Restaurant eating- salads are just getting boring.

I am not eating out as much as I used to, but occasionally enjoy going out with my husband for a quiet night out. I wanted to know if anyone has any suggestions for safe choices off a menu besides salad?

Fish or chicken that is grilled and comes with veggies on the side.  Make sure that you ask for no buttero n the veggies since they usually put it on.  And make sure that the fish or chicken isn't in any kind of sauce specially cream sauces.

chili can be filling and is high in fiber and protien from the beans.  Just skip the cheese on top, add a small side salad if the chili not enough

I got tired of salads really quickly too. But sometimes i manage a salad with chicken or fish on it.  Usually though I wind up going with a grilled salmon or even occasionally a 6 or 8oz filet mignon with steamed veggies and rice pilaf. I cut out almost all red meat out of my diet so the filet is good once in awhile. And I always order water with an orange slice, its way better than water with lemon. :) You sound like you're sticking to your guns when you go out to eat and thats a good thing! Great work.

Thanks I am trying I am so sick of the way I feel and I keep thinking at 30 I should feel good! I hear everyone say that soda and red meat is not a great choice is diet soda ok since there are no calories in it?

I'm a fan of broth-based soups and usually a bowl with a side of extra veggies or some bread fills me up.  Plain pasta with a marinara sauce is not a horrible choice either as long as you don't overeat - just eat until you're satisfied or if that's too scary, portion out some and put the rest in a to-go box.  Places like Applebee's and Ruby Tuesday's have some great lower calorie options like chicken quesadillas that are quite good.   Some restaurants have Egg Beaters available for omelets, but they're often prepared in lots of butter so that's a consideration.  

I think it's important to balance wants with weight loss needs - finding what you really like and want and then figuring out the best (i.e. lower calorie) way to have it whether that's at a restaurant or at home.  

Ok and then how do you figure calorie content of these items?

veggie burger with a salad instead of fries.  well okay i typically get the fries, but my advice is a salad instead :)

Applebees has  a great weight watchers menu.  Most of the meals coming in at 400 + or -.  Steer away from cream sauces.  Choose a baked potato or rice pilaf with butter and sc on the side.  You can enjoy most menus.  Just choose grilled vs. fried.  Choose the healthier sides (or ask for a side salad or skip altogether).  Broth based soups.  Remember to ask for a togo box for the extra large portions and you will do fine.

At Chili's, I get the Guiltless grilled salmon. It comes with the salmon, steamed vegetables, and some black beans. It was between 450-480 calories.

You can find some healthy restaurant picks on on this site.

http://healthydiningfinder.com/site/

You can figure out the calorie content by either going to the restaurants website and looking for nutritional info. or you can break everything down yourself and guess-ta-mate portion size if nutritional information is not available at the particular restaurant (which is what i do usually) and add it all in to CC.

 

Everyone has given you great advise. You should be able to go into a restaurant and make a few great, healthy choices without getting a salad as your main course.

 

I don't count calories in restaurants.  I prefer to make a reasonably healthy selection, not go mad with the portion-sizes, relax, eat slowly and enjoy the environment and the company instead.   Rather than letting the calories dictate my behaviour I prefer it to be a free choice.  Food is for enjoying & life is for living. 

My strategies are...to not eat as much, and to specifically choose places that I know have some moderately healthy choices on the menu.  Every once in a while, you just have to eat some unhealthy food and deal with it, lol.

Original Post by bonny08:

You can find some healthy restaurant picks on on this site.

http://healthydiningfinder.com/site/

 

 

awesome site. assuming it is accurate. thanx bonny!

Original Post by momo3:

 I hear everyone say that soda and red meat is not a great choice is diet soda ok since there are no calories in it?

Well from a weight loss standpoint a no calorie drink won't be an issue, however I choose not to drink them. They are full of God knows what, why would you put that in your body?? I can lose weight on 1300 calories of lard and pesticides but how would I feel?

Consider avoiding 'family restaurants'- their menus I find are terribly boring and have very few decent tasting healthy options. As someone who does not eat chicken and is very picky about quality of fish the rare times when I do eat it, I still find that the salad is the best option.

At some slightly more trendy or sophisticated places, you can get many healthy options for a decent price. Despite all the options, salads at good restaurants are often what I find most appealing. Who wouldn't want a roasted beet salad with avocado and toasted pecans? An extra benefit of avoiding family chain restaurants is not having to deal with the noise and really enjoying a relaxing evening. 

There is a new book out called Eat this Not That , that really helps.  The book shows different choices in a varity of restrauants. Both My husband and I LOVE this book.

Applebees menu has weight watchers meal they are our favorites!

www.amazon.com/Dont-Eat-This-Book-Supersizing/dp/0399152601 -

You know, you can order anything on the menu that sounds good & just modify it to fit your diet - most restaurants these days are WILLING to alter the meal (unless the menu says NO SUBSTITUTIONS) - I hardly go out to eat either (because I like to what exactly what is in my food) but when I do, I don't just stick to salad, I order a nice piece of grilled fish with sauteed, steamed or grilled veggies! (& LOTS of em!!)

I have ordered off the kiddie menu,order extra veggie side dishes and fruit if they have fresh.

The bread basket is always on the other side of the table because it is always hard to limit myself. Even then I stay away from white bread.

If I order pasta I share it with my hubby then mix it with the veggies I order.

Another thing that I have started is asking that they bring half of what I order and doggie bag the rest.

I have started drinking hot tea and sometimes I order a glass of milk because it fills me up. 

The #1 thing to remember is, by all means, SKIP THE SODA. Order ing water or water with a lemon wedge is the best thing to do to assure you're not overloading calories on your beverage alone.

Whenever I go out, I usually get some kind of pasta, broth-based vegan soup, bean dish or bean burritos, curried vegetables, stir-fry (veggies and tofu), fruit salad, veggie or bean burgers, and, if I'm lucky, tempeh or grilled tofu. Mmmm...