Restaurant Calorie Counter for Dummies41242

Achieve your dietary goals even if you have a special diet considerationRosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN Meri Raffetto, RD Coauthors of Calorie Counter Journal For Dummies Learn to: • Track ca

Achieve your dietary goals even if you have a special diet consideration

Rosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN Meri Raffetto, RD

Coauthors of Calorie Counter

Journal For Dummies

Learn to:

• Track calories, fat, saturated fat, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, and protein on the go

• Make smart choices at popular drive-thru, quick-stop, and sit-down chains

• Pick the right restaurant foods for your health, kids, and athletic performance

Restaurant Calorie Counter

Open the book and find:

• Nutrition information for 150 chain restaurants in the U.S

• Dining-out advice for athletes to keep them going strong when they’re on the road

• The top picks at select restaurants for certain health conditions

• The best bets for kids and athletes

at some popular chain restaurants

Rosanne Rust is a registered dietitian,

freelance writer, and online weight-loss

coach for Real Living Nutrition Services

Meri Raffetto is a registered dietitian,

weight-loss coach, and the founder and

CEO of www.reallivingnutrition.com.

• Keep your balance — discover how to maintain

a balanced diet, strive for a little variety, and

embrace exercise and sleep

• Get the skinny — get the 411 on making smart food

choices when eating out, whether you’re looking to

lose weight or control or prevent diseases

• Take special note — find healthy nutrition advice

and dining out tips for children and athletes

• Have at-a-glance access — flip through the menus

of 150 top restaurants to get the scoop on a dish’s

calorie, fat, saturated fat, sodium, carbohydrate,

fiber, sugar, and protein counts

This portable guide gives you fast access to the nutritional

information for menu items at top fast-food and sit-down

restaurants in the United States and Canada Tuck it into your

glove box, briefcase, or purse, and have key information at

your fingertips whenever you find yourself eating out!

Achieve your health

and lifestyle goals

even when eating out

2nd Edition

2nd Edition

Mobile Apps

There’s a Dummies App for This and That

With more than 200 million books in print and over 1,600 unique

titles, Dummies is a global leader in how-to information Now

you can get the same great Dummies information in an App With

topics such as Wine, Spanish, Digital Photography, Certification,

and more, you’ll have instant access to the topics you need to

know in a format you can trust.

To get information on all our Dummies apps, visit the following:

www.Dummies.com/go/mobile from your computer.

www.Dummies.com/go/iphone/apps from your phone.

Restaurant Calorie Counter

FOR

by Rosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN with Meri Raffetto, RD

Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies , 2nd Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or

by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as

permit-ted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 Unipermit-ted States Copyright Act, without either the prior written

permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the

Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600

Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John

Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, or online at

http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions

Trademarks: Wiley, the Wiley Publishing logo, For Dummies, the Dummies Man logo, A Reference for the

Rest of Us!, The Dummies Way, Dummies Daily, The Fun and Easy Way, Dummies.com, Making Everything

its affiliates in the United States and other countries, and may not be used without written permission All

other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated

with any product or vendor mentioned in this book

LIMIT OF LIABILITY/DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY: THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK ARE INTENDED TO FURTHER

GEN-ERAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, UNDERSTANDING, AND DISCUSSION ONLY AND ARE NOT INTENDED AND SHOULD NOT

BE RELIED UPON AS RECOMMENDING OR PROMOTING A SPECIFIC METHOD, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT BY

PHYSI-CIANS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PATIENT THE PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR

WAR-RANTIES WITH RESPECT TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK AND

SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF

FIT-NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IN VIEW OF ONGOING RESEARCH, EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS, CHANGES IN

GOVERNMENTAL REGULATIONS, AND THE CONSTANT FLOW OF INFORMATION RELATING TO THE USE OF

MEDI-VIDED IN THE PACKAGE INSERT OR INSTRUCTIONS FOR EACH MEDICINE, EQUIPMENT, OR DEVICE FOR, AMONG

OTHER THINGS, ANY CHANGES IN THE INSTRUCTIONS OR INDICATION OF USAGE AND FOR ADDED WARNINGS AND

PRECAUTIONS READERS SHOULD CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST WHERE APPROPRIATE THE FACT THAT AN

ORGA-NIZATION OR WEBSITE IS REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK AS A CITATION AND/OR A POTENTIAL SOURCE OF FURTHER

