Why do salads from chains ruin my diet?

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amalin84
amalin84 Posts: 12 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I notice when I order a salad from a chain (ie: Au Bon Pain, Panera, Fresh City, etc) when I check the nutrition facts its always off the charts! 600+ cals for a salad???! High sodium?! High Fat?! My typical salad choices are Caesar, Cobb (no bacon), Greek and Garden. Usually add on chicken or tuna. Rather basic choices you can get anywhere. When I make the same salad at home and use store-bought dressing, it hardly ever ruins my diet. Homemade with dressing, usually runs under 400 cals. True, I use low-fat dressing, and skim cheese (if any), and cook my own chicken and make my own tuna salad but do the cals and fat % and sodium really creep up that fast & easy?

Yes, I can continue to make my own salads at home but sometimes I am lazy or am running late or just want to feel fancy and have someone else make my salad. Whats the deal?
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Replies

  • SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222
    SoreTodayStrongTomorrow222 Posts: 252 Member
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    I notice when I order a salad from a chain (ie: Au Bon Pain, Panera, Fresh City, etc) when I check the nutrition facts its always off the charts! 600+ cals for a salad???! High sodium?! High Fat?! My typical salad choices are Caesar, Cobb (no bacon), Greek and Garden. Usually add on chicken or tuna. Rather basic choices you can get anywhere. When I make the same salad at home and use store-bought dressing, it hardly ever ruins my diet. Homemade with dressing, usually runs under 400 cals. True, I use low-fat dressing, and skim cheese (if any), and cook my own chicken and make my own tuna salad but do the cals and fat % and sodium really creep up that fast & easy?

    Yes, I can continue to make my own salads at home but sometimes I am lazy or am running late or just want to feel fancy and have someone else make my salad. Whats the deal?

    I know, its a mystery right? You put all the same stuff in but somehow the restaurant chains have higher calories - perhaps its how they cook their chicken or something - Ive also heard they add things (Idk what) to keep them fresh that might be it - but i really don't know. Or maybe we are just underestimating what we put in our own salads - Also could be portion bevause think of the salad at home v. the ginormous salad you get at panera.

    when I am being lazy or dont have enough time to pack a lunch - I usually get a burrito bowl from chipotle (yum) with brown rice, chicken, peppers and onions, black beans, and corn salsa - got some veggies, slow buring carbs and protein in there for about 600 calories -keeps me full all day. I tend to want more and more and more if I eat only salads.
  • eimaj5575
    eimaj5575 Posts: 278 Member
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    Ummm the deal is its a food chain salad. They dont care how many calories are in it, bc its called a salad people get it thinking its healthy, but it doesnt matter to them what is actually in it. If you wanna know exactly what your eating you have to make it yourself.
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
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    Most (almost all) restaurant chains are going to sell salads that taste good. That means added salt, fat, and maybe even sugar. You could try specifying what goes into it. I'm not sure how well that would work.

    I have the same problem with salads I buy, but I now know what to expect, so I plan ahead for it by cutting back on other meals, or I skip buying a salad. Oh wait, I forgot, sometimes I just figure the hell with it and order the salad anyway.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Dressing and toppings, pretty much. Cheese is 100 calories for 1 oz typically, then there are often nuts, and it adds up real fast... For Caesar salads, it's the croutons (and cheese)! For Cobb, the cheese and avocado (healthy, but they typically put a lot of them). Greek, same, lots of cheese... not sure how many calories are in olives, I hate them. Garden... yeah it's mostly the dressing, lol.

    Frankly at home my salads often end up high calories as well when I use regular cheese and dressing (even if just olive oil and vinegar), but I weigh everything, so I know I'm accurate.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    they all put crap in it.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    Try Mcdonalds or Wendys.
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
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    Perhaps choose a different salad. Panera has several that are 400 and under. And they are good.
  • angiechristi
    angiechristi Posts: 8 Member
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    I work in foodservice and the calories in salads can be horrendous!!

