Mexican Restaurant Hacks
byoung8433
Posts: 27 Member
Sooo, I'm going to a Mexican restaurant for dinner tonight and I need your tips and tricks to survive this meal without grossly disappointing myself. As we all know, Mexican food is amazing cheese, guac and margaritas for the win! What are some ways you guys navigate through the meals? Drinks and chips and salsa
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Replies
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skip the chips and salsa. It amounts to a HUGE amount of calories before your meal even comes. For drinks i'd go with a diet soda. If you must drink alcohol, they can usually make a "light" margarita.
For food your best bet is going to be something you can make yourself. For this reason, i almost always suggest fajitas. Whether you eat chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. You can easily build your own tacos with lower amounts of cheese, sauces, and guac. You control what goes in there. Fill up with meats/veggies, then add beans (request black beans if you can), rice, fresh pico, a squeeze of lime, you got this!
Here's my fajita dish i normally get:
edit: P.S. YES, ask for lite oil or oil free. Depending on where you go, some places use a nasty amount of oil to cook their foods.
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Fun!
1. Margarita - have one! I like them 1/3 tequila, 1/3 lime juice, 1/3 contreau. I can taste "agave nectar" a mile away and really don't like it, but that's just me. Mixing to my pref is 200 kcal (less sugar than with a mix or agave).
2. chips & salsa - enjoy them! I eat 3 chips. It's enough to get a taste & enjoy the salsa and doesn't fill you up before your meal arrives. Honestly, if I'm enjoying the company, I will lose track of how many I've had if I eat more than three, so I just stop at 3. If I want more after my meal, I'll have more then.
3. Main - Almost all Mexican places have some sort of salad with grilled chicken, if you like that. Some places I do, some places I don't. Just depends on how they do salad. (Skip dressing & use salsa if you really can't enjoy it dry.) Fajitas can be pretty high protein, yummy and easy (relatively) to estimate for logging. Some places use A LOT of oil on the fajitas, so if they offer a low oil version that can help. Otherwise just observe carefully to log accurately.
Enjoy!1 -
I tend to stick with water when I go out - it's literally free (no money or calories). I'm picky and don't like avocado, I leave the guacamole for everyone else to eat. I can certainly eat the basket of chips that is meant for the entire table to share, so I'll take a handful and put them on my plate, eating only those. If I want more, no worries, my super delicious meal is on its way. I've been getting street tacos at my nearby Mexican restaurant, soft shells, pick the protein. They don't come with much cheese, so that's not a worry. I do love cheese, so sometimes I'll get a burrito that has quite a bit. I'm there to enjoy the meal and that's what I'm gonna do!2
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I find that eating just a few chips works for me. I break the chips smaller so it seems like I am really having more than I am. Then, I order something called chicken veggies. It is basically grilled chicken with lots of grilled veggies with a litte bit of cheese. Comes with a salad on the side. I bet even if the restaurant didn't have that on the menu, they would be willing to make it. Have fun!1
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Fun!
1. Margarita - have one! I like them 1/3 tequila, 1/3 lime juice, 1/3 contreau. I can taste "agave nectar" a mile away and really don't like it, but that's just me. Mixing to my pref is 200 kcal (less sugar than with a mix or agave).
2. chips & salsa - enjoy them! I eat 3 chips. It's enough to get a taste & enjoy the salsa and doesn't fill you up before your meal arrives. Honestly, if I'm enjoying the company, I will lose track of how many I've had if I eat more than three, so I just stop at 3. If I want more after my meal, I'll have more then.
3. Main - Almost all Mexican places have some sort of salad with grilled chicken, if you like that. Some places I do, some places I don't. Just depends on how they do salad. (Skip dressing & use salsa if you really can't enjoy it dry.) Fajitas can be pretty high protein, yummy and easy (relatively) to estimate for logging. Some places use A LOT of oil on the fajitas, so if they offer a low oil version that can help. Otherwise just observe carefully to log accurately.
Enjoy!
