Healthy Restaurant Finds

The Healthiest Options at Your Favorite Restaurants

-- By SparkPeople

It’s almost impossible to drive down the street today without being ambushed by a few themed restaurants and fast-food joints ready to throw a burger down your throat and ruin your best nutritional intentions. But in this ruthless wilderness, you can still discover some hidden healthy treasures. Here are some that we’ve dug up. If you find ones you like, share them with others by  adding a comment to this article!

Applebee’s

• Low-POINT appetizers, desserts and entrees for dieters

Burger King

• Chicken baguette sandwiches have just 350 cals and 5g fat.

Chili's

• • "Guiltless Grill" selections are lower in fat and list nutritional information right on the menu.

Chipotle

• Instead of Chicken Burrito (1179 calories, 47g fat), try a Burrito Bol w/chicken, minus the rice, cheese, and sour cream (369 calories, 12g fat).

Fazoli’s

• You make your own pasta bowl, controlling the ingredients you want to include or eliminate.
• You can also substitute whole wheat pasta.

Jack in the Box

• Chicken Fajita Pita is filling with only 10 grams of fat. Leave the shredded cheese out and make it 3 grams.
• Skipping the mayonnaise or mayonnaise-based sauces can skim 100 or more calories and 12 grams of fat. Or use the Low Fat Herb Mayonnaise, with only 4 grams of fat.

Olive Garden

• Restaurant encourages you to choose whole wheat linguine with your pasta selection. Whole wheat pasta has three times more fiber and roughly 17% fewer carbohydrates than traditional pasta.

Outback

• Order Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie without butter and seasonings and with cocktail or BBQ sauce.
• Try Tangy Tomato (fat free), Mustard Vinaigrette, Olive Oil & Red Wine Vinegar dressings.
• Order Grillers without butter or glaze during preparation.
• Order Outback Lamb without sauce.
• Order Chicken on the Barbie without butter. Request BBQ sauce to be used during preparation.
• For Botany Fish of the Day and Salmon, order with cocktail sauce or fresh lemon instead of Remoulade Sauce.
• For Barbie Chook ‘n Bacon , order prepared without butter or bbq sauce, and without the bacon and cheese.

Panera Bread

• The Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad is a seasonal favorite.

Pei Wei

• Edemame (2 servings per dish) 156 calories, 8 grams fat
• Wonton Soup (cup, multiply by 2 for a bowl) 110 calories, 1.5 grams fat
• Hot & Sour Soup (cup, multiply by 2 for a bowl) 150 calories, 9 grams fat
• Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls (3 servings per dish) 80 calories, 4 grams fat

Pizza Hut

• Fit N Delicious Pizza (less cheese, more sauce) as little as 3.5 g fat per slice.

Red Lobster

• When ordering a baked potato, try pico de gallo sauce instead of butter and sour cream.
• Low fat, low calorie and low carb diners can find options in the Light House Selections menu.

Schlotzky’s

• Zesty Albacore Tuna Wrap has only 311 calories and 7g fat.
• Chinese Chicken Salad has only 127 calories and 3g fat.
• Fresh Fruit Salad has only 123 calories and 1g fat.

Sweet Tomatoes

• Several vegetarian menu options, including salads, soups, pastas.
• Low-fat menu items and fresh fruit desserts are also available.

Taco Bell

• Order entrée “fresco style” meaning salsa instead of cheese and sauce, saving about 25% of calories and fat.

Tacone

• A host of healthy menu options are available from this restaurant chain, with complete nutritional information available online.

Wendy’s

• Grilled chicken without mayo has just 310 calories 8 grams of fat.

Zoe’s Kitchen

• Grilled Chicken Pita No.1 (chicken and Zoe's slaw on pita bread) and a side of fresh fruit. Only about 400 calories.

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