Thanks everyone! I did look up the online nutritional information for the restaurant we were at and there seems to be a lot more stuff listed there than was on the menu. The menu had no veggie sides listed at all. The website even has a veggie soup listed - the restaurant we were at only had cream soups. The calorie count for the spinach chicken salad is listed at 170 but I bet it wasn't even that with the amount of iceberg lettuce in it.

Anyway I'll try and be more prepared next time we go out (doesn't happen very often). Education is so important.

If something comes with a side of starch like pasta or mashed potatoes, I ask the server to substitute the starch for a double serving of veggies. I have never been told no or been charged extra for doing so,

It's super important to never hold off when you're hungry, you want to keep your metabolism revving, and staying hungry slows it down. I always pack an apple and a bag of almonds, small, simple snacks that should hold you off.