I love eating out however I just don’t do it like I used to, for obvious reasons. However I was super excited when one of my aunts had her birthday lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. Now, I know what you’re thinking, there is NOTHING healthy about The Cheesecake Factory and I had already come to terms with the fact that I’d have to be that difficult diner requesting to “hold this, hold that, and can I have it on the side?”. I’d never eaten at the popular restaurant establishment and to my absolute delight, they have an ENTIRE menu dedicated to their health conscience consumer (insert the happy dance)!!
The menu was released in 2011 so it’s still fairly new. I’m sure the restaurant was tired of ending up on every national “Unhealthiest Restaurant/Entree/Burger/Dessert” list printed in the last 5 years. I was amazed at all the options they offer from warm salads, chicken lettuce wraps, veggie burgers to grilled salmon, they offered something for every palate. Their menu is divided into small bites/appetizers under 490 calories to salads, entrees and burgers under 590 calories. I opted for their turkey burger that came with a side salad. Mmmm…I can still taste it….
It was delicious and I loved the caramelized onions on top. I did not eat the top bun but I did however partake in the bottom bun, mind you I skipped the bread basket they place on your table when you sit down. The burger is not that large but a proper portion size of about 4-5 ounces of turkey. It comes with mayo (which I love) but I skipped it.
After lunch, of course all of my aunts ordered their cheesecakes and desserts and I admit, I did try a small bite of the cheesecakes that crossed my path on the way to the next taster. I don’t deprive myself especially when it comes to cheesecake as it’s one of my all time favorite desserts. May I highly recommend the Dulce de Leche cheesecake, it’s divine and not as sweet as you may think. I did end up ordering a cheesecake to go to share with Coach Kozak later in the day (don’t tell him I told you that) and I chose the carrot cake cheesecake because he loves him some carrot cake. 🙂
HEAVEN IN YOUR MOUTH!
In short, it’s ok to eat out. Restaurants are making it easier and easier for waistline savvy eaters to make smarter decisions. I normally scope out a menu ahead of time since most places now offers menus online for you to view. Nicely ask the waiter to make changes or leave something off if you know it’s calorie heavy, after all you don’t want to sacrifice your social life or your goals in the process.
Tips for healthy eating out:
- Avoid fast burning carbs that cause a spike in blood sugar. ex: white pastas, breads, or rice
- Steer clear of cream based sauces and dressings (mayo, Caesar dressings, etc)
- Choose vinegar based and olive oil dressings
- Select Brown rice and veggie sides and whole grain buns or breads
- No fried or breaded proteins! Select grilled, blackened or baked lean meats
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