INFORMATION DOES NOT MEAN THAT THE AUTHOR OR THE PUBLISHER ENDORSES THE INFORMATION THE

ORGA-NIZATION OR WEBSITE MAY PROVIDE OR RECOMMENDATIONS IT MAY MAKE FURTHER, READERS SHOULD BE

AWARE THAT INTERNET WEBSITES LISTED IN THIS WORK MAY HAVE CHANGED OR DISAPPEARED BETWEEN WHEN

THIS WORK WAS WRITTEN AND WHEN IT IS READ NO WARRANTY MAY BE CREATED OR EXTENDED BY ANY

PRO-MOTIONAL STATEMENTS FOR THIS WORK NEITHER THE PUBLISHER NOR THE AUTHOR SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY

DAMAGES ARISING HEREFROM.

THE NUTRIENT VALUES FOR PREPARED FOODS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AND MAY NOW DIFFER FROM LISTINGS

HEREIN, WHICH ARE BASED ON RESEARCH CONDUCTED PRIOR TO FALL 2009 BECAUSE FOOD MANUFATURERS

FOODS, THE MANUFACTURERS ARE THE AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE FOR FOOD’S MOST CURRENT NUTRITIONAL

VALUE.

For general information on our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care

Department within the U.S at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002

For technical support, please visit www.wiley.com/techsupport

Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats Some content that appears in print may

not be available in electronic books

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011924139

ISBN: 978-0-470-64405-8

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

About the Authors

Rosanne Rust is a registered, licensed dietitian with 25 years

of experience in food and nutrition She currently provides virtual weight-loss coaching as a licensed provider for www.reallivingnutrition.com and is an online nutrition instructor for Penn State World Campus Her private practice includes freelance writing, media and spokesperson work, and corporate wellness consulting

Rosanne is the coauthor of Calorie Counter Journal For Dummies and Glycemic Index Cookbook For Dummies

(both published by Wiley).

Meri Raffetto is a registered dietitian and recognized

pro-fessional in the area of nutrition and wellness She’s the founder of www.reallivingnutrition.com, providing one of the only interactive online weight-loss programs

Meri is the author of The Glycemic Index Diet For Dummies and coauthor of Calorie Counter Journal For Dummies and Glycemic Index Cookbook For Dummies (all published by

Wiley).

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies

custhelp.com For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department

within the U.S at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and

Media Development

Project Editor: Jennifer Tebbe

(Previous Edition: Tim Gallan)

Acquisitions Editor:

Erin Calligan Mooney

Copy Editor: Sarah Westfall

Assistant Editor: David Lutton

Technical Editor:

Rachel C Nix, RD, CD, CLC

Editorial Manager:

Christine Meloy Beck

Editorial Assistants: Rachelle S Amick,

Jennette ElNaggar, Alexa Koschier

Cover Photo: © iStockphoto.com/

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/

General User

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

About This Book 2

Conventions Used in This Book 3

How This Book Is Organized 5

Part I: Dining Out 101 5

Part II: Restaurant Guide 5

Icons Used in This Book 6

Where to Go from Here 6

Part I: Dining Out 101 7

Chapter 1: Keep Your Balance 9

Balancing Act 9

Strive for a little variety 10

Eat fruits and vegetables 10

Embrace exercise and sleep 12

Basic Tips When Dining Out 12

Chapter 2: Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind 15

Weight Loss: Bringing Down That BMI 16

Menu options for weight loss 16

Best bets for weight loss 17

Heart Disease or High Cholesterol 19

Menu options for heart disease or high cholesterol 20

Best bets for heart disease or high cholesterol 21

High Blood Pressure 23

Menu options for high blood pressure 23

Best bets for high blood pressure 24

Diabetes 25

Menu options for diabetes 26

Best bets for diabetes 27

vi Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 3: Healthy Dining Out Tips

for Children and Athletes 29

Nutrition Tips for Kids 30

Menu options for kids 30

Best bets for kids 31

Nutrition Tips for Athletes 33

Menu options for athletes 34

Best bets for athletes 34

Part II: Restaurant Guide 37

Applebee’s 39

Arby’s 43

Au Bon Pain 46

Auntie Anne’s 53

A&W 54

Back Yard Burgers 55

Baja Fresh 57

Baskin Robbins 60

Ben & Jerry’s 63

Blimpie 64

Bob Evans 68

Bojangles’ Famous Chicken ’n Biscuits 75

Boston Market 75

Boston Pizza 77

Bruegger’s 80

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream 84

Buffalo Wild Wings 85

Burger King 87

California Pizza Kitchen 89

Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen 93

Carino’s Italian 94

Carl’s Jr .97

Carvel 99

Casey’s General Store 101

Charley’s Grilled Subs 102

Chester’s 103

Chick-fil-A .104

Table of Contents vii

Chili’s 106

Chipotle Mexican Grill 110

Chuck E Cheese 110

Church’s Chicken 111

CiCi’s Pizza 112

Cinnabon 113

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 113

Cold Stone Creamery 115

Così 120

Country Style 124

Cousins Subs 128

Culver’s 130

Dairy Queen 134

D’Angelo 139

Denny’s 143

Domino’s Pizza 147

Donatos 150

Dunkin’ Donuts 152

Eat’n Park 158

Einstein Bros Bagels 165

El Pollo Loco 169

Fazoli’s 171

Firehouse Subs 173

Five Guys Burgers and Fries 174

Freshëns 175

Friendly’s 177

Gatti’s Pizza 183

Godfather’s Pizza 185

Golden Corral 189

Great Harvest Bread Company 194

The Great Steak & Potato Co .196

Harvey’s .198

Hungry Howie’s 200

IHOP 203

In-N-Out Burger 210

Jack in the Box 210

Jamba Juice 213

Jersey Mike’s Subs 215

Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition

viii

Jet’s Pizza 223

Jimmy John’s 226

Joey’s Only Fish & Chips 227

Johnny Rockets 230

Kentucky Fried Chicken 232

Krispy Kreme 235

Krystal 236

Little Caesars 237

Lone Star Steakhouse 237

LongHorn Steakhouse 239

Long John Silver’s 242

MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream and Treatery 243

Marble Slab Creamery 243

Marco’s Pizza 245

Maui Wowi Hawaiian 246

Mazzio’s Italian Eatery 247

McAlister’s Deli 249

McDonald’s 252

Moe’s Southwest Grill 256

Mr Sub 258

Mrs Fields 260

Nathan’s Famous 262

Noble Roman’s 264

Old Country Buffet 264

Olive Garden 271

On The Border 275

Orange Julius 279

Outback Steakhouse 281

Panago 283

Panda Express 286

Panera Bread 287

Papa Gino’s 291

Papa John’s 295

Papa Murphy’s 297

Pei Wei Asian Diner 299

Penn Station East Coast Subs 302

P.F Chang’s China Bistro 303

Pizza Delight 307

Table of Contents ix

Pizza Hut 309

Pizza Inn 313

Pizza Pizza 313

Pizza Pro 316

Popeyes 317

Port of Subs 319

Pretzelmaker/Pretzel Time 320

Qdoba 321

Quiznos 327

Red Lobster 329

Red Robin 336

Rita’s 340

Romano’s Macaroni Grill 342

Round Table Pizza 345

Rubio’s Mexican Grill 351

Ruby Tuesday 353

Ryan’s 357

Schlotzsky’s 362

Second Cup 365

Sheetz 369

Sizzler 379

Skyline Chili 382

Smoothie King 385

Sonic 387

Sonny’s Real Pit Bar-B-Q .393

Starbucks 395

Steak ’n Shake 401

Subway 406

Swiss Chalet 409

Taco Bell 412

Taco Bueno 414

Taco Cabana 417

Taco Del Mar 420

Taco John’s 422

TacoTime 424

TCBY 426

Tim Hortons 439

TOGO’S 441

Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition

x

Tropical Smoothie Café 443

UNO Chicago Grill 446

Vocelli Pizza 450

Wendy’s 451

Whataburger 454

White Castle 456

Wienerschnitzel 458

Winchell’s 461

Zaxby’s 465

A ccording to the most recent data from the

National Center for Health Statistics, about thirds of adults in the United States are overweight, and about 34 percent are obese Consumers must

two-come to terms with the fact that eating behavior and choices are what drive their struggles with excessive

weight Changing your eating behaviors is a multifaceted process that involves commitment and support, but one thing remains true: You must consume fewer calories.