    BUT you can make them lower.
    1. order the small sized version.
    2. Dressing on the side. Don't pour it on, just dip. Better yet use your own dressing.
    3. No cheese or light on the cheese. Some salads have over a 1/2 cup of cheese. Mega calories and fat!
    4. Croutons - avoid them unless you make you own. Many packaged croutons are fried, so each big ole crouton can be 25-30 calories each.

    Good Luck!
  • jim180155
    jim180155 Posts: 769 Member
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    I'm currently reading Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss. It takes kind of a historical look at the food industry. Most of us already know that salt, sugar and fat are added to foods by the manufacturers. This book explains why. It also talks about some of the giants like Kraft who tried to reduce salt sugar and fat in their products and how it almost destroyed them. Overall, it's a pretty interesting book.
  • amalin84
    amalin84 Posts: 12 Member
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    Interesting. I'll have to check that out.
  • amalin84
    amalin84 Posts: 12 Member
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    Good point. I'll have to check that out ... and thank you for endorsing my love of chipotle :)
  • amalin84
    amalin84 Posts: 12 Member
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    Thank you for the tips!
    I work in foodservice and the calories in salads can be horrendous!!

    BUT you can make them lower.
    1. order the small sized version.
    2. Dressing on the side. Don't pour it on, just dip. Better yet use your own dressing.
    3. No cheese or light on the cheese. Some salads have over a 1/2 cup of cheese. Mega calories and fat!
    4. Croutons - avoid them unless you make you own. Many packaged croutons are fried, so each big ole crouton can be 25-30 calories each.

    Good Luck!
  • ChaplainHeavin
    ChaplainHeavin Posts: 426 Member
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    I notice when I order a salad from a chain (ie: Au Bon Pain, Panera, Fresh City, etc) when I check the nutrition facts its always off the charts! 600+ cals for a salad???! High sodium?! High Fat?! My typical salad choices are Caesar, Cobb (no bacon), Greek and Garden. Usually add on chicken or tuna. Rather basic choices you can get anywhere. When I make the same salad at home and use store-bought dressing, it hardly ever ruins my diet. Homemade with dressing, usually runs under 400 cals. True, I use low-fat dressing, and skim cheese (if any), and cook my own chicken and make my own tuna salad but do the cals and fat % and sodium really creep up that fast & easy?

    Yes, I can continue to make my own salads at home but sometimes I am lazy or am running late or just want to feel fancy and have someone else make my salad. Whats the deal?

    It's the salad dressings and other extra stuff that pump up the calorie numbers
  • LolaDeeDaisy23
    LolaDeeDaisy23 Posts: 383 Member
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    I honestly hate this. The only people who are order salads are the ones watching their calories. It doesn't make sense how a salad at Applebee's has more calories than their Sizzling Entrees under 550 menu. Petition for low calorie salads!
  • deanna418
    deanna418 Posts: 103 Member
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    That's a lot of the reasons why I stopped ordering salads out because I could eat a something besides a salad for around the same calories depending on what I get. I agree with the above statement that a lot of times they add more cheese then a serving size actually is. It amazes me how you can make the same salad, burger, whatever and it's less calories!
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
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    Yep! I eat out a lot for my job...I work in sales.

    You basically have to tell them No cheese, no croutons, and put the dressing on the side. Or substitute for oil and vinegar.

    Subway salads ... you can add what you want ;)
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
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    I honestly hate this. The only people who are order salads are the ones watching their calories. It doesn't make sense how a salad at Applebee's has more calories than their Sizzling Entrees under 550 menu. Petition for low calorie salads!

    I second this petition!
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    I fail to see how an entree sized salad being 600 calories is an issue.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    I fail to see how an entree sized salad being 600 calories is an issue.

    Yeah, no kidding.

    Also, not everyone who eats salads is on a diet.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    I fail to see how an entree sized salad being 600 calories is an issue.

    Yeah, no kidding.

    Also, not everyone who eats salads is on a diet.

    Also, how does 200 calories ruin one's day?

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