Making Nutritious Choices Without Sacrifice

     I started this blog because some of the dieting advice out there is just not realistic for college students. We eat out alot, cost, time and convenience are huge factors and sometimes our friends are bad influences. So I'm always grateful when I find plausible tips out there.

     Now that school's back in session, take-out might be tempting. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has compiled the nutrition information for some common Chinese food into a convenient mock menu. The calorie content in some popular dishes is outrageous. General Tso's Chicken can be expected to have 1300 calories, while Shrimp with Lobster Sauce only has 400. Another good tip they suggest: order food lightly stir-fried.

    MSNBC features reasonable advice in "Get Rid of the Guilt! Trade Up to Healthier Treats." For breakfast, it suggests small changes like trading regular cream cheese for whipped. It doesn't expect you to swear off fast food completely, but does point out that if only McDonald's will do, a regular hamburger is a wiser option than a Big Mac. If going out with friends to a Mexican restaurant, choose chicken fajitas over the quesadilla. The article even offers reasonable dessert choices.

     Even with the best of intentions, students aren't going to be preparing themselves three nutritious meals a day, every day. Making realistic food choices, like those featured at CSPI and MSNBC, keep us from spending unhealthy amounts of time planning food intake, and help prevent future overeating. If you don't deprive yourself, cravings won't become overwhelming later. 

What to Order at Popular Restaurants

     If you've been away all summer, or some of your friends have, you're going to watch to catch up next week. A lot of this back-to-school socializing happens at restaurants. The following list provides you with the healthiest options (in my opinion) of some popular, chain restaurants that don't have the healthiest reputations.

     Texas Roadhouse: Order the grilled shrimp dinner with the butter on the side. It comes on brown rice! For your two sides, I would recommend vegetables, no butter and a side salad. Texas Roadhouse does not provide nutritional information, but I estimate about 650 calories if you skip the bread, leave some rice on your plate and order Italian dressing.

     Outback Steakhouse: Pick one of the Outback Grillers, either filet medallions, chicken, scallops, salmon or shrimp with grilled pineapple, whole grain wild rice and grilled veggies. Ask for the vegetables and meat to be prepared without butter. The Ahi Tuna is a good choice for an appetizer. 

     I never eat at Olive Garden, so I don't want to recommend anything I haven't tried. But I do hear they have whole wheat linguine, which sounds like a good bet.

     I love Chilis for posting their nutrition information. They have a Guiltless Grill menu, but honestly it's not that great. I would rather just order the Classic Chicken Fajitas and eat half ( 490 out of 980 calories.) They also have a southwestern vegetable soup that's only 110 calories a cup.

     Ruby Tuesday also posts their nutrition information. The Creole Catch has only 312 calories. Good side choices would be a salad would be the brown rice pilaf (221 calories) and the green beans (85 calories.)

     Of course, if your friends agree to going to a healthier restaurant, or having a get-together that doesn't revolve around food, even better!

     Where else will you and your friends be going this week? And what do you normally order?