Healthy Mexican Food eating

taintedbutterfly18
taintedbutterfly18 Posts: 189 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
If you are going out for Mexican food, what makes your meal healthier or what do you order that is more reasonable in calories, fat, carbs and so forth?
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Replies

  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I always get chicken, rice & beans (pollo asado). or pork carnitas, rice, & beans. Skip the tortillas. Mmmm, mmm, love it. Delicious, well balanced meal. Another popular "healthy" option is fajitas.
  • MrsWibbly
    MrsWibbly Posts: 415 Member
    I would love to see the answers for this! I try and avoid the 'free' chips, guacomole, sour cream and cheese. Fajitas are meat and veg that you can roll in the tortilla yourself - so you could just have one tortilla then just eat the meat and veggies - I've done that before. I can usually do OK as long as I stay off the tequila!
  • skybird455
    skybird455 Posts: 172 Member
    i get fajitas with corn tortillas no cheese
  • taintedbutterfly18
    taintedbutterfly18 Posts: 189 Member
    This is a problem when I go out to a mexican restaurant! I love my cheese and chips and tortillas and yada yada. Seeing some other options as I usually get tacos/rice/enchillada something or other
  • jamiem1102
    jamiem1102 Posts: 1,196 Member
    I usually go for fajitas... I dont eat rice... I don't eat tortillas (but I DO eat chips & Salsa)... and ask for Black Beans if it is available. :)


    ...what I REALLY want to eat is an entirely different story... :noway:
  • lauragoat
    lauragoat Posts: 197 Member
    The best time that I ended with totally awesome food at a mexican restaurant was when the fajitas they had sent out the first time were SO SALTY that you couldn't stand it. When i sent it back, I asked for no salt (I eat very little salt...can't stand it) and asked them to hold the peppers (don't like them either) and add extra onions (LOVE THEM!)... OMG they were awesome and the no salt thing... totally made a difference.

    If you ever want a totally different experience at White Castles, ask for your sliders with no salt... They taste totally different and totally good!!!!
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    I like the soups. Give you the flavors and seem to fill me up. Then only salt is the big issue.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
    Mexican food is my favorite above everything else, could eat it every day! i eat corn tortillas instead of flour, exchange lean chicken or shrimp instead of beef, whole beans instead of refried, etc. i do allow myself to eat chips w/ salsa, but i count them out and only have about 20. (i used to eat BOWLS FULL, literally.) avoid things with tons of cheese, like enchiladas, and do fajitas, or meat platters. yum - now i want to go out to eat! guacamole is usually pretty good, too, assuming it's made from whole avacados and not sour cream.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    You can avoid the globs of cheese and sour cream by getting authentic Mexican food.

    The biggest calorie damage comes from items that are fried, obviously.

    I like Mexican seafood. Although one of my favorites is a whole fried fish, lower cal options include ceviche (diced shrimp or fish with veggies "cooked" in lime juice) and coctels -- seafood goodies (shrimp, octopus, etc) and veggies served cold in a big glass with a tomato juice base.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    guacamole is usually pretty good, too, assuming it's made from whole avacados and not sour cream.
    If they're adding sour cream to the guacamole, you're in the wrong place.
  • Ninatoots
    Ninatoots Posts: 192 Member
    http://www.hungry-girl.com/search?keyword=mexican+restaurants+

    check out the Hungry Girl web site on surviving Mexican restaurants.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I would love to see the answers for this! I try and avoid the 'free' chips, guacomole, sour cream and cheese. Fajitas are meat and veg that you can roll in the tortilla yourself - so you could just have one tortilla then just eat the meat and veggies - I've done that before. I can usually do OK as long as I stay off the tequila!

    Chips are bad unless you can keep them in moderation, but don't go dissing guacamole. It's a beautifully balanced food. Yes, it's very calorie-dense, but it's got protein, mostly unsaturated fat, and the carbs are mostly fiber. It's also got more potassium than sodium.

