What restaurants have a somewhat healthy choices?

beaches222
beaches222 Posts: 437 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What restaurants have a somewhat healthy menu? I am going out to eat but want some of your ideas on where you eat to not blow your calories out the waters. lol.

Replies

  • ImSoOTired
    ImSoOTired Posts: 186 Member
    I like chilis once in a while. They have low calorie options on their menu. Google the menu and look for the nutrition info. Enjoy
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    Panera's hidden menu isn't bad.

    Chili's has "healthy" options that are okay but not great.

    Almost anywhere you can order a salad with dressing on the side. Watch out for cheese and croutons though!
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    Calories aren't the killer for most. Inconsistency with posted caloric information and sodium are.

    A lot of places will have calorie conscious meal options. Outback, for example, isn't bad for what they offer... but who is to say that the kitchen is actually following any of it, ya know?
  • Ltlmis
    Ltlmis Posts: 9 Member
    I was delighted to find a barbecue chain in our city that had many delicious *and* healthy options, and an online menu.
    Most chain restaurants have nutritional info online that can help you make a good choice. If I had a smart phone I would be whipping it out as soon as the eatery was decided upon.
    I do think a glaring exception to the online nutritional info is Cheesecake Factory. There, you might do better to just split plates with someone and vow to drink a lot of water the next day :)
  • shadowweaver06
    shadowweaver06 Posts: 6 Member
    Olive garden has some "healthier" choices on their menu that are 500 calories or less. So does IHOP. Pretty much everywhere (that isn't a vegetarian or vegan restaurant) will make you a grilled chicken salad if you ask for one (this is my usual workaround when I'm stuck eating somewhere that doesn't list 'healthy' options). Most chain restaurants have their menus available online, so it's probably a good idea to check them before you head out.

    The other option is to tell the waitstaff you have a food allergy and request if the chef can prepare something off the menu. Usually, they're more than happy to oblige this as long as you call ahead first. (I was vegan for a while, so this was my usual M.O. for going to steakhouses and other restaurants that are neither veggie nor vegan friendly). I've gotten some pretty damn tasty dishes doing this, because the chef can prepare something that isn't the norm for them. :)

    Hope these tips help. :)
  • davemunger
    davemunger Posts: 1,139 Member
    Panera...yum!! Mimis if you have one.

    Be careful at Mimi's! They have some low-cal options but they also serve dishes like an 1,800-calorie parmesan-crusted chicken breast!
  • bbodzenski
    bbodzenski Posts: 10 Member
    applebees has ww selections and also under 550 which are ery good
  • dmoppy
    dmoppy Posts: 45 Member
    I eat out lunch a lot and find most restaurants offer lower calories choices - which I know isn't the same as "healthy" but I'll take what I can get. I like Red Robin, Texas Roadhouse, SmashBurger, Cheese Cake Factory - really any chain works in my experience since they will have websites with information on the choices. It seems every chain offers some “healthier” options - even McDonald's/Wendy's etc. have several salad choices now.

    If the restaurant operates in California and has more than a couple of eateries it's required to provide nutritional information - with the calories listed on the menu. Therefore the larger chains will have the information posted on the web to comply with the law. My focus is always on calories and macros – so I’ll eat what I want as long as I can fit it in my caloric budget.

    Now the question on accuracy I can't comment other than I find my weight seems to be doing fine on maintenance levels using what I find on the web from these places. What drives me crazy is eating someplace which doesn't give me this information and making me guess but maybe it's because I'm still a noob and in my first year of maintenance.
  • judyde
    judyde Posts: 401 Member
    I eat out a lot and do use the low calorie options on the menus. Applebees has a number of very yummy options on their 550 and under menu. I just had the Napa Chicken & Portobellos entree last night. YUMMY! Another favorite is the Creamy Parmesan Chicken.

    Yes, there's the possibility that the chef isn't following it exactly and adding more butter, etc. But the big chains are so corporate now, I'm thinking they are probably very carefully tracking their inventory. They are going to lose money if they give you a 6oz chicken breast instead of 4oz, etc. But could be more oil and or butter in there than listed.

    For what it's worth, I eat out a LOT, and even with that, I'm losing pretty steadily at 1 pound a week (my goal). So that makes me think they aren't too far off. Or maybe I'm eating less than I think outside the restaurants. But I think that's unlikely.

    Good luck!
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
    Ruby Tuesdays (lots of veggie sides which can make almost every meal they have pretty good on the calories)
    Red Lobster (just watch the cheese biscuits, that is where they get you)
    Applebee's
    Ihop (their wheat pancakes with sugar free syrup is awesome!)
    Joe's Crab shack (Just stick to the steam pots and minimal seasonings and no butter)
    Olive Garden
    Chic Fil A's Chicken Tortilla Soup! (I eat like a gallon every fall/winter)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    What restaurants have a somewhat healthy menu? I am going out to eat but want some of your ideas on where you eat to not blow your calories out the waters. lol.

