Best chains for careful eaters

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Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
edited May 2017 in Food and Nutrition
I'll start off by suggesting Sweetgreen. They list all calorie info. And, I really like their "GUACAMOLE GREENS" salad.

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  • Leoturi
    Leoturi Posts: 49 Member
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    There is a clean eatz where I go to walk at and everything is listed and low calorie. I can get a burger that is only 340 calories, which is a vast improvement over any other kind of fast food. And it tastes delicious too, it is made out of bison, which I didn't even know was a viable thing to eat. They also offer other lower calorie food which is helpful when you are losing weight.
  • robinheck
    robinheck Posts: 1 Member
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    El Pollo Loco has a few good options
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Snap Kitchen and Pret a Manger usually have options I like. Bunch of more local places too.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
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    McDonald's. They list all their calorie counts and I like their new QPs.

    I'm always suspicious of McD, and I grew up with them. Most recently, I tried one of their Pico Guacamole Grilled Chicken sandwichs, and, gotta say, I liked it. Ingredients appear fairly benign. Not sure if they are rolling this out everywhere.

    https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/scr-pico-guacamole-artisan-grilled-chicken-sandwich-on-artisan-roll.html
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    I like the Cantina bowls from Taco Bell (with the dressing on the side) or a nice Subway sub.
    McDonald's. They list all their calorie counts and I like their new QPs.

    I'm always suspicious of McD, and I grew up with them. Most recently, I tried one of their Pico Guacamole Grilled Chicken sandwichs, and, gotta say, I liked it. Ingredients appear fairly benign. Not sure if they are rolling this out everywhere.

    https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/scr-pico-guacamole-artisan-grilled-chicken-sandwich-on-artisan-roll.html

    I have not seen that around my town but it sounds pretty good.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Sweetgreen sounds great. We don't have one here, but I looked at their website, and love that they are promoting urban farming, like this Chicago legend: https://medium.com/sweetgreen/will-allen-growing-power-4800dbbc0a66

    I will just mention several of my favorites (my goals are 100+ g protein and 8 to 10 servings of veg a day; eating at a highly active maintenance).

    --Applebee's has a 12 oz Butcher's Reserve sirloin that is fabulous and is 380 calories with 69 g protein; I generally get a double order of steamed broccoli for 90 cal each.

    --If I can fit it into my calories for the day (and this recommendation is probably not applicable for someone who does not have a generous calorie budget), my favorite thing from Red Robin is the guacamole bacon burger, but it's over 1000 calories, so I really have to plan for that (51 g protein). I get it with the endless side of broccoli (32 calories a serving). If I can't fit it in, I will get a Grilled Chicken Burger for 570 calories. If I really, REALLY have to be good, I get the Ensenada Chicken Platter for 430 calories/59 g protein. It is not the greatest, being kind of clumsily spiced, so I haven't gotten it in a long time.

    --Panera will always have a soup-and-salad that has a great nutritional profile for my goals; the trick is to resist the baguette and 99-cent baked items. If I were not highly active and on a 1200-calorie base, this would probably be the best one to meet my goals and not feel like I was being overly deprived.

    --Cracker Barrel, surprisingly, has some great options, like apple cider vinegar chicken or lemon pepper rainbow trout, with a lot of different veg along the side, from southern options like pinto beans and turnip greens, to standards like cucumber-tomato salad, steamed baby carrots, green beans, etc. The biscuits are the killer here!
  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
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    What are careful eaters?
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    For all eaters I find Panera the easiest, because when you go to their website, and you custom make your choices, it calculates the calories for you, when some other sites you have to do the dirty work yourself, and do some math.

    For careful eaters, I would say anyplace that puts covers over the outlets, and those foam things on sharp corners is your safe bet.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    What are careful eaters?

    I took it to mean anyone who is "full of care" in meticulously managing their nutritional goals, whether basic calorie counting or obsessive-compulsively tracking assorted macro and micro details, to the extent that they would comb through a menu's nutritional analysis and carry a scale in their purse...not that that fits anyone here. [whistles nonchalantly] :*
  • HealthierRayne
    HealthierRayne Posts: 268 Member
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    I am glad other people understood the title, I had no idea what chains meant and Sweetgreen didn't help me as I have never heard of that before haha. I was picturing a ball and chain to keep someone from going in the fridge or something.

    Now that I am on the up and up

    I like Mucho Burrito - I don't know if you have one of those where you live.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    I am careful to chew my food completely and with my mouth closed, and I try not to spill my drink down the front of me but I cannot claim to always be perfect in that endeavor!

    For fast food and fast casual chain restaurants I like Qdoba (more convenient for me than chipotle) a place called Crazy Bowls and Wraps, Five Guys, Chick FIL A , and a local place that specializes in roast beef sandwiches called Lion's Choice. They have small dipped cones for 30 cents and they are delicious and a perfect way to end a meal.

    For sit down places we rarely go to a chain but occasionally hit 54th Street Bar and Grill because I love their spicy spinach queso (gringo dip). Sometimes we get a hankering for Red Lobster but that's maybe once a year?
  • court_alacarte
    court_alacarte Posts: 219 Member
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    pretty much any fast food joint--i have found all of my local ones list calorie/macro counts online and some have very convenient "build-a-meal" settings. i live for chipotle days :)
  • stacief82
    stacief82 Posts: 109 Member
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    Cracker Barrel is a bit of a surprise, but they have lots of options that have 500 calories or less! (You just may have to avoid the delicious biscuits they bring out LOL) I had dinner there this weekend for less than 400 calories (grilled chicken tenders, baby carrots, and a side salad, with very little dressing). Normally I go a little higher there, but I had way too many calories for lunch so I had to be a bit more selective.

    Any steakhouse is always a good option. I can usually get a 6oz steak with a side salad and veggies for a reasonable amount of calories.

    Fast food wise, I like taco bell (the fresco tacos are easy to fit in a lower calorie goal) McDonalds has a new Artisan chicken sandwhich that isn't too bad on calories, and Arby's original roast beef is a go to for me. The trick is to skip the fries if you don't have a ton of calories to play with.
  • JustRobby1
    JustRobby1 Posts: 674 Member
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    I am a big fan of Jason's Deli. They have locations everywhere around the Chicago metro and have a multitude of healthy options on their menu and a fantastic salad bar.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    Chipotle is a good one... If you order a bowl and split it in half its pretty reasonable, calorie wise.

    I also like mcalisters if you have one where you live
  • fallingwave
    fallingwave Posts: 108 Member
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    Chipotle has great options. I really like McDonalds southwest grilled chicken salad. I think with the dressing it's just over 400 cals. In N Out protein burgers. Panda Express bowls with veggies and teriyaki chicken.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Wendy's salads which manage to be hearty and come in half sizes too.
  • Niki_Fitz
    Niki_Fitz Posts: 948 Member
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    Ruth's Chris lists all calorie counts!