[72butterfly]

I am going out to lunch with a friend next Saturday. The plan is to go to a Mexican restaurant. I need some suggestions for healthy choices. I am a little scared but I can't spend my whole life not going out and doing things because I am afraid to mess up on my diet.

[jmacway]

I would suggest you do an internet search for the name of the place you are going to eat. See if they have a menue on line with a calorie count. Then you can decide what to eat.

[Glory87]

Originally Posted by 72butterfly

I am going out to lunch with a friend next Saturday. The plan is to go to a Mexican restaurant. I need some suggestions for healthy choices. I am a little scared but I can't spend my whole life not going out and doing things because I am afraid to mess up on my diet.

This comes up all the time for me because my office is right next to an Aztexa Mexican restaurant and my coworkers love to go there all the time. We used to go once a week, and I always ordered nachos all the way!

Now, I usually order a big bowl of black bean soup (no cheese) with 2 whole wheat tortillas and a side of pico de gallo. I eat the soup and I roll some of the beans up into tortillas with the pico de gallo. I like it and I know it's a much healthier choice than the cheese, sour cream, guacamole (although it's a good fat), refried bean covered, fried chips nachos all the way I used to order!

Other things I might order:

Grilled fajitas - asked for them to be prepared with less oil/butter, all the cheese and sour cream comes on the side, so you can use a little for flavor
Baked burritos (no cheese, or just a little)
Veggie enchiladas (no cheese, or just a little)

Stuff I would avoid:
Chimichangas
Tostadas
Nachos
Taquitos
THE DREADED CHIP BASKET

[Formylittleguy]

Look carefully at the salads, some taco salads are good but others are just as loaded as the entrees.

I'd get something I like but just a small order of it. If you always got the enchilada platter just get one enchilada. Or you can get your normal order along with a take out box and immediately put half into the box and set it aside. I'd also avoid the chip basket. Love those things but wow, those chips are loaded with calories.

[ScarlettDrawl]

At my favorite Mexican restaurant, I usually get this spicy chicken sandwich that they have. I eat half and take half home, no fries, no chips, diet coke.

[goalnorolls]

I don' t know your plan but you can start by counting out your chips- if you want them. I think a serving is like 12. so eat 12 chips and salsa. you will savor them more if they are on a plate and you know it is all you can have!

I think chicken fajitas are best- only because you put them together yourself and you can avoid the cheese, guac and sour cream. But use the salsa and meat. If they have whole wheat do that...if not you can stick with the flour. My weight watcher book says a serving is 2. So you might want to do the lunch menu or kids menu if they let you. Another option is a taco salad- don't eat the shell and put the toppings on a plate on the side. Then just use salsa.


Good luck - Mexican food is the hardest!!!

[72butterfly]

Thanks everyone for all of the input. I knew I could count on ya'll.

[SuchAPrettyFace]

See if they have a shrimp cocktail appetizer & maybe a veggie burrito?

[Nori71]

I LOVE Shrimp Ceviche!! It usually is on the appetizer/first course menu, but I often order it for my meal. It's similar to a shrimp cocktail - but bursting with flavor. Very low fat and also low carb. When I figured the calories per serving at my fav place - it is 300 cal, 3g fat, 16g carb and 50g protein. If I want something warm, I usually get chicken or pork Chile Verde.

I don't go to Mexican often and when we do we usually ask for NO CHIPS to be brought to the table. On occasion I have asked them to just bring me 1 serving of them

[AmberM]

I'm not a member of this board but I thought I"d put my two cents worth in. Watch out if you use the kids menu. Don Pablos has a kids menu that has a meal over 1000 calories and ALL of their "big kids" menu items are over 1000 and most are around 1500! You have to watch it even if it is for kids.

Amber

I don't have anything to add, great advice here. :-)

[Tani]

My favorite mexican place serves a grilled steak soft taco on a small steamed corn tortilla with fresh salsa and a slice of avocado. I usually get one and a side of whole black beans, hold the cheese. Soooo good and totally healthy. Look for grilled items served with plain tortillas and condiments on the side.