Restaurant Choices with Reasonably Low Calorie Meals

GreenValli
GreenValli Posts: 1,054 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I always have a hard time when eating at restaurants. It seems so many items are SO HIGH in calories. We had a gift card for Panera bread and we decided to use it this evening for dinner. I was very happy with the food and few calories I used. I discovered that the half Asian Salad with Chicken was only 200 calories and the cup of Chicken Soup was only 130 calories! Good filling dinner for only 320 calories. I drank coffee and took the bread home for tomorrow.

It was not really low in price for what I ate but it was very good when looking for something low calorie.

Has anyone besides me found a good restaurant where they can get a good low calorie meal?

Replies

  • sal10851
    sal10851 Posts: 171 Member
    Chipotle has some decent meals since they let you pick out the ingredients. I usually have a decent meal between 350 to 450 calories. Mostly veggies with chicken and rice.
  • TurquiseTurtle7
    TurquiseTurtle7 Posts: 16 Member
    Some of my faves:

    Arby's - classic roast chicken sandwich (370 cals).
    Chick-fil-A - grilled chicken sandwich (320 cals) or grilled wrap (350 cals).
    Sonic - grilled chicken sandwich (470 cals, less if you ask to leave off the mayo) or grilled chicken wrap (480 cals).

    I fall back on chicken a lot. :)
  • fmax168
    fmax168 Posts: 3 Member
    I found this site. It breaks down everything. https://fastfoodnutrition.org/
  • Safari_Gal_
    Safari_Gal_ Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited October 2020
    @GreenValli
    One of my fav things about my city is - I have lots of great restaurants and cafes in my neck of the woods. (Manhattan) Tons of low cal options!

    I think one can get a low or lower* cal option anywhere if one is dedicated. There are no chain restaurants in my neighborhood but an opus of places to choose from. I order something simple like poached fish and vegetables and I ask a lot of questions to try to reconstruct it in my diary to try to be as accurate as possible.

    When I was in California- In and Out burger makes a burger in a lettuce wrap. 😋
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Not really restaurants, but fast food options.
    Panda express, get the mixed vegetables and mushroom green beans or not-fried chicken dish(like broccoli, mushroom, or string bean chicken, or broccoli beef.
    Whataburger will make any sandwich a salad if you ask for no bun and extra veggies. I like the grilled chicken melt.
  • 4Phoenix
    4Phoenix Posts: 236 Member
    edited October 2020
    I don't eat in restaurants....but when necessary, order a vegetable (only) salad and bring my homemade dressing in a small container. I can usually eat beforehand and socially acceptably get by with a cup of tea. When out and about I carry a container of veggies/small amount of seeds or nuts. I don't allow myself to get hungry. I will fast until I get home if healthy choices are unavailable.
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    Mexican restaurants are usually a safe bet because so much of the menu is veggies and grilled proteins. If you stay away from the obvious calorie adds (carbs, dairy, guac) you can still have a full tasty low calorie meal.

    While most restaurants have entree salads you have to be careful about what they put on it. Cheese, bacon, croutons, avacado, nuts, and full fat dressing add up quick. You are often better off getting a grilled entree with a veggie side or basic side salad.

    Online menus and nutrition information are your friend for pre-planning.

    Personal favorite chains include:
    Chipotle
    Subway
    Outback
    Red Robin (only for their Ensenada Chicken, but great for groups and many different occasions so you don't usually have a hard time convincing people to go)
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    CookOut tray with a burger and double onion rings is very acceptable. Onion rings are way less calories than fries. I guess because they are less dense?

    My local mexican restaurants, which are small chains, usually offer a nice chicken mango salad. It’s a grilled chicken breast on a bed of spinach with diced fresh onions, tomatoes, mango and cucumber. If I can keep my paws out of the chips, I can have a great meal for well under 500 calories. I’ve started asking the waiter for a bowl of sliced bell peppers to use with the salsa instead of the chips.
  • brittkd14
    brittkd14 Posts: 22 Member
    I’m not huge on eating out, but I’ve been driving a ton for work lately. Taco Bell has a few options if you look on the value menu. I like the cinnamon twist things when I’m really wanting something sweet.

