Healthy Restaurant Eating
General Tips:
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Don’t arrive starving (don’t skip meals prior,
don’t overdo pre-meal foods or SKIP)
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Skip the fried stuff
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Check out websites for healthiest choices in
advance
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Cut your meal in half (save for later or split
with a friend)
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Don’t drink your calories
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Personalize it (sauce on side, extra vegetable,
substitutions)
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Avoid buffets
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Use the Plate Method
Mexican Restaurant:
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Portion out 15 chips and send the rest back (or
skip entirely)
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“On the rocks” vs. frozen margarita (or just
drink WATER)
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Choose a veggie burrito
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Fajitas with chicken and veggies (limit to 2
tortillas, skip the extras)
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Chicken soft tacos or Fish tacos (NOT fried)
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Sub corn or wheat tortillas (fewer calories and
a good whole grain source) or NAKED J
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Grilled chicken with vegetables
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Use salsa as dressing and skip the cheese and
sour cream
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Don’t eat the bowl if choosing taco salad
Italian Restaurant:
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Skip the breadbasket
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Choose soup and Salad
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Stick to plain pastas with red sauce and skip
the added cheese
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Grilled chicken or fish and vegetables (Chicken
Cacciatore)
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Box at least half your entrée before eating
Pizza:
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Order
thin and crispy crust
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Vegetarian pizza
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Half the cheese
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Stick to 2 slices and a big salad
Asian Restaurant:
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Start with soup instead of egg roll (skip the
crunchy noodles)
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Chicken, shrimp or tofu with vegetables in light
sauce (NOT fried)
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Choose brown rice when available
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Limit to one cup of rice (NOT fried!)
American Restaurant:
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Start with a broth-based soup or salad with
vinaigrette dressing (on side and use lightly)
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Skip the breadbasket
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Choose whole grain bread for sandwiches, or
open-faced
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Grilled fish, pork tenderloin or chicken and
vegetables
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Make a meal at the salad bar (limit toppings
like cheese, bacon, croutons, dressing)
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Top baked potatoes with salsa or steak sauce
instead of butter and sour cream
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Watch portion size on steak and choose leanest
cuts (sirloin, flank, tenderloin)
Fast Food:
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6” Subway sub with carrots or fruit for side
item (skip mayo, ½ cheese)
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Grilled chicken sandwich (skip the mayo)
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Small or Junior hamburger (Happy Meal)
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Turkey or veggie burger with non-fried vegetable
side dish
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Salad with low fat salad dressing (skip cheese
and croutons)
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Don’t assume something is healthy/low cal—look
it up
My Favorite “Best Bites” Restaurant Meals… These meals have
500 calories or less:
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Chick Fil A – Chargrilled Chicken
Sandwich, Fruit Cup and Diet Lemonade (370)
·
Taco Bell - Two Fresco Soft Beef Tacos
with Mexican Rice and a bottle of water (470)
·
Subway - 6-inch Roast Beef Sub on 9-Grain
(no cheese, oil or mayo) with Veggie Delite Salad with Fat-Free Italian
Dressing and Medium Unsweetened Iced Tea (400)
·
Panera – Spinach Power Salad and
Unsweetened Tropical Hibiscus Herbal Iced Tea (460)
·
Pizza Hut - Two Slices Thin ‘N Crispy
Pizza (12") with Quartered Ham & Pineapple, and Medium Diet Coke (360)
·
McDonalds - Premium Grilled Chicken
Classic Sandwich with a Side Salad with Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic
Vinaigrette, and a Medium Unsweetened Iced Tea (480)
·
KFC - 3 Crispy Strips with Green Beans and 3" Corn on the Cob, and a
Medium Diet Pepsi (475)
·
Mooyah – Turkey Iceburger with pickles
and tomato, Small Fries and water (495)
·
Ruby Tuesday’s – Top Sirloin steak with Steamed Broccoli
(471)
·
Applebee’s – Weight Watchers Jalapeño
Lime Shrimp (300)
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Olive Garden – Herb Grilled Salmon (480)
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Red Lobster – Oven Broiled Fish, Steamed
Broccoli and Side Salad w/ Red Wine Vinaigrette (480)
·
Chilis – Chicken Fajitas w/o tortillas
and condiments (330) (or “naked” Fajita Trio for 510)
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Outback – Outback Special 6 oz. with
Grilled Asparagus and Mixed Seasonal Veggies (403)
More
Information: