Sneaky Ways Restaurants Fatten You Up: Part 3
Welcome to the last lesson in my Sneaky Restaurant secrets series.
By the time you’re done reading this, you’ll be a nutritional ninja. No fat-packed menu will stand a chance against your caloric knowledge.
Eggs:
You probably know this by now, but ordering egg whites in a three-egg omelet will save you about 160 calories and a lot of fat. But what you might not realize is that restaurants will still use a Paula-Deen serving of butter or oil to whip up your whites.
Always ask them to use light cooking spray instead of oil or butter. If your plate emerges with a light yellow, bubbly ring around the edge, then you know they ignored your request.
Beans:
I’ve bought “refried beans” at the grocery store before and they only had one ingredient: beans. So when I went to a Mexican restaurant recently and got a side of beans, I thought I was in the clear. Heads up, most Mexican restaurants mix lard into their beans. Gross.
Sushi/Sashimi:
As you know, I love sushi. While it can be an incredibly healthy meal, it can also be just as bad as a Big Mac.
Things to avoid: crab mix (full of mayo, swap it for “crab steak”), crispy anything, dynamite rolls (code word for mayonnaise bomb), and anything covered in sauce. Over at Hissho Sushi, their Colossal Dynamite Yellowtail Roll is over 800 calories!
I’m always careful to check the ingredients and make sure my rolls don’t have any type of sauce other than soy or ponzu. But sometimes, the chef surprises you. Double check anytime you order a new roll that there isn’t a hidden cream sauce that was omitted from the menu.
A good rule of thumb: go with fresh fish-based rolls, brown rice and nothing fried, and you will be fine.
And check out my full guide to sushi here >>
A few final tips:
-Save calories by getting rid of ingredients you don’t absolutely love. I always ask for no bacon, no cheese, and no croutons.
-When ordering sandwiches or burgers, make sure your bread isn’t buttered, and obviously ask for whole-wheat. Also ask that your buns be “scooped-out”. You’ll save about half the calories.
-Always ask if the tea is unsweetened.
-If you’re embarrassed to seem like a demanding picky customer, just tell them you have a food allergy. Works every time.
-And lastly, don’t assume. Many restaurants have their caloric info posted online. You’re on your iPhone 24-7 anyway checking out people’s incessant Instagram pictures of their dogs (guilty), so why not put that time to better use. It only takes a second to Google how many calories is in something before you eat it.
If you’ve haven’t already, check out Part 1 & Part 2 of the series!
Bethann says:
It kills me that Mexican restaurants put lard in their beans! I had no idea until I worked at one and saw them dumping in the pork fat. Sad day!
I’ll stick to homemade ones now. Do you have any favorite brands?
Whitney English says:
Yuck! That will really turn you off to Mexican food for good!
I don’t have any specific brands that I love, usually just something that’s low sodium from Whole Foods.