A major influence on today’s high calorie intake is the wide availability of restaurants On a typical day

in the United States in 2010, more than 130 million individuals patronized a food-service establishment, and there’s no sign that this trend will change But just because more people are dining out doesn’t mean they’re any less concerned about making healthy food choices What they may not realize, though, is that diet plays a role in disease risk and management, and typical restaurant fare is often heavy in three dietary factors involved in that role: sodium, saturated fat, and calories.

Because people tend to eat in restaurants more often than they did decades ago, it’s important to have infor- mation about how those choices stack up nutritionally

2 Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition,

is the perfect companion for eating on the go because

it includes nutritional information for many popular restaurants, fast-food chains, and quick-stops With

it, you have the knowledge you need to balance your diet for better health no matter what restaurant you choose.

About This Book

Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition,

is your handy nutritional reference guide for dining out

at popular restaurants It helps you understand how different menu items compare to each other It also helps you discover how to decipher restaurant choices

so you can determine what the best bet is for your

health.

This book is for anyone interested in good health

Although we’re casting a wide net with that statement,

we think it rings true If one or more of these descriptions hits home for you, you’ve come to the right place:

✓ You frequent restaurants on a daily basis, and you

feel now is the time to take control of your dietary decisions.

✓ You only use fast food in situations where you’re on

the road or away from home, and you want to make the best choices.

✓ You’re on the road for work a lot and are forced to

eat in restaurants often.

Introduction

✓ You’re watching your total calorie, saturated fat,

and/or sodium intake for weight control, high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease.

✓ You’re a parent who wants to help your child

make the best nutritional choices when you’re eating out.

✓ You’re an athlete who’s on the road for

competi-tions and concerned with making the right menu choices to better your performance.

Conventions Used in This Book

This guide provides you with nutritional data for

150 popular restaurants We’ve chosen to highlight

a few key nutrients that have the greatest impact on health and disease risk: calories (Cal), fat, saturated fat (Sfat), sodium (Sod), carbohydrates (Carb), fiber, sugar, and protein (Prot).

Following is a quick primer on how these different nutritional values are measured (we skip over calories because that one’s pretty self-explanatory):

Nutritional Value Measured In

4 Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Here’s a cheat sheet to some other abbreviations we use within the nutritional data:

We also want to mention that we didn’t really have room

to include trademark symbols for all the various gets, nibblers, uperchinos, and other brand-name items offered by the fine restaurants in this book So we reiter- ate what’s on the copyright page: All trademarks listed

Introduction

in this book are the property of their respective owners

Wiley Publishing, Inc., is not associated with any product

or vendor mentioned in Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition.

How This Book Is Organized

The two parts in this book are designed to provide you with guidance in making better food choices when you’re dining out.

Part I: Dining Out 101

Here we’ve outlined some basic guidelines for healthier eating and included dining-out tips based on a few common health concerns: weight control, high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure We’ve also included restaurant- focused guidance for kids and athletes Take note of the specific guidelines that apply to your needs to make the best menu choices for your situation.

Part II: Restaurant Guide

In a perfect world, you’d have the time and energy to cook a fresh, healthy meal every night, but that’s just not how most folks live these days That’s why we’re giving you the nutrition facts for 150 popular restaurants — so you can make informed choices when dining out You can even impress your friends with these handy facts!

(Beware the fallout of reporting the calories in that cheese, triple-patty burger with bacon that your friend just ate for lunch though.)

three-6 Restaurant Calorie Counter For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Icons Used in This Book

Scattered throughout the margins of Part I are icons we’ve added to help draw your attention to the text in question Here’s what those little images mean:

If you take nothing else away from this book but the information tagged with this icon, you’ll have the info you need to start making healthier menu choices at your favorite restaurants.

This bull’s-eye indicates pointers that can make eating healthy on the go a little easier.

Pay attention to these paragraphs to help you protect your health based on your particular circumstances.

Where to Go from Here

If you want some general tips on dining out the healthy way, take a look at the chapters in Part I If you’re curious about the nutritional content of food items at your favor- ite restaurants, dive right in to Part II You’re likely to find some helpful, and at times shocking, information.

Part I

Dining Out 101

In this part

N o matter what your personal situation may

be, eating healthy is easy to do when you have a few basic guidelines in mind That’s why

this part introduces you to the concept of balanced

eating and explains the basics of how to go about it

when you dine out It’s easier to include more

vari-ety in your diet when eating at home (where you

have more control over portion sizes, ingredients,

and cooking methods), but if you use some of our

tips, you can make the best possible choices when

you’re at your favorite restaurant too.

