5 Fast Food Restaurant Meals That Are Healthier Than a Salad

4 minute read
Pedestrians enter a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Martinez, California, U.S., on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015. Chipotle Mexican Grill is expected to release earnings figures on Feb 3. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
Pedestrians enter a Chipotle Mexican Grill in Martinez, California on Feb. 2, 2015.David Paul Morris—Getty Images/© 2015 Bloomberg Finance LP
By Lisa Lillien / People

Lisa Lillien is the author of the popular Hungry Girl website and email newsletter, featuring smart, funny advice on guilt-free eating. She is also the author of nine books, six of which debuted at number one on the New York Times Best Sellers list. Read her PEOPLE.com blog every Monday for slimmed-down celebrity recipes and more.

Salads seem safe when you’re dining out, but BEWARE. Some restaurant salads have a thousand calories… or more! Here are a few to avoid, plus better-for-you alternatives:

At Chipotle Mexican Grill

Salad Shock: Salad with Chicken and Toppings
You’re at Chipotle and eating a SALAD? This basically makes you a Zen master. A salad with chicken, no less — so virtuous. Throw on some fajita veggies and black beans — you’re so healthy! Corn salsa, why not? Cheese? You’ve earned it by not ordering a burrito. Guacamole? Duh. Vinaigrette? Well, it IS a salad. Guess what, health nut? That salad now totals 1,010 calories and 64.5g fat.

Better Bet: Soft Corn Tacos with Sofritas, Veggies, and Salsa
Let’s try again. The great thing about tacos is that you’re kind of restricted to the amount of toppings you can fit into a few small tortillas. Pick the tofu-based sofritas, add on those fajita veggies, and top with tomatillo-red chili salsa. Only 400 calories for 3 tacos, plus 12.5g fiber and 13g protein!

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At California Pizza Kitchen

Salad Shock: Caramelized Peach Salad with Grilled Shrimp
You walk into CPK with reserve of steel — you’re not ordering a pizza, no matter how tempting they look. Good thing there are a bunch of yummy salads on the menu… STOP! As virtuous and delicious as this fruit-topped option sounds, the full order with dressing is a serious calorie-fest with 960 calories and 63g fat. Yeesh!

Better Bet: Shrimp Scampi Zucchini Fettuccine
Look again — those shrimp are sitting on a bed of zucchini ribbons! At 470 calories and 24g fat, this is one of the best options on the menu. (P.S. If you like zucchini “noodles,” check this out.)

At Applebee’s

Salad Shock: Oriental Chicken Salad with Grilled Chicken
This salad is so simple — how can it be trouble? There’s no cheese or bacon, and choosing grilled chicken rather than crispy chicken saves you 110 calories and 17g fat. Sadly, a regular-sized salad with dressing still has 1,290 calories and 82g fat! The Oriental Dressing alone has 250 calories and 22g fat. ACK.

Better Bet: Napa Chicken & Portobellos
Now here’s a really satisfying plate. Chicken smothered in sauce, mushrooms, and onion, alongside sautéed veggies and crispy potatoes — all for just 500 calories and 16g fat? Sold! Make our salad swap at home, and get this from the ‘Bee’s.

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At Chili’s

Salad Shock: Quesadilla Explosion Salad
The silly item has been a scourge on my radar for years. Yeah, it seems like a quesadilla wouldn’t be so bad if it comes in salad form… But it’s basically an entire quesadilla sitting next to a salad. How does it stack up? 1,430 calories and 96g fat. Noooooope.

Better Bet: 6 oz. Sirloin with Grilled Avocado
You could get A STEAK with AVOCADO for FAR fewer calories and fat grams than that silly salad. Topped with a citrus-chile sauce, the steak also comes with garlic roasted tomatoes and a Fresco side salad for 410 calories and 20g fat. BRILLIANT.

At Cheesecake Factory

Salad Shock: Caesar Salad with Chicken
How bad could a pile of lettuce with some chicken really be? MAYDAY! CODE RED. This salad has 1,550 calories in it! That’s higher than an order of the Four Cheese Pasta — CRAZYPANTS. (But I wouldn’t suggest ordering the Four Cheese Pasta either — it has a whopping 1,270 calories.)

Better bet: SkinnyLicious Hamburger
What’s your reward for suffering the indignity of saying the word “SkinnyLicious” out loud? A burger on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, with a smear of mayo, salad on the side. For just 560 calories. Worth it.

‘Til next time… Chew the right thing!

This article originally appeared on People.com.

Read next: The 10 Most Filling Foods for Weight Loss

QUIZ: Should You Eat This or That?

Which is better for you: A 1/2 cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet?
Which is better for you: Half cup of ice cream or 3 scoops of sorbet?Getty Images (4)
Answer: A 1/2 cup of ice cream
Answer: A half cup of ice cream If you eat what you’re craving, you’re more likely to feel satisfied and eat less. And scoop for scoop sorbet contains twice the sugar with none of the filling dairy protein and fat.Getty Images (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?
Which is better for you: Real butter or spray on fake butter?Getty Images; Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Butter
Answer: Butter Serving size for spray butters (even low-calorie ones) are around a 1/3 second spray. What on earth does that mean? You're better off using a small amount of real butter as opposed to guessing how much you're using of the mystery melange of up to 20 ingredients.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A sirloin burger or a turkey burger?
Which is better for you: A turkey burger or a sirloin burger?Getty Images (2)
Answer: Sirloin burger Restaurant turkey burgers are often made with dark meat and the skin, so they’re not necessarily better for you (and for the record, they aren't low-fat). You can get a sirloin burger that’s 95% lean meat and gives you 20 g of protein. Just be careful with the toppings.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?
Which is better for you: Almonds or pretzels?Getty Images (2)
Answer: Almonds
Answer: Almonds Almonds are high in protein, fiber and fat and will keep you feeling fuller longer. Give high-sodium pretzels about an hour and you'll feel hungry again thanks to the high-carb no-fat or protein content.Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Eggs or Special K?
Which is better for you: Special K or eggs?AP; Getty Images
Answer: Eggs
Answer: Eggs In the morning, you want a meal that will fill you up. Eggs offer protein and fat for satiety, but Special K cereal really only offers carbs and, well, air. If you want carbs to kick off the day, you're better off pairing eggs with a slice of 100% whole grain toast. Getty Images (1); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
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Which is better for you: Fat free salad dressing or regular salad dressing?Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Regular salad dressing
Answer: Regular salad dressingTo absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamins E and K in vegetables you need to consume them with a fat to aid nutrient absorption. Fat-free dressing, meanwhile, is low-calorie but gets its flavor from added sugar and salt.Tara Johnson for TIME (5); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?
Which is better for you: A low fat cookie or dark chocolate?Getty Images (2)
Answer: Dark chocolate “People tend to believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies may be lower in fat, but higher in other ingredients like sugar. Try a nice piece of dark chocolate for those antioxidants.
Answer: Dark chocolate “People believe fat free is calorie free,” says Keri Gans, a registered dietitian in New York City. “Go for the real thing.” Fat free cookies tend to be high in carbs, sugar and fake sugar. Try a nice piece of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate instead.Getty Images (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME
Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt?
Which is better for you: Low fat Greek yogurt or 100 calorie Yoplait yogurt?Tara Johnson for TIME
Answer: Low fat Greek Yogurt
Answer: 2% Greek YogurtA little fat is good in the morning to keep you full—plus it has upwards of 17g of protein per container. Fat-free "fruit" yogurt is high in sugar—7 to 10 g per serving—and lower in protein.Tara Johnson for TIME (2); Gif by Mia Tramz for TIME

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