    McAlister’s Deli (Southern US chain) has a veggie chili and chicken tortilla soup that comes in under 300 for a bowl.
  • ehju0901
    ehju0901 Posts: 394 Member
    I wish nutritional information was more accessible when eating out. I usually try to research online beforehand but then I realize I can't find any nutritional info or it's not readily available so I get frustrated and just not eat there lol.

    To answer your question, I've found that just a regular cheeseburger if I'm doing fast food isn't so horrible. Also, I've done the unwich at Jimmy John's a few times and it was ok.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    Ate at a local tex-mex type place this past weekend. I had to estimate calories, but I kind of deconstructed and think I did ok on guessing.

    Cajun shrimp tacos in lettuce bowls, had 3. They would normally go in 6" flour tortillas. About 4 small breaded shrimp each. I had assumed grilled when looking at the menu (and because this place used to have several grilled shrimp tacos, but they changed their menu.) Chipotle Aioli. Found a diary entry for chipotel aioli @ 100 cals per tbsp and assumed 1 tbsp per taco. When they came, I really don't think it was that much. Perhaps 2 tbsp across the 3 - but figured that made up for the breading on the shrimp. And a cabbage blend, with some mango salsa.

    AND not getting the tortillas allowed me more room for chips & salsa. I counted my chips lol. I had 20, and figure for most thin restaurant style chips: 12-14 per ounce. So logged 2 ounces.

  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    My general 'go tos'

    Subway 6" ham or turkey or tuna
    Chic Fil A grilled chicken sandwich, maybe a salad
    McDonald's 6 nuggets & small fries
    Wendys 1/2 salad and chili
    5 Guys burger in a lettuce wrap - it is not LOW calorie, but its really good and can fit for dinner if I'm careful!
    Taco Bell - steak cantina bowl, can modify toppings. Its not unreasonable made 'normal' but you can leave out the sourcream, rice, beans if you want; or a quesadilla or a few crunchy tacos

    Most chain sit down restaurants are easy enough, with info provided. If its a small sit down restaurant and no published info - they almost always tend to have grilled chicken or grilled fish, or a small steak option. Most have multiple vegetable options as well as lighter dressings. Watch out for the bread! Eat a reasonable amount (1 piece or 1 roll for me) and log it.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited October 2020
    Re: salad dressing. If a place really has no low calorie options (I can’t remember where I was recently but even their Italian was a cream dressing) you can always ask for some lemons and go with a spritz of lemon juice.

    I’ve found that many Chinese restaurants have cooks who are happy to make something healthy if you just ask. I’m diabetic so I just say so, and the last place I went to, the cook said, “oh, my mother is diabetic, I will make what I would make for her.” I ended up with grilled fish, tofu and veggies with a spicy garlic sauce, and it was awesome.
  • GreenValli
    GreenValli Posts: 1,054 Member
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    My general 'go tos'

    Subway 6" ham or turkey or tuna
    Chic Fil A grilled chicken sandwich, maybe a salad
    McDonald's 6 nuggets & small fries
    Wendys 1/2 salad and chili
    5 Guys burger in a lettuce wrap - it is not LOW calorie, but its really good and can fit for dinner if I'm careful!
    Taco Bell - steak cantina bowl, can modify toppings. Its not unreasonable made 'normal' but you can leave out the sourcream, rice, beans if you want; or a quesadilla or a few crunchy tacos

    Most chain sit down restaurants are easy enough, with info provided. If its a small sit down restaurant and no published info - they almost always tend to have grilled chicken or grilled fish, or a small steak option. Most have multiple vegetable options as well as lighter dressings. Watch out for the bread! Eat a reasonable amount (1 piece or 1 roll for me) and log it.

    I did not know that 5 Guys has lettuce wraps.

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