Issue 146
October 2016
What you should order and avoid at six of the most popular chain restaurants.
Dining out is a pleasure we all enjoy, but is there anywhere we can still go to grab a guilt-free lunch? FO asked the experts to give us the lowdown on what we should and shouldn’t order at some of America’s favorite eateries.
The Cheesecake Factory
Everybody loves The Cheesecake Factory, right? But behind the smiles are calories, saturated fats and sodium. The menu is huge and doesn’t provide full nutritional stats, so in order to stay safe look at the SkinnyLicious menu, where pretty much everything has fewer than 600 calories.
Yes - Tuscan Chicken
“You really can’t go wrong with the SkinnyLicious menu, but I like the Tuscan Chicken,” says hungry-girl.com. This dish has just 590 calories, 2g of saturated fat and 17g of carbs. “It’s a glorious pile of protein, veggies and grains!”
No - Sheila’s Chicken & Avocado Salad
“This avo-chicken salad is a calorie catastrophe! Tortilla strips, cashews and honey-peanut dressing all play their part.” It has almost 1,900 calories, 15g of saturated fat and more than 2,500mg of sodium.
Olive Garden
Thanks to the high-school date and surprise birthday parties for grandma, this Italian eatery is a staple for American life. With almost 900 restaurants across the US, we’ve all had to pull up a chair here at some stage. NYC nutritionist Lauren Minchen’s top tip is to avoid breadsticks and head for the Lighter Fare menu.
Yes - Citrus Chicken Sorrento
“I like to order the Citrus Chicken Sorrento,” she says. “It’s very flavorful and only has about 400 calories. It’s also high in protein, has a low-carb profile and comes with a healthy serving of antioxidant-rich veggies.”
No - Chicken Alfredo Pizza
The pizzas aren’t too bad, but avoid this at all costs. With 1,309 calories, 46g fat, 3,200mg sodium and 164g carbs per serving, it’s a nutritional disaster.
P.F. Chang’s
First impressions this Asian cuisine aren’t great. Dr Tim Harlan, aka Dr Gourmet (drgourmet.com), says: “There’s not a lot on the menu that comes in at under 500 calories. Many of the dishes are well over 1,000 calories – and that doesn’t include a serving of rice at about 250 calories.” But there are some options for cleaner eating.
Yes - Oolong Chilean Sea Bass
“The best by far. It has a light taste of tea infused into the fish and is served over a generous serving of wilted spinach with a light tea-infused soy sauce. Order the sauce on the side as it can make the dish too salty. And like all of the other dishes it is large enough for two people to share.”
No - Coconut Curry Vegetables
With well over 1,000 calories and 77g fat, this is one vegetarian dish that’s not on your side.
Red Lobster
Beyonce’s franchise restaurant of choice, Red Lobster’s “fresh-caught seafood” sounds healthy enough. There are definitely some options here.
Yes - Snow Crab Legs
“A 600-calorie-or-less favorite would be the Snow Crab Legs. I’d add lemon instead of butter and ask for a side of vegetables. But thanks to the shells, this meal slows down your rate of eating, which can help you avoid noshing on more than you really need,” says NYC food blogger Martha McKittrick (citygirlbites.com).
No - Create Your Own Combo Platter
Dana Leigh Smith from eatthis.com says: “Whatever you do stay away from the Create Your Own combination platter. It delivers 2,710 calories and four days’ worth of salt.”
Applebee’s
“If you’re looking for lighter dishes, the Pub Diet menu is the place to look, with options all under 600 calories,” says the Food Network’s Toby Amidor.
Yes - Pepper Crusted Sirloin with Whole Grains
“The lightest dish on the menu. It’s a perfect way to take in your daily dose of whole grains and vegetables, including sautéed spinach and fire-roasted tomatoes.” It has just 370 calories, 4g saturated fat and 43g carbs.
No - Hand-battered Fish and Chips
“Many of the burgers top the 1,000-calorie mark, but the worst offenders are fried white fish fillets with fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce.” The dish has almost 2,000 calories and 136g fat (24g of which is saturated) and more than 4,000mg sodium.”
Ruby Tuesday
“When it comes to guilt-free meals at chain restaurants, Ruby Tuesday’s has some pretty spectacular options. But that doesn’t mean that everything on the menu is safe,” says Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien. “There are some shockers.”
Yes - Blackened Tilapia with Mango Salsa
“Tilapia is a fantastic protein pick. I love seeing it zazzled-up with flavorful ingredients instead of heavy sauces. This would go great with the grilled green beans and the tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette.” That meal would have just 362 calories and 13g fat.
No - Carolina Chicken Salad
Even without dressing, this has 1,181 calories, 52g fat, 1,152mg sodium and 58g carbs. “What are the culprits here? Fried chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, bacon and croutons.”
