With endless fried options and toppings like oozing savory cheeses and calorie-filled rice, a Mexican restaurant may seem like the worst place to eat out if you’re trying to lose weight. But, fear not. There’s no reason for you to be skipping out on a night out. There are healthier meal options for you at a Mexican restaurant that won’t have you trying to play catch-up on the elliptical at your local gym. Let this article be your guide through the calorie-filled maze of a Mexican restaurant’s menu.
Chips and Dip
Portion size is key with this popular meal-starter. Some brands of chips have 146 calories per 10 chips, so it’s incredibly easy to get ahead of yourself and eat your way through a meal’s worth of calories in chips and dip alone. Instead of going for the queso, ask about the salsa that’ll be filled with fulfilling vegetables and will leave you feeling lighter.
A healthier option altogether would be hot soft-corn tortillas. These yummy options are baked instead of fried and will knock off some calories from this dish. With either option make sure to set aside a small portion of chips and dip for yourself, to give yourself ample wiggle room for appetizers and beyond.
Appetizers
Stay away from options that are often topped with cheeses and sour creams like nachos and quesadillas. A great option that adds a ton of flavor is cilantro, and it’ll make the perfect partner to any taco or burrito. Better options for appetizers at a Mexican restaurant would be chicken fajitas instead of chicken chimichangas or bean burritos instead of bean and cheese.
Main Meals
When possible, don’t order crunchy foods like taquitos. Those are usually deep fried and add a lot of extra calories to your meal that aren’t necessary. For example: When ordering tacos, make sure to order soft ones instead of hard ones.
Mexican restaurants usually utilize high-calorie sides in their meals such as refried beans and cheese. Black beans and pinto beans are a great substitute. Also, ask your server about other healthier options like a side salad or grilled vegetables. See if you can switch out white rice for the brown rice, which is high in fiber. If you keep your sides fresh, you can indulge all you want and fill up quite well on those fresh ingredients.
If you’re wondering about ordering a taco salad, be sure to order it on a plate instead of a deep-fried bowl. Also, ordering it without sour cream and cheese will help with the calorie intake as well. Trust me, it doesn’t take away too much from the flavor.
There are many ways to make sure that your night out at a Mexican restaurant doesn’t shift you away from your journey to a healthier lifestyle. Just make sure that you ask about healthier options and keep track of your portion sizes. Mexican restaurants don’t have to be a headache. With these healthy tips you’ll go from worrying about your calorie intake to enjoying a fun night out with your friends.
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