If you dine out frequently and are trying to lose

weight, or if you have high blood pressure, high

cholesterol, or diabetes, this part is also your

resource for specifi c healthy-eating information

geared toward your personal needs.

Finally, kids and jocks will fi nd helpful information

here too Parents, we arm you with information to

help keep your children healthy when faced with

fast food Athletes, we’ve made this your stop for

tips designed to help you maintain a competitive

edge when faced with restaurant fare.

Chapter 1

Keep Your Balance

In This Chapter

▶ Developing a balanced lifestyle

▶ Making healthier decisions when dining out

B alance is what a healthy body is all about Every

system within your body constantly strives for balance, and this balance is what keeps your health stable and your systems functioning.

We bet you’re no stranger to the phrase balanced diet

However, do you have any idea what that phrase really means? This chapter takes a stab at defining it for you

And although doing some of your own cooking in the kitchen is always a great way to achieve a wholesome diet, we know you like to dine out or take out too That’s why, in this chapter, we also feature tips for eating healthy at your favorite restaurant, so you can find balance every time you enjoy a meal out.

Balancing Act

So what exactly is a balanced diet? There’s no one fect way to eat a healthy diet, but a balanced diet is one that includes a variety of foods from each basic food

per-10 Part I: Dining Out 101

group every day Eating different foods from each food group guarantees you’re getting adequate carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals A balanced diet also infers that calorie intake is balanced with physical activity; that is, you take in the right amount of calories

to support your daily activity and exercise and therefore maintain a healthy weight You can use the guidelines in this section to create a balanced diet, especially when eating out.

Of course, most people can’t eat perfectly at every meal

of every day To really succeed in achieving a balanced diet, consider your diet throughout the week, not neces- sarily at only one meal.

Strive for a little variety

Nobody likes to eat the same thing all the time One of the ways you can help yourself eat a balanced diet on a daily basis is to really make an effort to choose a variety

of foods By variety we mean pick different types of foods

within each food group So even if you love bananas, try

to mix things up and eat an apple, a plum, some melon,

or berries every week Hey, go crazy: Try a kiwifruit or mango once in a while too!

Eat fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are nutritional powerhouses that play a vital role in a balanced diet and add fiber

to your diet (which helps control hunger) Vegetables

in particular are very low in calories and have healthy

phytochemicals — nonnutritive plant chemicals that have

Chapter 1: Keep Your Balance

protective or disease-preventive properties Try to eat at least two servings of fruit and two servings of vegetables daily, gradually increasing these amounts to three or four

servings each of both fruit and veggies (Note: One

serv-ing is just a half-cup or a small piece of whole fruit.) When deciding which fruits and veggies to devour, think about color and eat the rainbow Adding more color to your diet is an easy way to ensure you’re getting a variety

of fruits and veggies weekly So go for dark orange, green, blue/purple, reds, and yellows, and remember that every color provides a different vitamin, mineral, or antioxidant.

When you’re on the go, bring fruit or raw veggies to work

or school, or grab an apple on your way out the door

Getting into this routine helps round out your diet by providing important vitamins and minerals, thereby bal- ancing out the higher-fat, higher-calorie choices you may make at other times.

If you’re not a fan of raw vegetables, consider grilling them Grilling is a quick and easy way to prepare veg- etables as a side dish or pasta topping Vegetables such

as bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini, onions, potatoes, and Portobello mushrooms all do well on the grill.

Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet when you eat at home is important because choices are slim and sometimes nonexistent in many restaurants, especially the fast-food variety If you can choose a fruit or vegeta- ble when dining out, do so, but in some restaurants, your best bet is simply to make lower-calorie, lower-sodium choices Doing so gives you a better shot at balancing out nutrients to meet your body’s overall needs.

12 Part I: Dining Out 101

Embrace exercise and sleep

The diets of people who are overweight are usually unbalanced Being overweight is a risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease Even if you aren’t overweight, a balanced diet can help lead to a balanced lifestyle Check with your physician about your personal health needs and consider the following:

activ-ity (also known as exercise) in your daily regimen

For instance, if you dine out at lunch for business, arrange to walk to your destination When you part- ner daily exercise with a balanced diet, you have a great way to stimulate weight loss.

adequate sleep helps with long-term health and even stress management When you’re well rested, you’re able to make reasonable decisions, thereby passing up that 460-calorie sweet potato casserole

in favor of the 60-calorie steamed vegetables.

