Eating out??

Why, oh WHY, can piece of junk fast food 'restaurants' go through the trouble of posting nutritional info online, but any decent sit-down restaurant can't? They've got websites, how hard can it be?

Even White Spot only lists nutritional info for a select couple of 'healthwise' options, which gives you about 3 choices of food. I'm not dumb enough to think that a big ol' bacon cheeseburger and fries would ever be an option, but with more info at least I could mix and match better.

So, if you guys want to eat out, what kind of stuff do you order beyond a salad?? Be pretty sad to go out with my BF on saturday and order a garden salad and nothing else. :( Grilled chicken burger, no sauce?

Thanks in advance...

Probably restaurants change their menus/cooking techniques quite a bit, whereas fast food joint foods are totally regulated. I don't know.. not really a very good excuse...

I've been out a few times since cal counting - at an Italian restaurant I ordered pasta with tomato sauce. At a steak house I ordered the soup of the day (carrot ginger) and sides of asparagus and mushrooms (I don't eat steak). Avoid pizza unless you know it's thin crust, and ask them to go easy on the cheese. A grilled fish or meat with veggies on the side is fine too, as long as there are no creamy sauces, etc. Order carbonated water if you like it - calorie free but far more exciting than tap water! Big yummy salads can be great - just get the dressing on the side. Avoid the bread they put on the table. Try asking for vegetarian options? Not foolproof by any stretch, but might give you some ideas. Brunch/breakfast go for the fruit salads. Desserts - try sorbets or gelatos, or fruit based plates.

Grilled fish or 6 oz filet mignon and dont eat all (3 oz)..or eat it

steamed veg--broccoli--no butter

I found that most places have grilled chicken, and thats what i go for .. and a baked potato.

There are a few places that do have nutritional info -

Olive Garden has the info for their healthy option (like 5) - but the Venetian Apricot Chicken is really good!

Chili's has their full menu online as does On the Border and you can also customize your meal for Red Robin.

Outback makes recommendations on how to eat healthy at their restaurants (like order without butter, etc).

Overall - if you go with grilled Chicken, grilled veggies, and try to keep out the cheese and some of the sauces you'll be happier with your choices.

Well here's what I order at a few of my favorite restaurants; keep in mind I'm vegetarian though, so they may be other options too.

Chili's - Black bean burger (no bun) with steamed veggies and corn on the cob, or just a platter of sides (veggies, seasoned black beans, side salad, pineapple).

Kona Grill - The miso soup with tofu and nori, along with a side salad and steamed veggies, or any of their pasta dishes without the meat and cheese.

Mc Calister's Deli - Vegetarian chili with half a baked potato and seasonal vegetables, Veggie sandwich on a flax wrap with a fruit cup and seasonal vegetables.

Red Robin - Gardenburger or Boca burger on a whole grain bun, with a side salad and melon wedges.

Uno's - Garden vegetable soup with steamed veggies and a fruit cup, or the veggie burger without the bun and mayo.

Mongolian BBQ - ANYTHING! They have a HUGE variety of veggies and tofu, sauces, and meats, and best of all - you make your own stir-fry so you can control your portions and how much sauce goes in.

Maccoroni Grill - "Make-your-own" pasta with wheat penne, marinara, and mixed veggies.

Subway - 6" Veggie Delight with apple slices, or the new veggie patty sub.

P.F. Chang's - Tofu lettuce wraps (appetizer) with steamed veggies, or Bhudda's feast (steamed or stir-fried).

Don Pablos - Side platter with Mexican rice, vegetarian black beans, steamed vegetables, and a fruit cup.

Ted's Montana Grill - Veggie burger (no bun), fresh green beans, and half a baked sweet potato.

Any pizza restaurant - Cheese-less vegetable pizza on a wheat crust (if they have it), and the salad bar (again, if they have one).

My LEAST favorite restaurant - Panda Express. Apparently not even their steamed vegetables or rice are vegetarian. Actually, NOTHING on their menu is vegetarian, according to their website. Poo.

I always try to go with fish and fresh veggies, even a baked potato-I always ask for no butter (I say I cannot eat butter) in the cooking process and ask for any of the sauces they  usually put on the food to be served n the side so I can dip if I desire a little of it. I also always get the oil and vinegar carafe's with my salad and drizzle ever so little oil myself with a lot of vinegar in comparison-make sure you say no cheese on the salad because a lot of them come with it in it whether you asked for it or not :-)

Thanks everyone!

Funny, aside from Subway or the "any pizza restaurant" suggestion, we have NONE of those restaurants in town here. Kind of a small city, I guess, and in Canada. Lots of options with websites, crappola for nutritional info.

But the suggestions help a lot, so thank you!! :)

While I am as obsessive as the next person, I make a really big effort to count calories during all my meals, rarely eat lunch out with my colleauges, etc but when my husband and I go out to dinner (maybe once a week) I have no qualms about getting whatever I want.  I believe that we should have all things in moderation and if we go to a nice steak house on a saturday night, I am going to have a medium rare sirloin (which, coincidentally, is about one of the leanest cuts of beef you can get in most restaurants)

look up the "Eat This, Not That!" list of fast food choices-- its on the Men's Health web site now for free-- it's from a book this David Zinczenko guy just wrote that compares like major brand foods in the grocery store and restaurant entrees and tells you which ones are healthiest-- just a good lesson to read thru so you know what choices to make in the future when you jones that meal out somewhere!

http://www.menshealth.com/eatthis/index.php