Restaurant healthy go-to meal?

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Rannoch3908
Rannoch3908 Posts: 177 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It's been almost a month of only healthy eating. No fast food or restaurant food (used to be a twice a day thing).

To celebrate the wife and I are hitting the town. Gonna go have a nice sit down restaurant meal while still trying to stay healthy, under calories, and be smart about it.

What are some go to choices when y'all go out for a nice dinner and drinks in the town that are filling but not calorie bombs?
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Replies

  • IronIsMyTherapy
    IronIsMyTherapy Posts: 482 Member
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    Steak, plain baked potato, side of broccoli
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
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    6-9 oz steak. Side depends on what they offer. I like to try different vegetable sides at restaurants. I may also have a baked potato or sweet potato.

    Or if they have fish options, I enjoy grilled/blackened white fish or a grilled piece of salmon. If I have a salad, I ask about their lower calorie dressing options. If I have a roll, I limit myself to 1-2 and log it accordingly.

    For salmon or steak, if the menu does not indicate then ask how many ounces are in the standard portion.

    For a special dinner, I'm liking to try to trim my calories a little during the day and/or get in an extra walk to help 'pay' for the meal.
  • amart4224
    amart4224 Posts: 345 Member
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    Just as an example: I went to outback steakhouse last week and had their pineapple pork medallions, mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli. 800 cals for the whole plate, of which I left some uneaten due to fullness. It was delicious!
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    edited September 2020
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    Chipotle Salads, light on the dressing, without the cheese and sour cream are pretty solid and very filling (for casual).

    But for drinks, great drinks are Cosmos or a Hard seltzer. Chicken breast and vegetables or a nice salad are great. One of the best places (a fancy resort) around me has a shrimp salad that's wonderful. It's a Mexican shrimp salad.

    Look for food that is not fried or loaded with cheese. My wife can't do cow dairy and I'm celiac. It's amazing when you eliminate fried food, dairy and bread -- everything becomes pretty healthy. I'd guess that 70% of calories in restaurants come from foo foo drinks (like Pina Coladas), fried food (think Bloomin' Onion at Outback) and sauces or cheese. So if you watch that (and bread), you're usually fine.
  • BahstenB10
    BahstenB10 Posts: 227 Member
    edited September 2020
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    Bonefish Grill B)

    Ahi Tuna - Medium Rare; xtra blackening (220 cals)
    Jasmine Rice (210 cals)
    Asparagus or seasonable veggie (70 cals)

    My fave.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,461 Member
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    My small local Mexican restaurant chain has a fabulous mango salsa chicken salad.

    It’s a large grilled chicken breast on a bed of spinach topped with chopped tomatoes, a little onion, and mango.

    Delicious, filling, and under 500 calories by my math.

    If ONLY I could stay out of the chips and salsa...... so I ask for a bowl of sliced bell peppers to dip instead. If they bring it fast, I’m golden. If they don’t, well hello chips.... it’s always a gamble.
  • slytherclawpride
    slytherclawpride Posts: 22 Member
    edited September 2020
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    Railgrl wrote: »
    Consider researching the menu before you get there. I’ve been surprised - after ordering what I thought was the best choice - at how high calories and fat can be in salads, fish dishes, soups etc. (Seemingly healthy meals.) One of the lowest calorie options at a popular restaurant in my neighbourhood is actually the streak with fries! Knowing what you want before you arrive takes the pressure off.

    This. I always like to research my options beforehand. Sometimes, you can get a filling meal that's not calorie dense, though sometimes the only choice you have is a salad without dressing. This sometimes happens to me if it's something like someone's birthday and they pick the restaurant, or to celebrate a holiday, or just a family get together or something and my grandma or someone else picks the restaurant and there's not really a healthy options section. Then, I have to decide whether or not I want to just not worry about it for this occasion or stick to my plan and just get a salad without dressing or another dish without this and that.

