Best Restaurants for Dieters?

alias1001
alias1001 Posts: 634 Member
edited October 2 in Chit-Chat
Eating out can be a nightmare, but it is routine that my family often follows a couple times a week.

Where do you find to be diet-friendly? I'm not going to presume that they're actually "healthy" but it's better than eating salads ALL the time.

For me, the standbys are Panera--a cafe that serves some great sandwich and soups--and recently IHOP. Yes, IHOP. They have a "Simple and Fit" menu that doesn't suck--omelets, turkey bacon, waffles with fruit on top.

Replies

  • TorridCutie
    TorridCutie Posts: 84 Member
    For fancy dining, I like Seasons 52. Everything in the menu is under 480 calories and it is very delicious.

    For casual fare, I like Panera and Corner Bakery. Also, I love the Moroccan Chicken Salad at California Pizza Kitchen. It fits into my diet when I order the small, which is still huge, so I like going to CPK as well.
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Be careful about Panera. I love the place but it does have high calorie items. Applebees have a few tasty low calorie entrees.


    Top
  • brandimacleod
    brandimacleod Posts: 368 Member
    I am a fan of El Pollo Loco for fast food. Chicken, tortillas and salad put together into tacos with salsa. Yum!
  • Msvalsworld
    Msvalsworld Posts: 53 Member
    I have to try Panera. thanks
  • MaryEffingPoppins
    MaryEffingPoppins Posts: 371 Member
    Be careful because IHOP has a spinach and tomato omelette that exceeds 1,100 calories!!!
  • IAmTheAwesomest
    IAmTheAwesomest Posts: 61
    applebees, ruby tuesdays, and outback
  • Jessicaruby
    Jessicaruby Posts: 881 Member
    alot of restaurants now have a low calorie option menu. famous daves has a 600 and under calorie menu. applebees has this as well and they both offer very good and tasty items to choose from. i usually go to red lobster if i need to go out to eat. Crab meat is very low calorie. if u go somewhere that does not offer these options choose grilled chicken or fish, lots of veggies maybe even a veggie soup.
  • alias1001
    alias1001 Posts: 634 Member
    Be careful because IHOP has a spinach and tomato omelette that exceeds 1,100 calories!!!

    That's the one with hollandaise! The one on the special menu is 330 calories. Amazing if they try restaurants can cut out so much of the junk (assuming the total is accurate).
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    bump
  • JoLeeFA
    JoLeeFA Posts: 211 Member
    applebees has great under 550 items, Chillis also has some items.

    I think these are local delis but Sweet Peppers & McAllisters have good light items

    At almost any place you can ask for grilled chicken, or a small steak (6 oz) pair with some steamed veggies. I have found that resturants will usually allow you have things a bit different than the menu.
  • gods_gal
    gods_gal Posts: 301
    I ate at Chili's today. They have a nutritional menu there and online that you can use to see what is in their food. I also found this a while back that has several restaurants:
    http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/weight-watchers-points.html
  • pacmanjack
    pacmanjack Posts: 866 Member
    The Ninety-Nine restaurant chain (popular in New England, not sure where else), has all of its menu items' calorie content on its website, and much of it is in the mfp database. I take my kids there, and can usually look up calorie counts with my phone using the mfp app. Their grilled balsamic chicken breast is very tasty and a good, healthy choice that won't mess up your daily calories... just pass on the fries... I usually ask really nicely if they'll sub a side-salad for the potato and veggie that comes with it, and even though they're not "supposed to", they usually do.
  • sunnyrunner23
    sunnyrunner23 Posts: 182 Member
    I love going out to eat! Bump!
  • MaryEffingPoppins
    MaryEffingPoppins Posts: 371 Member
    I don't trust the "low calorie" menus. They can very well still be cooking it in butter, oil etc... I'm safer eating at home. Lol
  • karo224
    karo224 Posts: 292
    i love chipolte....the burrito bowl is a good choice if you add the right ingrediants and you can get 2 meals out of it!
  • JoLeeFA
    JoLeeFA Posts: 211 Member
    I don't trust the "low calorie" menus. They can very well still be cooking it in butter, oil etc... I'm safer eating at home. Lol

    totally agree.. when home isn't an option, don't be afraid to ask how food esp meat is being cooked!
  • kdfrands
    kdfrands Posts: 2
    I have been eating at Native Foods. It's a vegan restaurant. Their Scorpion "Burger" is 500 cal. They are still a small chain but I am going to start a project of figuring out some of their calorie content.
  • hedwighigh
    hedwighigh Posts: 299
    Restaurant used to make me really anxious but now I just have my family or friends tell me where we're going several hours to a day beforehand then I just go to the restaurant's website and search their menu and nutrition facts. Most restaurants have at least a menu on the internet and I've only had to deal with a few restaurants without nutrition facts.

