Oh my god! Chili's calories *faint*

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  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,445 Member
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    next time you go there, choose fajitas and ask for corn tortillas or just skip the tortillas altogether and have a "salad" . you will still feel satisfied and it will be yummy but lower cal. we do this occasionally. ask for extra lettuce too.

    Normally this is awesome advice that I use, too...but seriously, something NUTS is up with Chili's...I ordered spicy shrimp tacos with a black bean side, ate less than one of the 3 tortillas, and logging it my sodium was STILL through the roof and insane, calories were crazy too. Usually I think I can go for a healthier option but at Chili's I am not even sure that's possible unfortunately.

    3rd on the fajitas options.

    except- i typically eat the tortillas- and I know it kills me for the day- My BF loves chili's he's like the worst food ofender every- he hates any place that isn't a chain almost - makes me crazy.
    Whatever- we only do it once in a while- I've gotten him hooked on the Brazilian steak houses- so all meat- all night long. WIN WIN

    Fajitas contain cheese, right? Molten and American (tm) cheese is something that gets my reflux going. Nah, I really cannot imagine eating in a chain restaurant regularly. I'd rather go to a fine dining place a few times, preferably one with simple dishes with few good ingredients. For that I'm not really in the right place atm. Oh well...
  • debrag12
    debrag12 Posts: 1,071 Member
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    Is it an American restaurant?

    It's all over the world but the chain started in America.

    Clearly the UK isn't part of the 'world' when it comes to USA chain restaurant locations lol We have mainly coffee shops, pubs, italian.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_restaurant_chains#United_Kingdom

    I want more of yours lol
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    Yeah, Chili's is a place I don't really go to but I remember having something there and it was SOOOO salty. However, I remember them making a margarita in a large blue glass. My brother and I had a nice afternoon that time. Then evening came and I was getting high again and it was not......

    OOOppps, I'm mixing up stories again.....sorry!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    next time you go there, choose fajitas and ask for corn tortillas or just skip the tortillas altogether and have a "salad" . you will still feel satisfied and it will be yummy but lower cal. we do this occasionally. ask for extra lettuce too.

    Normally this is awesome advice that I use, too...but seriously, something NUTS is up with Chili's...I ordered spicy shrimp tacos with a black bean side, ate less than one of the 3 tortillas, and logging it my sodium was STILL through the roof and insane, calories were crazy too. Usually I think I can go for a healthier option but at Chili's I am not even sure that's possible unfortunately.

    3rd on the fajitas options.

    except- i typically eat the tortillas- and I know it kills me for the day- My BF loves chili's he's like the worst food ofender every- he hates any place that isn't a chain almost - makes me crazy.
    Whatever- we only do it once in a while- I've gotten him hooked on the Brazilian steak houses- so all meat- all night long. WIN WIN

    Fajitas contain cheese, right? Molten and American (tm) cheese is something that gets my reflux going. Nah, I really cannot imagine eating in a chain restaurant regularly. I'd rather go to a fine dining place a few times, preferably one with simple dishes with few good ingredients. For that I'm not really in the right place atm. Oh well...
    I don't know what Molten is but fajitas typically have cheddar, not American, cheese on the side to add (or not) as you wish.

    With your issues, I think you're better off cooking for yourself, though.
  • Pipsg1rl
    Pipsg1rl Posts: 1,414 Member
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    By Molten Cheese I believe you mean "queso" or melted cheese product. I don't like it.

    Velveeta and American "Cheese" are not real cheese.

    A good fajita place will give you shredded cheese on the side for you to use as you like. Our regular place has now started charging extra.

    My favorite dish at Chili's is the Chicken Margarita with black beans. I can never eat the entire plate and don't feel to badly over it.

    We used to get the Portabella Steak fajitas, but they discontinued that.

    They usually offer steamed veggies as an exchange for a side item. You just have to ask. I'm super picky and ALWAYS ask for what I want.

    All drink sizes are one size other than "kid" size which comes in a small cup with a lid.

    Nothing wrong with ordering an appetizer as a meal, by the way. My son does this often with quesadillas or burger sliders.


    Additionally, I find the differences in restaurants as follows:

    Fast Food: Drive thru, service time 2 minutes or less (Mc D's, BK, Cap'n D's, Long John Silvers).

    Fast Casual: Sometimes offer a drive through, but if you go inside they take your order and then make your food. Wait time is about 7-10 minutes. (ie; Steak n Shake). Meals under $15.

    Casual: Offer a hostess, waitress, 15 minute "express lunches." Have a menu with a few different selections - Fish, Beef, Salads, etc.
  • Eabec
    Eabec Posts: 53 Member
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    Lighter side options are good. They will also not add butter or extra salt if requested. Fajitas sans tortilla are a good option too (But high in sodium). Salad, no croutons and just vinegar work too.