  • AlexandraFindsHerself1971
    AlexandraFindsHerself1971 Posts: 3,106 Member
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    I've deliberately taught my body to be satisfied with smaller portions, so I order something that will be tasty now and tasty later, and take half to two-thirds of it home. I can't do what most people do with filling up on salad or steamed veggies, so I just avoid the bread roll or only eat half, and more or less figure out what a normal portion for me looks like on the plate, eat that, and box the rest.

    I often tell the waiter when they bring the food to bring me a box then as well, because that way I'm not sitting there looking at it and nibbling at it.
  • MaltedTea
    MaltedTea Posts: 6,286 Member
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    I'll eat most anything but like bean-based meals (hard to come by outside of chili, for some reason), seafood (like eel nigiri) and... MUSHROOMS! 😋

    I avoid sides with rice and was never a big fan of potatoes so I may swap with folks at my table or just leave 'em alone altogether if menu subs aren't possible.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I don't really have any kind of "go to"...it depends on the restaurant and my mood. My wife and I eat out pretty rarely, so it's not something I do a whole lot of hand wringing over. Our last meal out was in mid August at a local place called Indigo Crow....I had the duck cooked medium rare with mushroom risotto and asparagus.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
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    Railgrl wrote: »
    Consider researching the menu before you get there.
    ALZ14 wrote: »
    I like to look up the menu and nutrition information (where available) before we go out.

    Bingo! @Railgrl and @ALZ14 nailed it!

    I always try to do this, especially if they are a larger chain-type restaurant that posts their calories. If not, I've been able to learn that there are certain "go-to's" I use in a pinch. Usually grilled steak or chicken, and steamed vegetables (not drenched in butter or sauces). Chili's has a good menu that has lighter choices on it, I like the Margharita Chicken!

    I stay away from salads at restaurants to be honest because they usually have so much crap on them that they are calorie bombs! Don't be afraid to eat out every now and again. You'll learn how to navigate the menus after a while I promise!

    Have fun!
  • AlannaWulf
    AlannaWulf Posts: 25 Member
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    I'm on team look up the menu beforehand. I'm pretty proud of myself for finding filling foods at almost any restaurant for 500-800 calories. Grilled chicken, veggies/salads with no dressing, and fruit tend to be my go tos.
  • gewel321
    gewel321 Posts: 718 Member
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    I always look at the menu several days early to decide how many calories I am going to spend on that meal. If I know that I won't realistically be able to fit it in that day's calories I save some from other days or workout an extra time that week to prepare. If I want a roll with butter at Texas Roadhouse (240 calories) I am going to have one but I will make it fit.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    My go-to tends to be a grilled chicken sandwich. Available at most restaurants, even unfamiliar ones.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,224 Member
    edited September 2020
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    If I’m not able to check out the menu or none of the options look like they will fit, a smaller steak or Fish/chicken that is grilled/seared/plain (not battered/fried & covered in sauce), veggies and baked potato (or next closest option) are generally my choices. Broth based soups can also fit as can side salad with lighter dressing options if you’re going to a fancy joint where that comes with the meal. Regular salads are often some of the highest calorie options on the menu.

    Steak and veggies/baked potatoes are least likely to have a pile of extra ingredients and taste good “plain” (eg asking for less of higher calorie/fat ingredients in other dishes may leave them lacking taste - where a good steak tastes wonderful without a bunch of stuff on it). You can control the amount of butter/sour cream you put on your potato (vs other side dish options).
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
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    My very favorite authentic Mexican restaurant, chicken fajitas, no tortilla, no beans or rice, margarita. Very doable calorie wise.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,675 Member
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    salmon or filet and sweet potato with salad. Unfortunately, I usually end up eating blue cheese dressing on the salad, rolls and butter and a large beer which makes the meal a lot more fattening. The Cobb salad at Red Robin is not fattening and is very filling.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
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    missysippy930 wrote: »
    My very favorite authentic Mexican restaurant, chicken fajitas, no tortilla, no beans or rice, margarita. Very doable calorie wise.

    Love traditional street tacos -- just corn tacos, meat, pico de gallo, and cilantro, some salsa w/ lime -- not slathered in cheese and sour cream.

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