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Best And Worst Restaurants For Your Family

If you’re like me, you like to eat out occasionally. My single most prevalent vice is a pleasant sit down meal at a nice restaurant.  I even have my own little circuit of eating establishments that I will rotate through over the space of a few weeks, complete with servers who know my name and typically have a nice big sweet tea sitting on the table waiting for me as I come through the door.

Of course eating out means you are giving up some measure of control over the nutritional value of your meals to someone else.  So is there any way to enjoy the pleasures of eating out and not give up what you need to remain healthy?

Not all restaurants are created equal, and you may not get the same nutritional quality from one establishment to another.  Time to look at a few of the most popular restaurant chains in the country and grade them on their nutritional quality.

Chick Fil A is arguably the best of the bunch when it comes to fast food restaurants, excelling in most every possible category.  They offer low calorie sandwiches, chicken nuggets that actually qualify as healthy, as well as more nutritious side options such as fruits and soups (as opposed to greasy fries or onion rings).  They also offer nutritional information available at every location (something you won’t find at other fast food establishments).

Panera Bread runs a close second in the nutritional value race, with one of the most varied menus in the business offering a number of very healthy choices, which are further improved by the ability to control the portions you receive (half sized soups, salads, and sandwiches).  Panera also offers what may be the most nutritious kids menu, with organic yogurt, PB&J, and grilled organic cheese served up on whole grain bread.

Subway also ranks extremely high due to their offerings based on lean protein and vegetables.  Many of their sandwich options come in under 300 calories.  Unfortunately, their armor isn’t without blemish; some of their toasted subs rank high in calorie count and saturated fat.  Stick to the low calorie sandwiches, avoid the chips and soft drinks, and Subway is a very healthy choice for a quick nutritious meal.

Surprisingly, McDonalds actually ranks higher than you would expect on the nutritional meter, with McNuggets and cheeseburgers both coming in below the 300 calorie threshold.  In addition, a Quarter Pounder is an acceptable nutritional option, just be careful not to torpedo success with fries or large soda options.

While I’m not sure many would consider a bagel to be a nutritious meal choice, Einstein Bros. Bagels bucks the trend by offering reduced fat shmears, hummus, and peanut butter, along with a Good Grains Bagel that has a whopping 4 grams of fiber.   Just beware the chain’s Overstuffed size sandwiches option.

Dominos is possibly the most popular pizza chain in the country.  Unfortunately, it is also one of the least nutritious.  Credit copious amounts of cheese, grease, and bread in their ingredients, and you end up with a pizza that can boast over 350 calories per slice.

Long John Silver’s is quite possibly the worst of the bunch when it comes to fast food chains, although Captain D’s would have to be running a close second.  Most everything is cooked in partially hydrogenated soybean oil, resulting in an overabundance of trans fats.  A single Fish Combo basket can result in a 12.5 gram trans fat nightmare.

It is with a sense of embarrassment that I have to report many of my favorite establishments rank near the bottom of the nutritional barrel.  More upscale beaneries such as Applebee’s, IHOP, Outback, and TGIFridays do not provide any nutritional information on their various menu items.  While the entrees and desserts are mouth watering, and the atmosphere much more pleasurable than ordering through a clown’s mouth, at the end of the day you have no way of determining the nutritional value of what you just ordered.

So when you plan on eating out, do it smartly.  You can enjoy the same vice that I do, a sit down meal, served to you by efficient staff, in a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere, without having to compromise your nutritional needs.

 

 

About the Author

Billy D Ritchie is the Director Of Content for LeadsByFone, LLC, a lead generation company servicing the flooded basement and water damage restoration industry.

When not writing and educating folks about the perils of water damage, he is also a freelance writer, sometime actor, and formerly professional musician.  He also enjoys spending his weekends building and flying model rockets.

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