    Chili's leaves me retaining water for days. But, sometimes its worth it!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    next time you go there, choose fajitas and ask for corn tortillas or just skip the tortillas altogether and have a "salad" . you will still feel satisfied and it will be yummy but lower cal. we do this occasionally. ask for extra lettuce too.

    Normally this is awesome advice that I use, too...but seriously, something NUTS is up with Chili's...I ordered spicy shrimp tacos with a black bean side, ate less than one of the 3 tortillas, and logging it my sodium was STILL through the roof and insane, calories were crazy too. Usually I think I can go for a healthier option but at Chili's I am not even sure that's possible unfortunately.

    3rd on the fajitas options.

    except- i typically eat the tortillas- and I know it kills me for the day- My BF loves chili's he's like the worst food ofender every- he hates any place that isn't a chain almost - makes me crazy.
    Whatever- we only do it once in a while- I've gotten him hooked on the Brazilian steak houses- so all meat- all night long. WIN WIN

    Fajitas contain cheese, right? Molten and American (tm) cheese is something that gets my reflux going. Nah, I really cannot imagine eating in a chain restaurant regularly. I'd rather go to a fine dining place a few times, preferably one with simple dishes with few good ingredients. For that I'm not really in the right place atm. Oh well...

    usually comes on the side but you can always ask for no cheese- or cheese on the side.
  • bethanywink
    bethanywink Posts: 31
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    I usually get their 6 oz steak and veggies. Never can go wrong with that!
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Strangely enough, ate at Chili's tonight for dinner...my daughter was allowed to choose where to go, after back-to-back soccer games. So she of course chose someplace that would fix a nice rare burger.

    Split the Margarita Chicken Bowl with my son...under 500 calories, and decent macros. No problem. <bleep> the food snobs.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Chili's is disgustingly fattening and if I must eat there, I only eat a third of what I get and do not bring home the leftovers! Is wasted food/money worth staying fat to me? NO.

    over eating makes you fat- not a particular food. I wouldn't blame a restaurant for that- you gotta use some common sense- but Chili's itself isn't by nature fattening- we eat there all the time- I've never been fat.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,971 Member
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    Do you eat like this everyday? If no, breath and enjoy yourself, it's 1 meal
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    My highest weight gave me a bmi of 26, and I was probably eating about 2000 calories a day. So for me, chilis would definitely make me fat. I get what you're saying, but I think that the food they serve IS inherently fattening, especially in the amounts they give you. But you must exercise a lot, or save up calories for the meal, or have a high metabolism, so if it works for you, that's great! There are definitely a couple things that i eat that I wouldn't normally eat (like Panera).

    My guess is you completely underestimate your food intake. Nobody gets obese on 2000 calories, unless you're bed ridden and 50+ or something.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,445 Member
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    Nope, but seriously: I can eat decent sized portions all day, or I eat a few crumbs and then eat at Chilis. I also noticed that what I are wasn't really nourishing: I was hungry again after a relatively short time and my husband felt the same. Note again: we don't live in the US or Europe and our menu is rather different than what you might be used to. Certainly less healthy and there's less (if at all) quality control.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,445 Member
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    Anyway, we're making our own burgers tonight. We know there's only fresh ingredients in them, and they aren't filled with unnecessarily high amounts of salt, fat and sugar. They are seriously yummy!
  • LastCupOfSorrow
    LastCupOfSorrow Posts: 15 Member
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    I would love to organize the next coming together in a Lebanese restaurant: lots of cold meze like tabouleh, fatoush salad, hummus, labne, etc.. on the table, and then everyone can dig in. Not sure though if I can convince the guys...

    Can I come?! Tabouleh is my favorite thing on the planet and I love me some hummus, too.
  • Sevendust912
    Sevendust912 Posts: 122 Member
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    It's Chili's.

    Shouldn't be surprising that it is high in calories.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,445 Member
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    I would love to organize the next coming together in a Lebanese restaurant: lots of cold meze like tabouleh, fatoush salad, hummus, labne, etc.. on the table, and then everyone can dig in. Not sure though if I can convince the guys...

    Can I come?! Tabouleh is my favorite thing on the planet and I love me some hummus, too.

    Yay! I love cold Lebaneze meze! Tabouleh with some hummus on the fork goes extremely well together! I see my Arab colleagues eat it that way. Not too fond of warm meze though. There's too much deepfried stuff in there usually
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    What I love about these types of places are how their light section of the menu typically proudly proclaims how their options are all under 600 calories.. or some other embarrassingly high number to be considered "light."

    as someone who just had a 1700 calorie dinner , I would consider 600 light.

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