Beware of Appetizers
Appetizers are infamous for being fried and loaded with calories and fat. You may want to skip them altogether or just order a house salad with light dressing to start off your meal. If you decide to order an appetizer, try the Potstickers or the Grilled Chicken Wonton Taco, which both weigh in at 350 calories or less and around 13 grams of fat. Keep in mind, however, that each of these lighter appetizers contains well over half the amount of sodium you should consume in an entire day.
Lunch Combos
Applebee's Lunch Combos allow you to combine two items from a selected menu of sandwiches, soups, salads and lunch portion entrees. You can easily create a lunch under 600 calories by choosing two options marked as "healthy" choices. You can make a meal out of the Chicken Tortilla soup and a house salad with Mexi-Ranch dressing for around 460 calories, 34 grams of carbohydrate, 29 grams of fat and 1,620 milligrams of sodium. If you're watching your waistline, the lunch options you'll want to steer clear of are Chicken Fajita Rollup and the Four Cheese Mac & Cheese with Chicken Tenders, which each weigh in at 680 calories, 30 to 40 grams of fat and over 1,500 milligrams of sodium.
Choosing a Healthy Entree
The Have It All menu, featuring seven entree choices under 600 calories, makes it easy to find a healthy choice for dinner. But if you'd like to venture away from that menu, look for entrees that are grilled instead of fried and include a side of veggies or greens. Avoid entrees covered in cheese or creamy sauces, which can add a significant amount of fat and calories to your meal. Choose a meat like the 7-ounce House Sirloin and pair it with the seasonal vegetables and crispy red potatoes to make a healthy and balanced meal. This contains a total of 540 calories, 34 grams of fat, 42 grams of carbohydrate, about 1,400 milligrams of sodium and 42 grams of protein.
More Tips for Healthy Eating
Don't be fooled by healthy-looking salads, which often contain high-calorie toppings. You'd be better off choosing a burger over the regular entrée-sized Oriental Chicken Salad, which contains a whopping 1,400 calories, 99 grams of fat and 1,630 milligrams of sodium. Always ask for dressings and sauces, which are high in calories and sodium, to be served on the side, so you can control the amount you use. Most restaurant meals are high in sodium, but don't be afraid to be a choosy customer and ask for your food to be prepared your way. Ask for your entree without added salt and butter, and make substitutions like a baked potato instead of fries, or steamed vegetables instead of mashed potatoes.