    Have 2-3 chips and load them suckers down with the guac. Get about a tablespoon on every chip, and have 3. Best 90 calories you'll spend ALL DAY.
  • cgsr
    cgsr Posts: 113
    i get fajitas with corn tortillas no cheese


    That ... And if I'm watching carbs, I don't eat the tortillas at all.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
    Chicken fajitas, 2 corn tortillas, no cheese, tiny bit of guacamole, and pinto/borracho beans. That's IF I can control myself when eating Mexican. lol
  • Micahroni84
    Micahroni84 Posts: 452 Member
    I had a taco salad but didn't eat the fried taco bowl it came in.So bascially is was shredded lettuce with grilled chicken some guace, pico de gallo and a little sour cream. I took out the sour cream too. I think the chicken was probably cooked in oil but otherwise it was pretty sensible.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,455 Member
    This thread is not a lot of fun :grumble: No tequila?
  • gumigal82
    gumigal82 Posts: 350
    chicken tacos with corn tortillas, salsa very light cheese. rice and black beans. if they have grilled fish tacos that is a great choice. If you want chips, eat 3-5 with salsa or fresh guacamole.
  • creech6317
    creech6317 Posts: 869 Member
    Fish Tacos are my go to food at mexican restaurants, especially if they are salmon. Just so amazingly good!!
    I do splurge and have a margarita, and I love the fact that El Torrito has a "Skinny Marg" so I don't have to feel as guilty about having it.
  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
    steak fajitas with veggies, corn tortillas, sour cream, pico de gallo, and guac. yum
  • happyfit11
    happyfit11 Posts: 11
    In a lot of places they double wrap tacos -so i'll order one chicken taco and then make two tacos :) there's usually enough taco fillings to be split into two tacos.

    -but i really love authentic mexican food, and i don't get to go eat out very often -so a lot of times when i do go, it's a treat and i'll let myself have a burrito x)
  • kaytiecakes
    kaytiecakes Posts: 79 Member
    I order chicken fajitas and eat the meat and veggies right off the skillet with a fork, no tortillas here. i also mix it on a plate with the lettuce and tomatoes and add a little salsa from the table. i rarely eat the tortillas. but i do (in moderation) partake in the free chips and salsa.

    i used to drink margaritas but knowing how much sugar and calories are in them, I don't drink them anymore. If i want some festive alcohol, i'll get a Dos Equis or a Sol.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    You could also say "screw it", and have chile relleno, enchiladas or chilaquiles. :devil:
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    You could also say "screw it", and have chile relleno, enchiladas or chilaquiles. :devil:

    when i say "screw it", i like to go for pollo con crema, or a big ridiculous burrito
  • gumigal82
    gumigal82 Posts: 350
    You could also say "screw it", and have chile relleno, enchiladas or chilaquiles. :devil:

    when i say screw it, i usually go for the margarita!
  • mtaylor33557
    mtaylor33557 Posts: 542 Member
    A lot of places will have a "grilled chicken salad" on the menu. Its a big garden salad with fresh peppers and onions, with the chicken they use for fajitas, and a little bit of that "white" cheese, that I can never remember the name of. I eat them often, and they are very yummy.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    ... and a little bit of that "white" cheese, that I can never remember the name of.
    Cotija? A crumbly, but not too dry white cheese -- almost like a mild feta?

    queso-cotija.jpg
  • hanahlai
    hanahlai Posts: 281 Member
    I get a side order of grilled chicken, beans & rice. And then I drink about a huge 44 oz cup of water(the restaurant I go to has this size cup.lol) at the same time because it tends to still be salty. lol

    I also like eating just the fajita mixture (no tortillas) with the salad parts.
  • miranda_mom
    miranda_mom Posts: 873 Member
    I eat the chips and salsa (but only a little) and load up the salsa on each chip. Or I get a little bowl of guacamole to share and load up the guac on the chips. I generally get one or two tacos in corn tortillas and beans, black if they have them, if not refried. I skip the rice.
  • mkmarasch
    mkmarasch Posts: 26 Member
    This thread is not a lot of fun :grumble: No tequila?

    I'm with you - screw the margarita - mas tequila por favor! :drinker:

    12693777.png
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  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
    I always order a chicken salad, hold the cheese, dressings on the side. Even if there isn't one on the menu, you can ask. A lot of restaurants, I"ve found, have things they can or will make that are not on the menu if you request them. I get an all veggie salad, no cheese, no croutons, none of that extra added stuff, and either a grilled chicken breast or fajita chicken meat on it. Since I have such a light meal, I can splurge on some chips and salsa then.

    Good luck!!
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