Mexican Food lunch at work - What to order?

j724mecham
j724mecham Posts: 102 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Every month at work someone gets to choose where we get take out for our team meeting. The guy who chose picked a Mexican food place. I LOVE Mexican food. I haven't had Mexican food since starting MFP a month ago. I would generally order a huge portion of rice, beans combo with a burrito of some sort. That would probably bring me to at least 1000 calories so I want to choose wisely. Sadly, I don't like fish or grilled veggies (just enjoy them raw) so traditional fajitas are out.

My remaining options are:
Chimichanga (sour cream & guac)
Burrito (choice of fillings)
Taco salad (ground beef, chicken, or shredded beef, guac, sour cream)
Chalupa (crispy tortilla, meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, guac, sour cream)
Tostada (crispy flat corn tortilla, ground beef, chicken, or shredded beef, guac, sour cream)
Enchilada
Fajita quesadilla (grilled flour tortilla, steak or chicken, guac, cheese, sour cream)
Quesadilla (beef or chicken, guac, sour cream)
Super Nachos
Chicken taquitos (rice, beans, sour cream, guac, parmesean)

I am leaning towards the taco salad. I would LOVE the chalupa but it's probably fried. I am fine without getting sour cream and such. Just wanting everybody's input.
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Replies

  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Oh boy - lot of high calorie choices there. Fried or tons of cheese. I'd go Taco Salad w/chicken and if it has the crispy shell don't eat it.
  • 55in13
    55in13 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Once a month and it is just by chance that this time it is one of your favorites? You like grapefruit? Have that for breakfast. Plan a light dinner. Eat what you like for lunch that day, plug in the numbers and move on.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Taco salad without sour cream (but still with a sprinkle of cheese).
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Once a month and it is just by chance that this time it is one of your favorites? You like grapefruit? Have that for breakfast. Plan a light dinner. Eat what you like for lunch that day, plug in the numbers and move on.

    Grapefruit is not enough for breakfast...I would suggest yogurt with a sprinkle of low fat granola or an organic oatmeal packet (one of the brands with lower sugar). With coffee we're talking an under 200 calorie breakfast.
  • MyJourney1960
    MyJourney1960 Posts: 1,133 Member
    Oh boy - lot of high calorie choices there. Fried or tons of cheese. I'd go Taco Salad w/chicken and if it has the crispy shell don't eat it.
    that's what i would do.
  • kganc001
    kganc001 Posts: 317
    I always get a spinach cheese quesadilla and a side of beans, no cheese (and only eat half of those). Yum! :) Just avoid the chips and you'll be fine! :D Don't punish yourself by cutting out your favorite food. Just pick something with chicken that isn't fried!
  • flexdirectcpr
    flexdirectcpr Posts: 103 Member
    Get a salad with fajita chicken on it and pour salsa over it. Yum!
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
    I had a chicken grilled salad from Cilantros..OMG the BOMB! Anyways extremely healthy but 8 buck! I'm going back today!
  • NJL13500
    NJL13500 Posts: 433 Member
    Chicken enchiladas are not totally awful. I usually eat about half of one and then just eat the filling and skip the tortilla and excess cheese on the outside. I also get fajitas and just skip the tortillas and sides. Meat and veggie Mexican stir fry. :-)

    I LOVE Mexican food and would hate to give it up. I just avoid the excess calories from the breads, but I always have the chips and salsa. :-)
  • cw822
    cw822 Posts: 107
    Every month at work someone gets to choose where we get take out for our team meeting. The guy who chose picked a Mexican food place. I LOVE Mexican food. I haven't had Mexican food since starting MFP a month ago. I would generally order a huge portion of rice, beans combo with a burrito of some sort. That would probably bring me to at least 1000 calories so I want to choose wisely. Sadly, I don't like fish or grilled veggies (just enjoy them raw) so traditional fajitas are out.

    My remaining options are:
    Chimichanga (sour cream & guac)
    Burrito (choice of fillings)
    Taco salad (ground beef, chicken, or shredded beef, guac, sour cream)
    Chalupa (crispy tortilla, meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, guac, sour cream)
    Tostada (crispy flat corn tortilla, ground beef, chicken, or shredded beef, guac, sour cream)
    Enchilada
    Fajita quesadilla (grilled flour tortilla, steak or chicken, guac, cheese, sour cream)
    Quesadilla (beef or chicken, guac, sour cream)
    Super Nachos
    Chicken taquitos (rice, beans, sour cream, guac, parmesean)

    I am leaning towards the taco salad. I would LOVE the chalupa but it's probably fried. I am fine without getting sour cream and such. Just wanting everybody's input.

    stay away from anything w/a "crispy" shell. You could do the salad (don't eat shell), get it w/chicken and skip the sour cream. Or if available regular soft tacos (w/corn tortillas not flour), again chicken and skip the sour cream and cheese.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Last time I went out for mexican I got the chicken taco salad without the shell and sort of mixed together a little sour cream, quac and salsa to use as dressing. YUM!
  • hpynh2o
    hpynh2o Posts: 194 Member
    Fajita quesadilla (steak or chicken), but toss the tortilla. :)
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    I'd go for the taco salad or the tostada, with chicken. Get the sour cream and guacamole on the side. If either is loaded with cheese, take some off before eating it. Use the guac and sour cream sparingly (if you want to go heavier on one, do it with the guac). Eat very little, if any of the shell, or better yet order it without the shell if you don't think you can resist. The tostada wouldn't be too bad but a taco salad shell is 2-3 times the size of a tostada.