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^^^lol. Like!0
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Corn tortillas generally have fewer calories than flour tortillas, so if you are given the option with your meal then that's a good choice. I personally think they taste better as well.2
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I usually just enjoy myself. We don't really eat out all that often so when we do I just enjoy...in the grand scheme of things it's really no biggie.4
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@rainbowbow - That dish looks awesome.. I am drooling over here and it's only 9am, lol!1
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rainbowbow wrote: »skip the chips and salsa. It amounts to a HUGE amount of calories before your meal even comes. For drinks i'd go with a diet soda. If you must drink alcohol, they can usually make a "light" margarita.
For food your best bet is going to be something you can make yourself. For this reason, i almost always suggest fajitas. Whether you eat chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. You can easily build your own tacos with lower amounts of cheese, sauces, and guac. You control what goes in there. Fill up with meats/veggies, then add beans (request black beans if you can), rice, fresh pico, a squeeze of lime, you got this!
Here's my fajita dish i normally get:
edit: P.S. YES, ask for lite oil or oil free. Depending on where you go, some places use a nasty amount of oil to cook their foods.
Cauliflower and broccoli?! What kind of Mexican restaruant is that?!
But I agree with everything you said. Although last time I went for Mexican I did have chips. But, I put 5 on my plate, and broke each chip into 4ths. Then ate those one at a time and slowly. I was able to limit myself to 7 chips that day. Considering my tendency to eat an entire basket, I'd consider that a win.3 -
byoung8433 wrote: »Sooo, I'm going to a Mexican restaurant for dinner tonight and I need your tips and tricks to survive this meal without grossly disappointing myself. As we all know, Mexican food is amazing cheese, guac and margaritas for the win! What are some ways you guys navigate through the meals? Drinks and chips and salsa
I order steak and chicken fajitas and I don't eat them in a tortilla, I just eat it as a sort of stir fry. I ask for veggies instead of rice and beans and I haven't had anyone say anything. I still eat the guac, sour cream and a little salsa. No chips. It's like a chipoltle bowl times 10.2 -
When you say Mexican restaurant are we talking a chain restaurant like Chevy's or One the Border? Or are we talking authentic/family owned? Because if that's the case I refuse to restrain myself.3
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rainbowbow wrote: »skip the chips and salsa. It amounts to a HUGE amount of calories before your meal even comes. For drinks i'd go with a diet soda. If you must drink alcohol, they can usually make a "light" margarita.
For food your best bet is going to be something you can make yourself. For this reason, i almost always suggest fajitas. Whether you eat chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. You can easily build your own tacos with lower amounts of cheese, sauces, and guac. You control what goes in there. Fill up with meats/veggies, then add beans (request black beans if you can), rice, fresh pico, a squeeze of lime, you got this!
Here's my fajita dish i normally get:
edit: P.S. YES, ask for lite oil or oil free. Depending on where you go, some places use a nasty amount of oil to cook their foods.
Cauliflower and broccoli?! What kind of Mexican restaruant is that?!
But I agree with everything you said. Although last time I went for Mexican I did have chips. But, I put 5 on my plate, and broke each chip into 4ths. Then ate those one at a time and slowly. I was able to limit myself to 7 chips that day. Considering my tendency to eat an entire basket, I'd consider that a win.
it's a locally owned mexican restaurant in the south of Texas. It's pretty authentic. I happen to be vegetarian, and they offered to whip me up some fajitas.
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rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »skip the chips and salsa. It amounts to a HUGE amount of calories before your meal even comes. For drinks i'd go with a diet soda. If you must drink alcohol, they can usually make a "light" margarita.
For food your best bet is going to be something you can make yourself. For this reason, i almost always suggest fajitas. Whether you eat chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. You can easily build your own tacos with lower amounts of cheese, sauces, and guac. You control what goes in there. Fill up with meats/veggies, then add beans (request black beans if you can), rice, fresh pico, a squeeze of lime, you got this!
Here's my fajita dish i normally get:
edit: P.S. YES, ask for lite oil or oil free. Depending on where you go, some places use a nasty amount of oil to cook their foods.
Cauliflower and broccoli?! What kind of Mexican restaruant is that?!
But I agree with everything you said. Although last time I went for Mexican I did have chips. But, I put 5 on my plate, and broke each chip into 4ths. Then ate those one at a time and slowly. I was able to limit myself to 7 chips that day. Considering my tendency to eat an entire basket, I'd consider that a win.
it's a locally owned mexican restaurant in the south of Texas. It's pretty authentic. I happen to be vegetarian, and they offered to whip me up some fajitas.
