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Takeout Makeover

Let our resident nutrition expert order for you

by Elizabeth Somer, RD

One in five: That’s how many meals Americans eat away from home. Restaurant fare is notorious for being a landmine of densely packed calories, fats, sugar, and sodium, which is why experts say dining out is a major player in the nation’s number one health problem—obesity.
“The more people eat out, the fatter they are. And it’s no secret why. Restaurant portions are bigger and more calorie-packed than home cooking; and there’s often no way to track how many calories you’re consuming or how the food is prepared,” says John Foreyt, PhD, director of the Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and an expert on weight management.
This doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t ever darken the door of McDonald’s or Applebee’s again. You just need to know how to make healthier choices. Here’s a quick guide to get you started, with a few healthy choices at some of your favorite national chains.
Chinese

Chinese

Skip the Moo Shu and sweet-and-sour pork, kung pao and General Tsao’s chicken, and anything with “crispy” in the title. Instead, order stir-fried vegetables, shrimp or chicken with garlic sauce, Hunan or Szechuan shrimp or chicken, or tofu dishes. Dilute the fat and calories by loading up on steamed rice (pile 1 cup of rice on your plate for every cup of the entree). Ask for steamed vegetables instead of sauteed or fried veggies. At home, eat with a fork to leave behind some of the salty and fatty sauce.

Ruby Tuesday

Ruby Tuesday

Stick with the Smart Eating choices, and you should be fine. Their “To Go Curbside” service means you don’t even have to get out of your car to pick up your meal. The Low-Carb Creole Catch has less than half the calories of the regular menu’s Louisiana Fried Shrimp (610 vs. 1,223). Other good choices include any of the wraps and salads (just ask them to hold or go light on the dressing) and the Grilled BBQ Chicken, Oven-Roasted Turkey Dinner, Petite Sirloin, and Peppercorn Salmon. Side dishes to check out include sauteed zucchini, baked beans, sugar snap peas, and coleslaw.

Applebees

Applebee’s

This popular chain lists calories, fat, and fiber right on the menu, making healthy menu choices about as convenient as it gets. Choose from any of the Weight Watchers items, such as the Mesquite Chicken Salad, Tango Chicken Sandwich, Teriyaki Shrimp Skewers, and even the Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake. Except for the Tortilla Chicken Melt, all selections are under 400 calories and have less than 30 percent of calories from fat.

Pizza

Pizza

It’s almost impossible to find commercial pizza that isn’t dripping with bad fats and sodium. Domino’s Hand-Tossed Cheese with half the cheese is one of the best choices. Limit yourself to two slices, and you slip in just under 500 calories. Three slices of Pizza Hut’s Hand-Tossed Veggie Lover’s pizza have 550 calories, and two slices of Papa John’s Original Crust Garden Special weigh in at 560. Pile extra vegetables on top, such as sliced red peppers, tomatoes, or zucchini; avoid extra cheese and meat; and order a side salad to dilute the fat calories of the entire meal.
McDonald's

McDonald’s

Check out some of Mickey D’s salads, grilled chicken sandwiches and sides. For example, you can order a Bacon Ranch, California Cobb, or Caesar salad with grilled chicken (skip the crispy chicken, which has a half-day’s worth of bad fats) and low-fat dressing, and the Asian Salad provides four of your nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables for under 400 calories. The Grilled Chicken Classic sandwich has 420 calories and a tenth of the saturated fat in a Quarter Pounder with Cheese, but order it without mayo and add a glass of OJ or low-fat milk to round out the meal. Finally, the Fruit ‘n’ Yogurt Parfait has only 160 calories, which makes it a great side dish or snack.

Red Lobster

Red Lobster

Anything on Red Lobster’s menu that is battered and fried is a calorie disaster, but their LightHouse Selections are worth noting—the calories, carbs, fat, and fiber are listed for each selection, and you can request half-orders. Some of the healthy choices (each under 600 calories) are Live Maine Lobster with cocktail sauce, Broiled Flounder, King Crab Legs, Tilapia, Salmon, and Rainbow Trout. Low-calorie side dishes include Baked Potato with Pico de Gallo (185), Wild Rice Pilaf (204), and Seasoned Fresh Broccoli (56).

Wendy's

Wendy’s


Beware the salads! The Mandarin Chicken is fine if you order it with low-fat dressing, but the Taco Supreme and Spring Mix salads have a half-day’s bad fat in the cheese and meat, not to mention what comes in the dressing. If you’re craving a hamburger, order the Junior Hamburger (280 calories and a teaspoon of bad fat) and accompany it with a Fresh Fruit Bowl with Yogurt instead of fries. A plain baked potato supplies 270 fat-free calories; just don’t add sour cream, bacon, and/or cheese, or the calorie count skyrockets to 440 (which is still better than French fries).

TGI Friday’s


Buyer beware—especially when it comes to the Atkins menu (the Buffalo Wings supply a whopping 1,010 calories and an entire day’s worth of saturated fat and sodium). The Tuscan Spinach Dip with Vegetables sounds good, but 64 percent of the calories come from fat, and you’ll get more than a day’s worth of bad fat and more than half a day’s allotment of sodium to boot. Instead, order Key West Grouper or Fire-Roasted Salmon, both of which come with vegetables and supply fewer than 450 calories.

Mexican

The Taco Salad with Salsa at Taco Bell has about the same number of calories as two Quarter Pounders at McD’s, with 13 teaspoons of fat! The Zesty Chicken Border Bowl packs 63 percent of a whole day’s allotment of sodium. At Baja Fresh, a Veggie Quesadilla contains 1,260 calories and 20 teaspoons of fat (with 150 percent of your daily allowance of bad fat). Add guacamole, sour cream, or refried beans to any dish, and the total meal, whether it’s a burrito, taco, or fajita, is likely to pack in more than 1,600 calories! If you must have Mexican take-out, order a solo bean and cheese burrito and round out the meal at home with a big salad.
Olive Garden

Olive Garden

Va bene to this menu, which offers a wide range of healthful choices, several of which are on their Garden Fare menu (watch those calories, though), including Linguine alla Marinara (510 calories) and Capellini Pomodoro (610 calories). Meat-lovers can choose from Chicken Giardino (610 calories) and Pork Filettino with vegetables (340 calories). Seafood aficionados may like the Salmon Piccata with vegetables (440 calories).  Even the minestrone is a low-calorie option, with only 1 gram of fat and 6 grams of fiber. For the youngsters, choose the kids’ meal of Spaghetti & Tomato Sauce and a garden salad.

Sandwich

Sandwich Shops

At Panera, order a Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich on Sourdough (430 calories), a Fandango Salad with fat-free raspberry dressing (390 calories), or a bowl of Low-Fat Vegetarian Moroccan Tomato-Lentil Soup (120 calories). At Subway, stick to the “6 Grams of Fat or Less” menu, and you’ll have eight yummy sandwiches to choose from (just skip the chips and cookies).

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