Losing weight is all about finding balance (There’s that

word again.) Make exercise a habit, but also make sure you get enough rest.

Basic Tips When Dining Out

Dining out can be an enjoyable experience, but it can also

be a high-calorie, high-sodium one However, with a bit

of planning ahead, you can manage to enjoy your dining experience without the worry of eating too many calories

or sacrificing health

Chapter 1: Keep Your Balance

Consider these tips to save calories the next time you dine out:

✓ Ask for dressings or sauces on the side, or skip

the mayo.

✓ Consider an appetizer or side dish as an entrée, or

choose the regular, small, or kid-sized portion (Skip anything that’s extra-large or supersized.)

✓ Choose nonfat or lowfat milk and coffee drinks (pick

the small or “tall” size for the latter).

✓ Select grilled or oven-roasted items and skip the

deep-fried foods.

✓ Drink more water with your meals.

✓ Choose the smallest size of beverage available, or

go with water, coffee, or unsweetened tea, to avoid racking up several hundred calories a day in sugary liquid.

✓ Watch out for main-course salads; they aren’t always

the low-calorie choice.

✓ Include as many veggie toppings as possible on your

sandwich or pizza and in your omelet.

✓ Skip the butter on breakfast items, such as waffles

or pancakes, and use smaller amounts of syrup.

✓ Enjoy eggs with toast, but skip the extra meat.

✓ Forgo the extra cheese on anything whatsoever.

✓ Choose pastas with marinara or olive oil–based

sauces rather than cream or Alfredo-type ones.

✓ Consider splitting an item with a friend and ordering

a side salad to round out your meal (unless of course you’re splitting dessert).

14 Part I: Dining Out 101

✓ Ask for a to-go box to be brought with your entrée

and split the dish in two Save half for tomorrow’s lunch and enjoy half as your meal.

✓ Bring this guide with you and choose wisely!

If you currently eat out daily, consider cutting back to eating no more than three meals per week away from home (not counting packed lunches) Ideally, limit dining out to two or fewer times a week.

Perhaps you’re on a high-protein diet in an effort to lose weight Although this type of diet can lead to successful weight loss, fast-food restaurants aren’t the place to stick

to it because most of the high-protein foods offered there are also high in fat So, please, no “double bacon cheese- burger without the bun” orders.

Chapter 2

Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind

In This Chapter

▶ Watching calories to lose weight

▶ Limiting saturated fats to prevent high cholesterol

▶ Cutting back on sodium to regulate blood pressure

▶ Spreading out your carbs to control diabetes

I f you’re like most people, you’re concerned about your overall health Maybe you just want to lose weight Or perhaps you’re trying to prevent conditions that run in your family, such as heart disease/high cho- lesterol and high blood pressure You may even be trying

to eat better in order to treat an existing condition, such

as diabetes.

Wondering how to make the best choices regarding your health needs when dining out? Look no further than the advice in this chapter, which includes healthy menu

options at several popular chains (Note: Nutrition data

in this chapter is presented in whole numbers for ity’s sake Also, keep in mind that adding things such as dressings, toppings, and condiments up the numbers for any menu item.)

simplic-16 Part I: Dining Out 101

Weight Loss: Bringing

Down That BMI

Excess body weight is associated with risk factors for several diseases, namely heart disease and diabetes

Being overweight or obese may also aggravate your joint health and either hasten or worsen arthritis It can also affect high blood pressure.

The current standard for determining healthy body weight is the Body Mass Index (BMI) BMI measures your overall “fatness” and is a better indicator of health than simply body weight for one’s height You should strive for a normal BMI, valued between 18.5 and 24.9 A BMI

of 25 to 29.9 indicates that you’re overweight, and a BMI

of 30 or higher indicates that you’re obese Visit www.

calcu-late your BMI and check with your doctor or registered dietitian to determine what a healthy weight is for you.

To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit either

by taking in fewer calories or exercising more Just 500 fewer calories per day promotes the loss of 1 pound per week Creating this calorie deficit can be tough if you dine at restaurants frequently because restaurant meals are higher in calories than home-cooked meals If you’re a woman, try to limit a meal’s calories to between 400 and 600; if you’re a man, aim for between 500 and 800.