    If they don't have their nutrition facts then I use their menu and make an estimate on their calories and such.
    If they don't have a menu, I guess by the type of food they serve about what they might have and guess again.

    I really like to go ahead and have the meal logged in before I go so I don't have to be typing in the mfp app the whole time I'm deciding on food. It also takes me forever to decide anyway. If there is no way of guessing or the place has really unhealthy stuff then I just eat semi-well and be careful the rest of the day.

    Usually my family and friends are pretty cool about choosing places that are semi-easy for me to eat at though.

    So in general, the best restaurants for dieters (or me at least) are those with online menus/nutrition facts.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    NOT chilis!
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    Panera is definitely #1...they have some high cal stuff but they also have low cal stuff and even if you get a half salad it's huge and delicious.

    Applebee's
    Famous Daves
    IHOP
  • TexanThom
    TexanThom Posts: 778
    SouperSalad....
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
    There's a place called Seasons 52 near me. The whole restaurant is seasonal and all items are less than 500 calories - all listed on the website, of course. All the servers are in shape, and the restaurant provides them with gym memberships. I'd love to work there! They're really passionate about using seasonal foods and flavors, as well as providing the consumer with the health benefits.
  • Llyrian
    Llyrian Posts: 100 Member
    I was just looking at Seasons 52's website. I wish they'd open one in my country! :(
  • WhatDoesLisa
    WhatDoesLisa Posts: 214
    i love chipolte....the burrito bowl is a good choice if you add the right ingrediants and you can get 2 meals out of it!

    I do the salad bowl. Romaine lettuce on the bottom, no rice, no cheese. I skip their salad dressing since I don't know what is in it so I use the hot or medium salsa as dressing. I am kind of addicted to it.
  • RipperSB
    RipperSB Posts: 315 Member
    Eating out can be a nightmare, but it is routine that my family often follows a couple times a week.

    Where do you find to be diet-friendly? I'm not going to presume that they're actually "healthy" but it's better than eating salads ALL the time.

    For me, the standbys are Panera--a cafe that serves some great sandwich and soups--and recently IHOP. Yes, IHOP. They have a "Simple and Fit" menu that doesn't suck--omelets, turkey bacon, waffles with fruit on top.

    Any restaurant that is listed in the MFP database or has their nutritional information available is fine with me because then I can plan. My problems start when I go to one of my local diners, drive-ins and dives is the wild-*kitten* guessing I have to do because the nutrional information is not readily available.
  • fdny9943
    fdny9943 Posts: 65 Member
    If you watch how things are cooked and get grilled or broiled and not fried and also ask for no sauce or dressing on the side any place should be doable. Just make health choices. Ask for extra veggies instead of starch (potatoes) and ask how things are prepared. Any good restaurant can give you what you want, you just have to ask.
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
    I was just looking at Seasons 52's website. I wish they'd open one in my country! :(

    They have one idea that I really love - "mini indulgences." Basically, they make their desserts in shot glasses, so they're SUPER portion controlled, but you get a couple of bites. I've actually seen this pop up in a few other restaurants near me - hopefully it's catching on!
  • lukeout007
    lukeout007 Posts: 1,237 Member
    I was just looking at Seasons 52's website. I wish they'd open one in my country! :(

    They have one idea that I really love - "mini indulgences." Basically, they make their desserts in shot glasses, so they're SUPER portion controlled, but you get a couple of bites. I've actually seen this pop up in a few other restaurants near me - hopefully it's catching on!

    I can think of at least 3 huge chain restaurants that do this...I'd say it's caught on...
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    Famous Dave's BBQ has a light menu with steamed broccoli and grilled pineapple as sides. I love their Naked Ribs.

    Chipotle -- their steak bowl is amazing for low or no carbers. You can get brown rice or no rice.
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
    I was just looking at Seasons 52's website. I wish they'd open one in my country! :(

    They have one idea that I really love - "mini indulgences." Basically, they make their desserts in shot glasses, so they're SUPER portion controlled, but you get a couple of bites. I've actually seen this pop up in a few other restaurants near me - hopefully it's catching on!

    I can think of at least 3 huge chain restaurants that do this...I'd say it's caught on...

    Right on! I never really go to chain restaurants so I didn't know, but that's GREAT to hear! :)
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