    Caloric density has nothing to do with whether something is healthy or not. There are any number of nutrient dense (i.e. healthy) foods that also are high in calories. Most any restaurant I've ever been to has any number of "healthy" options. The key to eating out at restaurants is portion control...most restaurant portions are, on average, about 2 actual servings, sometimes more. Restauraunts also tend to use a lot of oil and/or butter...which in and of itself isn't "unhealthy", but it can substantially increase the calorie content of the meal.
  • dmoppy
    dmoppy Posts: 45 Member
    The key to eating out at restaurants is portion control...most restaurant portions are, on average, about 2 actual servings, sometimes more. Restauraunts also tend to use a lot of oil and/or butter...which in and of itself isn't "unhealthy", but it can substantially increase the calorie content of the meal.

    This! I had a friend with a trainer who told him "When you go out to eat, just eat half and bring the other half home" = portion control.
  • laineybz
    laineybz Posts: 704 Member
    Nandos and Harvester.....in the UK anyway.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    What restaurants have a somewhat healthy menu?

    I'm going with the McDonald's Value Menu. Everything on there is a rational portion size, so even if it doesn't exactly fit your macros, it leaves plenty of wiggle room to adjust through the rest of the day. And McDonalds is fastidious about having accurate nutritional information.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    mimi's
    dos coyotes
    rubios
    BJ'S
    Applebee's
    Panera

    I am happy to see more and more restaurants having the lower cal options on their menus
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
    Most restaurants I've been in have some "heart healthy" options or have at least a couple things you can choose from...the Applebee's lunch menu is really good - lots of different options in reasonable portion sizes, most include a side salad.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Almost anywhere. Order chicken breast with nothing on it and veggies or salad.

    Order meals with out this or that (sour cream, sauces, etc.)

    They'll make it, because they want a tip! LOL
  • smoofinator
    smoofinator Posts: 635 Member
    If you know of a Seasons 52 anywhere near you then definitely check it out. NOTHING is over 475 calories and they utilize as many local and natural ingredients as possible. Somewhat pricey but soooo worth it. Delicious!

    http://www.seasons52.com/menu/about_menu.asp
  • Quieau
    Quieau Posts: 428 Member
    CHIPOTLE! My favorite for healthy, clean food. I don't eat at ANY other chain restaurant. You can go to their Web site and assemble your burrito, tacos, salad or bowl and get the exact calorie count for the ingredients YOU choose! (They do not weigh ingredients, but it's all healthy stuff and I don't care!) ... YUM!
  • StunningLegerity
    StunningLegerity Posts: 193 Member
    Panda Express! For lunch today I had half mixed veggies, half steamed brown rice and beef broccoli. All for less than 400 calories, plus filling and delicious!
  • dawlschic007
    dawlschic007 Posts: 636 Member
    Pretty much anywhere you go, you can find healthy options. I try to just order some sort of protein (lean steak, chicken, seafood) with veggies for sides. You just have to be careful with the sauces or glazes they use, but you can always ask for them to not include that.
  • suppakana
    suppakana Posts: 307 Member
    One thing that you COULD do is ask for a half-sized plate of whatever you're interested in. Could always get half of it into a doggy bag immediately.

    I ate at Olive Garden last night. Totally yummy. My plate arrived, I stirred up the cheese into my dish (Oh yeah, I got the cheese), and then I dragged my spoon down the middle of the plate. Half of it went into a doggy bag.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    just because it is advertised as low calorie doesn't make it healthy people.
    the best thing is just order whatever you like, and use portion control. ask for a box with it and take half home. or order off the kids menu since the portions are smaller. if possible check the menu ahead of time to get an idea of what dishes they offer.
    wendys has some nice salads.
    opt for items grilled or steamed, try to make veggies the main part and a lean meat and then work around that.
    many places sneak in a lot of oils and butters which can topple the calorie count over so just watch out for that.
    but enjoy your meal, and for me usually i just box half of it, mostly just order off the kids menu though since it is a sensible portion.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    chipotle kids menu is awesome. can get tacos or quesadilla, comes with brown rice or white cilantro rice and choice of beans, small chips and guac and chocolate milk, hell yeah! and it's like 5 bucks
  • guessrs
    guessrs Posts: 358 Member
    Do your research before you go to any restaurant. The meals are high in sodium and cals. I look over nutrition info.

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