Mexican Dinner Out

deannarey13
deannarey13 Posts: 452
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
A girlfriend and I are eating out tomorrow night. She is naturally thin regardless of what she eats and she loves Mexican cuisine. She invited me out and I love the food as well. I have been on the weight loss journey long enough to know that sometimes it's just best to splurge a little and enjoy yourself. However, this is a holiday weekend and I have two brunches to get through as well. I don't want to have a free for all for the weekend. So, help me out!

Since I won't have access to the nutritional information available before hand, anyone have suggestions as to what I should order?

Replies

  • RandiLH
    RandiLH Posts: 5 Member
    I have discovered Vegetarian Fajitas at our local little Tex-Mex place and LOVE them. With just a little bit of sour cream and a little bit of rice...they are delicious. You might also ask for corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas to help cut some calories. Other than that, enjoy your night out!!!
  • misschoy
    misschoy Posts: 125 Member
    Fish taco's, that's what I always get if I'm eating Mexican and trying to be good. ENJOY!
  • danielsmommy10
    danielsmommy10 Posts: 18
    i'd go with fajitas...grilled meat and veggies, but see if you can get corn tortillas instead of flour. or even some lettuce and make a salad. many restaurants have little signs next to thier healthier items, check those out.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    VEGGIE FAJITAS AND LETTACE - that is what I always get... about 400 calories

    I don't eat the wraps or the cheese or quacimolie...
  • c_valencia
    c_valencia Posts: 3
    It depends... What would you normally order?
  • amysj303
    amysj303 Posts: 5,086 Member
    I had mexican food last night! I went with the chicken fajitas-grilled chicken and veggies are great and you can customize depending on how many calories you have remaining if you go for a tortilla, gauc or sour cream. salsa is great though, and hardly has any calories. corn tortillas are better than flour. shrimp tacos come in corn tortillas, they aren't a bad choice if offered.
    The marg, like I had, is not a good choice...
  • Melis25Fit
    Melis25Fit Posts: 811 Member
    Fajitas and only have one tortilla or none at all... pass on chips. Those are loaded with sodium.

    Taco Salad minus the shell with extra salsa and maybe a little guacamole -- pass on cheese and sour cream.

    Lots of water. They'll be sodium regardless!!!!!

    ENJOY. I LOVE mexican food!
  • deannarey13
    deannarey13 Posts: 452
    OH!!! Great suggestions by all. Thanks much!
  • BlkStool
    BlkStool Posts: 13
    Seafood Fajitas (probably only 1 or 2 of the tortillas), or some kind of grilled fish. Unless you are talking taco bell in which case I would suggest a packet of hot sauce and a water.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Yes, be careful of the sauces. I ordered fish tacos from On the Border last weekend. I thought it was the healthy menu option. It was actually over 1,000 calories with the sauce!!

    So if you have the MFP app use it at the table. You will be shocked. And remember, get whatever you want but just take some home!!
  • thefreemans28
    thefreemans28 Posts: 267 Member
    We eat Mexican probably once a week, and I have found this to be the best...

    Fajitas made with no oil (it's "aceite" in Spanish if they don't speak English)
    Eat the fajitas with no tortillas, but just guacamole, lettuce, pico de gallo, and salsa. It is really tasty, and you won't get the extra cals from the toritllas and sour cream and oil like you otherwise would.
    ALSO, limit yourself to 10 chips or so. Break the chips into pieces of 4 and eat them slowly. You'll feel like you're eating more, but you aren't.

    Good luck :-)
  • juliapurpletoes
    juliapurpletoes Posts: 951 Member
    mexican food is a tough one!!! If it were me I'd think a mexican salad type thing (skipping sour cream and asking for less cheese but extra tomotoes) with a side of rice and be good about eyeballing portions.

    Good Luck -
  • SaraEWrig
    SaraEWrig Posts: 88 Member
    Shrimp De Camerones - basically, shrimp soup. I always feel so fancy when I get it, because it typically comes in a tall, margarita-style glass. It has big, fat shrimp, fresh cilantro, tomatoes - very good!
  • AriesGrl
    AriesGrl Posts: 174 Member
    Belive it or not fajitas are the worst!!! No matter how you order them...even all veggies most places will still coat them and the skillet in butter and oil...MOST fajita veggie plates are over 1500 calories!!! I'd stick to salads and soups like tostada salads without the tostada and no guac and sour cream of course...Fish tacos are a good one....or any fish plate not fried of course...good luck!
  • deannarey13
    deannarey13 Posts: 452
    It depends... What would you normally order?

    I love all of it. I would typically order the rice and beans too but I am sure this isn't such a good idea. I am liking the fajita suggestion!
  • Dnsnyder
    Dnsnyder Posts: 263 Member
    Some mexican restraunts have chicken dishes, generally served with rice and beans. This could be one option. Also, you could order chicken fajitas and skip the cheese, sour cream, and tortillas....allowing you to enjoy the chicken and veggies. Also, salads with chicken as the protein (or without meat at all) could be a good option...just be sure to ask for all unhealthy toppings (sour cream, cheese, dressings, etc. on the side or not at all). Hope this helps! Enjoy your meal out!
  • nextrightthing
    nextrightthing Posts: 408 Member
    I had this same situation a couple of weeks ago. I ordered the appetizer size chicken tacos. I just felt that size was probably better for portion control and I was satisfied....however I never did really know the calories. It may be worth checking out the appetizers. Good luck....you are thinking ahead, you will do fine!
  • lauriemix
    lauriemix Posts: 1
    My dillema was lunch at a mexican place yesterday. I ended up having a chicken broth based soup minus the tortillas. Filled me up, had a nice spice to it and I didn't feel "deprived" at all. Good luck.:smile:
  • deannarey13
    deannarey13 Posts: 452
    Belive it or not fajitas are the worst!!! No matter how you order them...even all veggies most places will still coat them and the skillet in butter and oil...MOST fajita veggie plates are over 1500 calories!!! I'd stick to salads and soups like tostada salads without the tostada and no guac and sour cream of course...Fish tacos are a good one....or any fish plate not fried of course...good luck!

    Aw, really!? Bummer! That was my concern, is that there are very few good options available.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    man this makes me want mexican... hummm dinner maybe
  • aesquivel47
    aesquivel47 Posts: 37 Member
    if they have a pollo al carbon, go for that, its usually grilled chicken breast with onions and peppers. i also get chicken en salsa or pollo ranchero but it needs to be fresh salsa. another possible option is a coctel de camaron or mexican style shrimp cocktail. I don't know the calories but these are safe bets given all the possible pitfalls. choose corn tortillas over flour, choose black beans over pinto.
  • aehartley
    aehartley Posts: 269 Member
    At our local mexican place... we know the owners really well and we ask them not to use oil or butter... they know that I have been super healthy and they understand so I doubt that mine are close to 1500 calories a skillet
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