Menu options for weight loss

✓ Drink your whole glass of water (or more!) but limit other beverages to just one glass.

Chapter 2: Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind

✓ Choose an appetizer for a main entrée and order

a side salad to go with it (and make sure to pick a lowfat dressing for the salad).

✓ Add fiber to your salad bar selection with beans and

other fresh vegetables and avoid the creamy made salads or sweet salad toppings.

✓ Choose the small or “junior” burger or roast beef

sandwich with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, pickle, and onion Hold the cheese and mayo.

✓ Get out of the French fry rut Order fruit or a side

salad with dressing on the side instead, or share a small order of fries with someone (and save over

150 calories!).

✓ Order low-calorie grilled items or fish (either baked

or grilled) when they’re available.

✓ Be mindful of sodium, which can cause your body to retain fluid.

✓ Choose whole-wheat bread over white bread

when-ever possible to up your fiber intake (fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer).

✓ Physically split a meal in half when it arrives at your table and ask for the to-go box right away.

✓ Share a side dish or dessert with someone.

Best bets for weight loss

Here we show you the top-three menu picks from three popular restaurants Choose one item from the entrées and one from the sides (or even pick two sides for a meal) This information can help you make smart, calorie- balanced choices to control your weight.

18 Part I: Dining Out 101

Panera Bread

Half Smoked Turkey Breast

Wendy’s

Chicken Caesar Salad w/ Light Classic Ranch

Side Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette

Heart Disease or High Cholesterol

Diet is an important part of treatment for high terol (which can increase your risk for heart disease if left unchecked) If you have this condition, perhaps your doctor told you to follow a lowfat diet If so, you need to pay close attention to the amount of fats in foods, particu- larly saturated fat The amount of saturated fat you need daily depends on your height, weight, and activity level;

choles-most men only need about 16 to 18 grams of saturated fat per day, and most women only need about 12 to

14 grams per day.

Work to limit dietary cholesterol (which, by the way,

is found only in animal products; so eat more plants!), but keep your focus on reducing saturated fat Trans fats have also been linked to heart disease, so we

20 Part I: Dining Out 101

encourage you to limit them as much as possible

Talk with your doctor about consulting a registered dietitian for help changing your diet to lower your blood cholesterol.

A lowfat diet should also be low in sugar and contain adequate amounts of fiber (about 20 to 30 grams per day).

Menu options for heart disease

or high cholesterol

✓ Include more fish in your heart-healthy diet — just

make sure it’s not fried Choose grilled fish or food when it’s available (Fish, especially tuna and salmon, is low in saturated fat and a great source of healthy omega-3 fatty acids.)

sea-✓ Consider choosing smaller portions of foods you love If you have a craving for French fries, choose the smallest order and “count” that fat as part of your overall fat intake for the day.

✓ Look for foods that also add some fiber to your

meal, such as a green salad or veggie toppings for your sandwich This simple effort increases your overall daily fiber intake and adds important vita- mins and minerals to your diet.

✓ Skip the cheese on your sandwich and save about

10 grams of fat (7 of which are saturated) and 80 to

120 calories.

✓ Be aware that there may be some “hidden fat” in your diet because not all foods come with complete nutritional information.

Chapter 2: Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind

Best bets for heart disease

Red Lobster

*This restaurant didn’t process this information, but these foods each contribute approximately 1 to 3 grams

of fiber per serving.

22 Part I: Dining Out 101

Sheetz

Roast Beef Ciabatta Sandwich

Chicken Breast Sandwich

on Wheat Bun w/o cheese, condiments, or toppings

Taco Salad w/o dressing or toppings

Garden Salad w/o dressing

or toppings

Wildberry Banana Smoothie, reg (16 oz)

Au Bon Pain

Demi Chicken Sandwich

on Baguette

Chickpea & Tomato Salad,

Chapter 2: Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind

High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases your risk

of heart disease or stroke If your doctor has informed you that you have high blood pressure, be sure to follow his or her advice regarding your diet and medica- tion Losing weight (if you’re overweight) and choosing low-sodium foods helps regulate blood pressure And because alcohol can raise blood pressure, consume

no more than two drinks per day (Note: Making sure

you’re getting adequate amounts of calcium, vitamins, and minerals is important too.)