    You can also sub black beans for refried if they have that option. They're less fat but very filling. The worst temptation at the Mexican restuarant is the basket of chips and salsa you mindlessly snack on before your meal comes - make sure you have a strategy for that!
  • branson101
    branson101 Posts: 173 Member
    I'd do a chicken burrito or a couple of chicken taco-leave off the cheese. no sides.
  • Remo_Williams
    Remo_Williams Posts: 73
    Once a month and it is just by chance that this time it is one of your favorites? You like grapefruit? Have that for breakfast. Plan a light dinner. Eat what you like for lunch that day, plug in the numbers and move on.

    Grapefruit is not enough for breakfast...I would suggest yogurt with a sprinkle of low fat granola or an organic oatmeal packet (one of the brands with lower sugar). With coffee we're talking an under 200 calorie breakfast.

    That's just silly! - What's wrong with a grapefruit? In fact, last night I ate a really huge dinner (going well over my totals for the day) and when I woke up this morning I wasn't hungry at all. Since I wasn't hungry, I didn't eat. My weekly calories will work out in the end.
  • briabner
    briabner Posts: 427 Member
    This is what to order based on what you posted....order the taco salad with the shredded chicken. No sour cream, no guacamole, and no shell. If you need a dressing just put salsa on it. Also, try to stay away from the chips too much.
  • silverinc13
    silverinc13 Posts: 216 Member
    I'd compromise with myself and make room for the chimichanga - because I LOVE chicken chimichangas - and just take out an afternoon snack or something. If it's your favorite food it's worth a little deviation from your normal day. Just STAY AWAY from the Chips and Salsa baskets and forego the sour cream! :)
  • pugsleyjean
    pugsleyjean Posts: 135 Member
    All of it sounds delish! I would go for the taco salad or pick one of your favorites, go for that and get some extra exercise to offset the calories. Light breakfast and light dinner if you even need to eat dinner after eating your lunch.
  • jackiebertram65
    jackiebertram65 Posts: 40
    I order a-la-carte and maybe just have a chicken taco with the chips that come before meal that may be enough. You can get a side salad with your taco.. I like to put salsa on my salad and that is a good choice. Be careful with a Taco Salad, they are high in fat, protein and carbs.

    You could log in several of these choices on your MFP lunch and when they come up compare them. (You can delete them after you have compared ) Then you'll know what is the best choice. ( I hate it when I eat it, punch it into my daily log and go OH NO I SHOULDN'T EATEN THAT ! ) Better to check it out first. Good Luck !
  • koshkasmum
    koshkasmum Posts: 276 Member
    I'd go with the chicken or shredded beef tostada - hold the sour cream. The ones I have had are lovely salad-y things on a flat corn tortilla shell.
  • Hezzietiger1
    Hezzietiger1 Posts: 1,256 Member
    fajitas... just eat the chicken and veggies, leave the tortilla,rice, beans, and sour cream for the next order.
  • javajunco
    javajunco Posts: 81
    Order what you like! Eat half and take the leftovers for dinner. And/or burn the extra calories after work tonight!
  • j724mecham
    j724mecham Posts: 102 Member
    I have grapefruit and that's great to add in, but definitely love the yogurt and granola idea better. I don't want to eat lunch starving and not be able to do good portion control.
  • Anthonydaman
    Anthonydaman Posts: 854 Member
    Camarones cocktail
  • cw822
    cw822 Posts: 107
    This is what to order based on what you posted....order the taco salad with the shredded chicken. No sour cream, no guacamole, and no shell. If you need a dressing just put salsa on it. Also, try to stay away from the chips too much.

    absolutely nothing wrong w/having the guacamole (good fat) unless they add sour cream to it.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Taco salad with no sour cream, and don't eat the shell. For the guacamole, yeah, it depends what they put in it...
  • ColoradoLes
    ColoradoLes Posts: 13
    I usually go for fajitas or fish tacos (grilled/broiled). Opt for corn tortillas instead of flour if you can; limit the sour cream, cheese, and guac. Whole beans (or borracho) are better than refried.
  • pinkly14fun2
    pinkly14fun2 Posts: 55
    I would plan ahead for those days. I usually plan my food the day before. If you have the advance notice, do your research and get something you like and plan the rest of your calories around it. It is not time to go crazy, but to indulge yourself a bit :)
  • j724mecham
    j724mecham Posts: 102 Member
    Thank you everyone for the input. Luckily, we get the food to go and eat it at our office so I can DEFINITELY avoid the chips and salad because there won't be any. I also didn't consider the fact that a taco salad probably has a huge shell so I'm thinking taco salad without the shell or the tostada. I'm planning on eating half anyways and taking the rest for lunch the next day or for my husband. Appreciate your thoughts. And you're all right. I should still enjoy the foods I like. Might just need to add in some Jillian Michaels that night.
  • JanetP124
    JanetP124 Posts: 50 Member
    I've found that most Mexican places that have a series of items where you choose chicken or beef will allow you to substitute extra fajita vegetables in for the meat.

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