There’s no getting around it. Life in today’s world (at least in the U.S.) is much faster-paced than it was just 20 years ago. It seems there is very little time to spend with friends and family anymore. Many people compensate by skipping home-cooked meals and opting to eat out instead, so they can spend more ‘quality’ time with their loved ones. However, as with most things in life, everything comes with a price. If you are trying to manage your weight, you need to be aware of the hidden calories lurking in restaurant foods.
To be perfectly fair to restaurants, I will state for the record that there is no grand conspiracy to make you fat and unhealthy. In fact, the opposite is true. The majority of restaurants would never knowingly serve you anything harmful. It’s simply a matter of business and commerce. People like to eat things that taste good, and most things that taste really good contain high amounts of fat, sugar, and salt. They’re also packed with calories. Restaurants are just providing what people want to eat to stay in business. Think about it: Would you really take your family to a restaurant that only served rice cakes and raw vegetables? Of course not.
With that said, you can still make informed choices when eating out. Most restaurants, even fast food ones, are happy to offer lower-calorie substitutes, but you have to let them know what you want. They can’t read minds! The things you should avoid are fats, sugars, and very high-calorie items such as cheesecake, dishes with sugary sauces and whipped cream (like banana splits), and deep-fried foods. I’m not saying you can never have them, but try to cut down on them when you can.
Cheese and cream sauces are packed with calories. For example, creamy garlic and chili sauces can add as much as 190 calories to your entrée. You can always ask for ‘light’ sauce, meaning the cook will use half the normal amount. You’ll still get the same flavor with many fewer calories. Most cooks use too much sauce because they know from experience that customers will complain if the entrée doesn’t have enough. Most sauces only need a few tablespoons to do their job.
Making Smarter Choices at Breakfast and Beyond
If you eat breakfast out frequently, many restaurants now offer healthier options. For example, you can ask for sugar-free syrup with pancakes and choose lower-calorie items. A typical light breakfast at your local IHOP includes 2 fried eggs, 2 strips of bacon, and 1 piece of white bread toast with butter, adding up to around 690 calories (without sugar or cream in your coffee). Not too bad. But if you ask, IHOP will happily swap in egg substitutes, 2 strips of turkey bacon, a piece of whole wheat toast with low-calorie margarine, and even throw in a piece of fruit. This comes in at only 390 calories—about half the calories of the standard breakfast. Additionally, it’s lower in fat and cholesterol and provides more nutritional value overall. The majority of restaurants, even fast-food ones, are happy to substitute items for you. After all, if you stay healthy and live longer, you’ll keep coming back. It’s beneficial for them, too.
Another area where hidden calories can sneak in is how food is prepared. Most people know about deep-fried foods, but did you know that marinades, rubs, and basting liquids can also add significant calories? For example, an oil-based garlic marinade can add 100 calories per serving. If you’re ordering chicken breast, this isn’t a big deal, as chicken breast (and turkey) are very low in fats and calories. But what if you ordered roast pork? For instance, when I make a rack of lamb (8 oz. per serving), lightly basted with olive oil and garlic and served with steamed veggies and rice pilaf, it has about 850 calories per serving. Not too bad. However, Outback Steakhouse’s New Zealand Rack of Lamb with sides totals a whopping 1820 calories! The difference lies in how the food is prepared. I brine my lamb (which adds fewer calories), while they marinate it. I also use olive oil for basting, rather than butter, vegetable oil, or margarine, and avoid soaking my sides in butter. The preparation difference accounts for almost 1000 extra calories. Don’t hesitate to ask how food is prepared at a restaurant and request healthier options like grilling, baking, or broiling instead of frying or cooking in oils.
You may think you’re eating healthier by choosing a salad, but that’s another place where hidden calories can lurk. Many salad dressings, especially creamy ones, are loaded with fats and extra calories. Tuna and chicken salads are often drenched in mayonnaise, which is high in fats and calories. Grated cheese, bacon bits, croutons, and other salad toppings all contribute extra calories. A full-blown chef’s salad with all the trimmings can easily surpass 1000 calories by itself. By comparison, a Bacon Cheeseburger at Five Guys (my favorite) only contains 960 calories. Sure, it’s a bit higher in fat, but you save 40 calories overall—and it tastes better! Personally, I’d rather have the burger and work off the extra fat at the gym, but feel free to make your own choice.
Soups are another area where people think they’re making a healthy choice, and sometimes they are right. It depends on the soup. Rich, cream-based soups can be a nutritional disaster. For example, a well-made New England Clam Chowder (with heavy cream) could set you back around 1800 calories for a large bowl (about 2 cups). Even a single cup has 900 calories. Most people who order soup as an appetizer don’t just stop at one cup, either. You can cut calories by opting for soups made with clear stocks, such as vegetable beef, chicken noodle, or chicken and rice. However, be sure to ask if they use a lot of butter or margarine in the soup, as that could counteract any calorie benefits.
For desserts, other than sugar-free options, there’s really no great way to reduce calories, aside from maybe sticking to Jello. You can lessen the damage by avoiding thick sugary sauces like hot fudge or butterscotch and skipping whipped cream. You can also opt for sherbet instead of ice cream. But the best approach might be to skip dessert altogether and just have a cup of coffee.
Now we come to the biggest and most insidious source of hidden calories in restaurant food: the before-dinner, during-dinner, and after-dinner cocktails and wines.
Many people don’t realize how many calories they are adding by drinking alcoholic beverages—and after a few, they often stop caring. Here are a few examples:
- 1 glass of red wine: 150 calories
- 1 glass of white wine: 200 calories
- 1 glass of beer or ale (depending on the style): 95 to 170 calories
- 1 mixed drink (non-creamy): 190 to 450 calories
- 1 mixed drink (creamy): 290 to over 500 calories
- 1 shot of liqueur (no chaser): 390 to 468 calories
- 1 shot of liquor (no chaser): 180 to 250 calories
It’s easy to see how a few ‘social’ drinks could add the equivalent of an extra meal (or two) to your total calorie intake. Red wine or light beers are probably the best choices, as they are lower in calories. Avoid drinks with cream, milk, or liqueurs.
By making informed choices when you eat out, you can avoid the hidden calories lurking in restaurant foods and stay on track with your health goals.
