The most difficult thing about eating healthy is eating healthy at a restaurant. Here are some guidelines to help you make better choices and some things to watch out for.
I've included links to several of the more popular fast food chains nutritional guides -
this is NOT an endorsement of any individual restaurant or chain.
Healthier Choices |
Limit and/or Avoid |
Broth-based soups (such as vegetable, chicken, or beef)
Marinara, Primavera, white wine, Bolognese, and tomato based sauces
Vinaigrette, Olive Oil, and low calorie dressings
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Cream-based soups, sauces, and dressings
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watch for words such as:
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cream
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creamy
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rich
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buttery
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Entrees that include words such as:
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Entrees that include words such as:
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Breaded
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Fried
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Cheese Sauce
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Cheese Topped
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Cream Sauce
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Gravy
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Crispy
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"Super-size"
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Syrup
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Alfredo
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Carbonara
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Water
Wine or Light Beer
Coffee or tea
Diet Soda
Skim Milk |
Non-Diet Soda or any Cola
Whole Milk
Fruit Juice
Mixed Alcoholic Drinks
"Sweet Tea" |
Menu Items With The Words:
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Low-Fat
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Low-Carb
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Heart-Healthy
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Low-Calorie
You must be careful with these claims - read the description of the food and use all the information on this page (and elsewhere) to make your decision. Remember that Low-Fat can sometimes mean High-Sugar or Salt and Low-Carb may be High-Fat. Don't just believe the claim; do a little digging and ask questions if the menu doesn't tell you what you need to know. |
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Here are links to the Nutritional Guides for some popular restaurant chains. I'm not suggesting that you should eat at any of these restaurants, but in this busy world we all live in, you are probably going to find yourself ordering food at one of these places once in a while. When checking these guides remember to pay special attention to, not only calories; but fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium content. You will probably be shocked at the sodium content of some of the items you once thought were a "healthy choice".
Nutrition Action Healthletter
These detailed illustrated reports (All PDF) are available to non-subscribers (Center for Science in the Public Interest). CSPI’s economical monthly newsletters are an award winning source of information on restaurant and supermarket foods
- Is that a snack ...or a spurge – Nutritional guide to calorie, fat and sodium content of menu choices at 5 chains including Chipotle, Sbarro and Panera .
- Italian Restaurant Food: Belly-ismo – Discusses the best menu choices for the most popular Italian restaurant chains, as well as tips for healthy Italian food dining in general.
- Chinese Restaurant Food – Wok Carefully – Analysis of the nutritional value of take out Chinese food and includes three suggestions for making your restaurant Chinese dinner more healthy.
- Fresh Mex Study – Talks about the best and worst choices at some of the biggest Mexican chains - Chipotle, Baja Fresh, Rubios, and La Salsa.
- Beyond Fast Food "Fast Casuals" Come Of Age - Provides guidance on selecting healthy choices when dining at "fast casual" restaurants, such as Au Bon Pain, Panera, and Briazz.
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