For most people, a weight-loss journey requires adjustments and changes to your normal eating habits and dining routine. One thing that doesn’t have to change is visiting your favorite restaurants. It’s not just about where you eat; it’s learning what to eat when you arrive. To help keep your diet sustainable in the long term, treating yourself occasionally is helpful. That’s why we’re here with a dietitian’s top-recommended TGI Fridays order for weight loss.
When you grab a table at TGI Fridays, you feel right at home. The restaurant and cocktail bar is known for its mouthwatering favorites, such as Loaded Potato Skins, Signature Whiskey-Glazed Sesame Chicken Strips, Big Ribs, Truffle Burger, and more. The good news is you can still dine at places like TGI Fridays when looking to lose weight—in moderation. It’s all about making better menu choices on nights you dine out and filling your diet with healthy, whole foods the majority of the time.
So the next time you head to TGI Fridays for a “treat yourself” meal, keep a dietitian’s #1 TGI Fridays order for weight loss in mind.
The Thai Mango Salad With Grilled Chicken Is an Excellent TGI Fridays Order for Those Watching Their Waistlines
Nutrition (Per Thai Mango Salad):
Calories: 400
Fat: 15 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 1430 mg
Carbs: 47 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 33 g)
Protein: 23 g
As previously noted, treating yourself once in a while is key when your goal is to lose weight. So, it’s important to be prepared with a smart choice the next time you head to TGI Fridays.
Jordan Hill, MCD, RD, CSSD, from Top Nutrition Coaching, recommends ordering the Thai Mango Salad with grilled chicken. “This combo is a great balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fats with appropriate amounts of each to keep you satiated while eating for weight loss,” Hill tells us. “This salad, in particular, is one of the lower-fat options … compared to the Caesar salad’s 63 grams fat. While eating fat at each meal is important for nutrient absorption and promoting satiety, restaurant meals, including salads, can easily be as much as a day’s total recommended fat intake.”
The Thai Mango Salad comes with pan-seared pot stickers, shredded cabbage, mixed greens, diced mango, shredded carrots, candied pecans, fresh herb mix, and homemade Sweet Heat Mango Vinaigrette. With the added grilled chicken, this meal comes in at 400 calories and provides 23 grams of protein and five grams of fiber. Protein and fiber are two essential nutrients in a healthy diet and for those looking to slim down, as they help keep you full and satisfied.
Healthier Dining Tips at TGI Fridays:
Hill provides us with healthy, waist-friendly tips to keep in mind when you’re dining out at restaurants like TGI Fridays.
- Take a look at the menu and decide on your order before arriving. This will help you have better control over what you order.
- Opt for lean protein meals like turkey, fish, or chicken.
- Stay away from any creamy, fried, or breaded items. Hill points out, “These tend to be higher in fat and will quickly increase the total caloric value of the meal.”
- Plan on one or two vegetable sides with your meal if they aren’t included.
- Always request sauces and dressings be on the side so you can be in charge of how much you add.
- Make your beverage choice water or low-calorie.
- Be mindful of your portion size. Whenever possible, share your entreé or just eat half of it and take the rest home.
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Alexa Mellardo