That's pretty awesome. I see portobello ones a lot, but that's not something I've seen (and I'm in Houston).0 -
Mexican food is my weakness! Count your chips and limit yourself to a reasonable serving size. As mentioned, fajitas are always a good choice since you are able to pick and choose your ingredients. Also, order corn tortillas instead of flour, as they are typically lower in calories. I usually get away with 500 to 800 calories for a Mexican meal.1
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rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »skip the chips and salsa. It amounts to a HUGE amount of calories before your meal even comes. For drinks i'd go with a diet soda. If you must drink alcohol, they can usually make a "light" margarita.
For food your best bet is going to be something you can make yourself. For this reason, i almost always suggest fajitas. Whether you eat chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. You can easily build your own tacos with lower amounts of cheese, sauces, and guac. You control what goes in there. Fill up with meats/veggies, then add beans (request black beans if you can), rice, fresh pico, a squeeze of lime, you got this!
Here's my fajita dish i normally get:
edit: P.S. YES, ask for lite oil or oil free. Depending on where you go, some places use a nasty amount of oil to cook their foods.
Cauliflower and broccoli?! What kind of Mexican restaruant is that?!
But I agree with everything you said. Although last time I went for Mexican I did have chips. But, I put 5 on my plate, and broke each chip into 4ths. Then ate those one at a time and slowly. I was able to limit myself to 7 chips that day. Considering my tendency to eat an entire basket, I'd consider that a win.
it's a locally owned mexican restaurant in the south of Texas. It's pretty authentic. I happen to be vegetarian, and they offered to whip me up some fajitas.
That's pretty awesome. I see portobello ones a lot, but that's not something I've seen (and I'm in Houston).
go to mammacita's off of 290 near highway 6. They also have some bad *kitten* fajitas and food. They also have like 6 strictly vegetarian items on their menu.
p.s. it's no pappasitos or anything, but it's cheap, tasty, and they have sooo many options. They also have a drink called the "blue spider".... good god...0 -
rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »skip the chips and salsa. It amounts to a HUGE amount of calories before your meal even comes. For drinks i'd go with a diet soda. If you must drink alcohol, they can usually make a "light" margarita.
For food your best bet is going to be something you can make yourself. For this reason, i almost always suggest fajitas. Whether you eat chicken, beef, shrimp, etc. You can easily build your own tacos with lower amounts of cheese, sauces, and guac. You control what goes in there. Fill up with meats/veggies, then add beans (request black beans if you can), rice, fresh pico, a squeeze of lime, you got this!
Here's my fajita dish i normally get:
edit: P.S. YES, ask for lite oil or oil free. Depending on where you go, some places use a nasty amount of oil to cook their foods.
Cauliflower and broccoli?! What kind of Mexican restaruant is that?!
But I agree with everything you said. Although last time I went for Mexican I did have chips. But, I put 5 on my plate, and broke each chip into 4ths. Then ate those one at a time and slowly. I was able to limit myself to 7 chips that day. Considering my tendency to eat an entire basket, I'd consider that a win.
it's a locally owned mexican restaurant in the south of Texas. It's pretty authentic. I happen to be vegetarian, and they offered to whip me up some fajitas.
That's pretty awesome. I see portobello ones a lot, but that's not something I've seen (and I'm in Houston).
go to mammacita's off of 290 near highway 6. They also have some bad *kitten* fajitas and food. They also have like 6 strictly vegetarian items on their menu.
Ooh, I'll definitely do that. We're headed up that way tomorrow for game day.0 -
I like the taco salads with just salsa as dressing but those tortilla bowls can be evil.
Honestly though, in most places, 3 tacos will be reasonable - like 600-800 calories. But you got to skip the sides. I like fajitas too but you can easily have 200 hidden calories in oil in there.0 -
taco salad, don't eat the shell or fajitas and use salsa for dressing. I usually get fajitas. Ask for low oil. I don't eat the tortillas or smuggle in a couple low carb ones! LOL. I skip the rice and beans usually. I have had a couple of those skinny margaritas, they are ok.The mix in a regular one has lot calories. Also can have like a Mexican bloody mary... if you don't mind the spicy tomato mix...with tequila, cilantro... You will probably get more salt than usual as in most eating out. Just drink lot water next day.0
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Barbacoa tacos are my favorite...
