around 700 calories! Can't beat that for eaating out (of course, I planned my calories out for the day to allow for it without any guilt!)! I love going there because they will accommodate and have plenty of good, healthy options to choose from.

    I have looked up the nutritional information for several of my favorite places to go and made a list with the information in a spreadhsheet that I keep in my purse for those last minute decisions and I only put the good food choices down. If it's not on my list, I don't get it! ;-)
  • makemewannadie
    makemewannadie Posts: 401 Member
    Yo! Sushi, not sure if that's international though... or any kind of Japanese restaurant (:
  • schparks
    schparks Posts: 74 Member
    I have to say that I honestly choose restaurants based on what I feel like eating and not based on what they offer for "healthy" items on the menu because many times the calorie count alone doesn't tell the whole story (excessive amounts of sodium/sugar immediately comes to mind). If I'm going to spend money for someone else to make me a meal then I'm going to get something I couldn't (or wouldn't) make at home like sushi, pizza or Indian curry.

    ^ I agree.
  • clairecandoit11
    clairecandoit11 Posts: 62 Member
    A lot of places have calorie counts for their meals on their websites or sometimes even in the menu (like buffalo wild wings)!! I would say Outback is usually a place I can eat a good meal for under 500 calories and Applebees has some good options too! Also... if you have a Noodles & Company, they have a TON of healthy options that are really yummy!

    What do you get at the Outback? And how do you know the counts? I thought they didn't publish their nutrition info. I'm asking in seriousness (not to be snarky). I love the Outback but I tend to avoid the place like the plague because I don't view anything on their menu as a particularly good choice.

    They have item nutrition information on their website! They also have an under 500 calories menu! I usually get the Chicken on the Barbie with a side of Veggies! You can get the veggies with no butter and it is way under 500 calories! Also I usually get a salad with no cheese or croutons with their Tangy Tomato dressing :)

    They have options to get steaks without butter added to them too for all under 500 calories!

    Here is a link
    >http://www.outback.com/menu/nutritionselection.aspx
  • Patti233
    Patti233 Posts: 5
    I have a question... We are supposed to eat fruits and vegetables but I go over my sugar count if I eat fruit.. What does anyone else do? :grumble:
  • theskinnylist
    theskinnylist Posts: 286 Member
    www.theskinnylist.com/tagged/meals-at-the-restaurant

    I've put on my blog some of my favorite restaurants to eat and the meals they have for 250 calories or less!
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
    I have a question... We are supposed to eat fruits and vegetables but I go over my sugar count if I eat fruit.. What does anyone else do? :grumble:

    Many of us just ignore MFP's ridiculously low sugar standard.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Chipotle. Burritto bowl, hold the rice, extra chicken and guacamole with pinto beans, grilled veggies and salsa.
  • sweetd_cali
    sweetd_cali Posts: 323 Member
    Yes I get Chipotle salads all the time since my family loves to eat the burritos.
  • cutiepieinchi
    cutiepieinchi Posts: 158
    To be honest I don't totally limit everything , I do rearrange some some thing on menu (instead of fries ill go for plain baked potato). I rarely eat out though.
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    I have a question... We are supposed to eat fruits and vegetables but I go over my sugar count if I eat fruit.. What does anyone else do? :grumble:

    Many of us just ignore MFP's ridiculously low sugar standard.

    I ignore the standard, also. It has not hurt anything yet. My lab work is fabulous, and I am steadily losing.
  • famlyluv
    famlyluv Posts: 206 Member
    Applebees. I like the health conscious options!

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