Monitor the sodium content of your menu selections and pick dishes that contain less than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving (Your total sodium for the day should be around 1,500 milligrams However, if you can keep it below 2,500 milligrams, that’s a good place to start.)

Menu options for high blood pressure

✓ Skip the salt shaker A single teaspoon of salt has 2,300 milligrams of sodium.

✓ Order the smallest-sized burger possible to save on

sodium.

✓ Keep track of your beverages so you don’t consume

too many calories (note that most drinks are fine sodium-wise).

✓ Be sure to check the sodium and calories for salads

from various vendors The house or garden salad

is almost always going to beat the Caesar salad in these categories.

24 Part I: Dining Out 101

✓ Pick the “cup” portion of soup over the “bowl”

por-tion to consume less sodium Also opt for based rather than cream-based soups.

✓ Choose fresh toppings, such as onion, tomato, and

lettuce, rather than pickled items, such as jarred pepper strips or pickles.

✓ Say “no cheese” and save about 100 calories and up

to 500 milligrams of sodium.

✓ Go for “half portions,” which are offered at many

restaurants They’re half the calories, half the fat, and half the sodium — and still yummy!

✓ Try a fruit cup or piece of fresh fruit as a side.

Best bets for high blood pressure

Dining out when you have high blood pressure can be

tricky, because there tends to be a lot of sodium in

restau-rant food Look for a reasonable amount of calories per portion and compare some lower- and higher-sodium items.

UNO Chicago Grill

Roasted Eggplant, Spinach & Feta Flatbread Pizza, 1/3 of pizza

Grilled Rosemary Chicken, 1/2 of dish

Grilled BBQ Salmon, 1/2 of dish 290 17 3 280

Brown Rice w/ Cranberries & Mango 180 5 1 85

Chapter 2: Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind

P.F Chang’s China Bistro

Dynamite Shrimp, 1/2 of dish 290 12 2 285 Hong Kong Beef w/ Snow Peas,

P.F Chang’s Vegetarian Fried Rice, 1/4 of dish

Spicy Green Beans, sml, 1/2 of dish

Diet plays a huge role in the management of diabetes, so

if you have this disease, you want to pay close attention

26 Part I: Dining Out 101

to how much and when you eat Because having diabetes increases your risk for heart disease, maintain a low fat intake in addition to watching your blood sugar.

Distribute your carbohydrate intake throughout the day with a fairly equal amount at each meal Most people need about 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal, but this amount can vary depending on individual needs

Check with your dietitian (RD) or a certified diabetes cator (CDE) about a meal plan that’s just right for you.

edu-Menu options for diabetes

✓ Look for special healthy menu items such as

grilled or baked seafood, vegetable soup, egg white omelets, or a turkey sausage patty.

✓ Assess portion sizes by using this guide to

deter-mine calories, carbohydrates, and fat per serving and modify your serving appropriately by either sharing an entrée or getting a to-go box And always skip the jumbo or supersized portions.

✓ Choose a lowfat appetizer as a meal and order a side

salad to go with it.

✓ Pick salads with dressing on the side or steamed

vegetables for side dishes.

✓ Make up for a fast-food meal that’s overboard on fat

or sodium by consuming lower-fat, lower-sodium foods at other meals and snacks.

✓ Look for foods that are high in fiber.

✓ Skip the cheese, or extra cheese, because it racks up

100 calories or more per ounce.

Chapter 2: Eating on the Go with Your Health in Mind

✓ Share restaurant potatoes with a friend; they’re

usually so large they may have 50 grams of drates each!

carbohy-✓ Watch out for what sounds like a better choice Items such as fat-free muffins may not contain fat, but they may contain plenty of sugar and calories.

Best bets for diabetes

If you have diabetes, you don’t have to limit your diet to steamed veggies when going out, but you do need to take

a good look at total calories and carbohydrates When you order a sandwich, choose a side that’s lower in carbohy- drates Also remember to space out carbs throughout the day, keep saturated fat under control, and make fiber your friend by consuming about 20 to 25 grams of it per day (If you currently consume a low-fiber diet, add fiber gradually and be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid a bellyache.) Chili’s

Spicy Garlic & Lime Grilled Chicken

Southwestern Vegetable Soup, cup

28 Part I: Dining Out 101

Buffalo Wild Wings

Grilled Chicken Salad w/o dressing

Tim Hortons

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup 120 21 0 1