Also, authentic Mexican cuisine has numerous healthy options...smothering everything in gallons of melted cheese is totally an American thing.3 -
AlisonH729 wrote: »When you say Mexican restaurant are we talking a chain restaurant like Chevy's or One the Border? Or are we talking authentic/family owned? Because if that's the case I refuse to restrain myself.
Not a chain0 -
Thanks everyone this insight is great!0
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1. veggie or chick en fajitas NO CHEESE, and EXTRA LETTUCE instead of the rice and beans;
2. I order ONE margarita (I love them so!) and an extra shot of tequila on the side, which I dump into the margarita. Twice the happy; half the mixer calories.1 -
^^ Agree
My favorite place right now serves is a hole-in-the-wall taco joint. You can get things like veal brain, cow cheek, tongue and tripe if you want (and I have done the lingua and tripa), but I usually get their pollo adobado with sauteed nopales and onion. No cheese, no guac, though you can pay extra for it if you want. Yum.
And then there's their completely non-traditional tres leches cake. Totally worth it every now and again.0 -
My best advice is to order ala carte so you're not tempted to eat the rice and beans. I always order soft chicken tacos with corn tortillas. Ask if they double up on the tortillas, and if so you can get half as many as you're hungry for and just and split up the protein. Onion, salsa, and cilantro are low in calories and lots of flavor.
If I have the calories and they have good chips (warm and not too greasy) that are worth the calories I will eat 5 chips with some salsa, but some days that just feels like a tease to me so I'd rather skip it than feel deprived.
+ to the skinny margarita idea if they offer one.1 -
byoung8433 wrote: »AlisonH729 wrote: »When you say Mexican restaurant are we talking a chain restaurant like Chevy's or One the Border? Or are we talking authentic/family owned? Because if that's the case I refuse to restrain myself.
Not a chain
Mmm. You should have plenty of options then.
You see I, I happen to be a sucker for chimichangas. 1 -
I usually order a spinach enchilada, a shrimp enchilada, and a Corona Light. The enchiladas have very little cheese sprinkled on top, none in the filling, and grilled vegetables. While I'm waiting, I enjoy a FEW tortilla chips and salsa (all home made at our local Mexican restaurant). Normally 500-600 calories, as best as I can estimate.0
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Oh my god this is making me so hungry. I love the idea of taking 3-5 chips and breaking them into fourths...I couldn't give up chips and salsa cold turkey lol...But fajitas are DELICIOUS--good call on the oil-free request though. I hadn't thought about how much they cook with it.0
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I'm glad I came across this thread, because my boyfriend really wants to try a new brunch place tomorrow and I already have browsed their menu. This was my method:
1. I looked at the menu online and tried to find something that didn't seem too heavy/big (I settled on huevos rancheros for brunch)
2. Looked at the drinks and see if I could squeeze in a cocktail, and if so, could I modify it (i.e., no agave, or diet soda water)
3. I then entered in everything into MFP to the best of my knowledge (it's a small restaurant, no chain) and picked everything they listed was in my item and entered into MFP. I purposely over-estimated my calories just to give myself some buffer room.2 -
This is a great list of recommendations. Mexican is one of my weaknesses, and I went to a new place last weekend and I think my dinner was about 1200 calories, so you don't necessarily want to take recommendations from me. I will say I had about 700+ calories from paddleboarding and other cardio earlier, so the full 1200 was less traumatic than if I hadn't worked out, so it was only 500 or so net calories that day.
I honestly hadn't considered the benefits of fajitas, so will have to try that next time I go (I'm a sucker for a good enchilada and rice and beans). I usually count my chips to keep it at a typical serving of around 7 or so, but I was ravenous, so I blew a lot of calories there and had to estimate a double serving (which was like 300 of the 1200 calories).
I did do a Corona Light instead of a Margarita since it's only 95 calories, but I like the tip to either order a skinny Margarita or order one Margarita with a tequilla shot on the side. Will have to remember that for next time.0
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