With contemporary, responsibly-sourced components, Chipotle makes it simple to eat wholesome on the go. But the yummy chips, toppings, and tortillas additionally make it simple to show your order into an unintended cheat meal. So what must you order at Chipotle? We requested two diet specialists to interrupt down suggestions for locating the healthiest choices.
(Nutritional knowledge is supplied by the Chipotle Nutrition Calculator.)
1. Start with the Basics
When you’re deciding what to order at Chipotle, skip the burrito — the big flour tortilla comprises 320 energy, and that’s earlier than you add any toppings. “Go for the tacos, salad, or bowls instead,” says Kristian Morey, RD, LDN and Clinical dietitian at The Center for Endocrinology at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
Here’s how these choices stack up:
- Salad is your greatest guess, with simply 15 energy within the mattress of supergreens.
- If you order a burrito bowl, select brown rice over white. A standard serving of rice (in a burrito bowl, burrito, or a three-taco meal) comprises 210 energy, so request a “light” portion in particular person or within the app when ordering — or skip it altogether.
- If you order tacos, go for the crispy corn shells — an order of three comprises 200 energy and 0 sodium, in comparison with 250 energy and 480 mg of sodium for 3 mushy flour tortillas.
2. Add Lean Protein
Next, add some wholesome protein to your order. Black beans and pinto beans each comprise 130 energy and eight grams of protein in a median scoop, so select whichever bean you want greatest.
For the principle protein occasion, go for rooster or sofritas (shredded tofu braised in spices). “Both are lower in saturated fat than red meat,” says Sofia Norton, RD at Kiss My Keto. Sofritas clock in at 150 energy, 8 grams of protein, and 1.5 grams of saturated fats per serving. The rooster choice has 180 energy and three grams of saturated fats, however a whopping 32 grams of protein per serving.
3. Go Heavy on the Veggies
Norton suggests together with loads of veggies, so add some fajita greens, tomatillo salsa, pico de gallo, roasted chili corn, or additional supergreens to your dish. (Go best on the corn, which comprises 80 energy per serving.)
4. Watch Out for Saturated Fat
Don’t overdo it with regards to shredded cheese, queso blanco sauce, and bitter cream — these can add a number of saturated fats and energy to your meal. (Chipotle’s shredded cheese has 5 grams of saturated fats per serving, queso blanco has 6 grams, and bitter cream has 7 grams.)
Chipotle’s salsa choices — each the contemporary tomato salsa and the tomatillo green-chili salsa — are nice, low-cal, flavorful choices. But for those who’re craving a creamy topping or dip, decide only one, and request a lightweight portion. Even higher, order it on the aspect so you may management how a lot you add to your meals, Morey says.
5. Spring for the Guac
Avocados comprise “valuable nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and potassium,” Norton says, together with wholesome fat which might be believed to learn coronary heart well being. And Chipotle’s guacamole contains solely actual stuff — avocados, cilantro, jalapeño, lemon juice, lime juice, crimson onion, and salt — no humorous enterprise like preservatives or synthetic flavors. Just remember that a serving to of guac provides 230 energy to your meal, so it’s possible you’ll need to order it on the aspect so you may eat half now and save the remainder for later.
6. Skip the Chips
Chips are tempting, however depart them off your order. “The smallest option clocks in at over 500 calories,” Morey says. “That’s practically a meal’s worth for some people.” And a big order of chips with a aspect of queso blanco will run you 1,290 energy and comprises 28 grams of saturated fats.
7. Take Advantage of the Nutrition Calculator
Before you order, Morey recommends working your order by the helpful Nutrition Calculator on the Chipotle web site — it calculates the complete dietary data of your meal. You also can see the distinction in dietary stats for those who select to go “extra,” “normal,” or “light” on any of your choices. For occasion, you may shortly see that selecting a lightweight serving of cilantro-lime brown rice as an alternative of a standard serving will shave off 105 energy.
Easy Options to Order at Chipotle
Still undecided what to order at Chipotle? Here are just a few choices that supply loads of vitamins. (Keep in thoughts the sodium content material might be important, even within the healthiest choices at Chipotle — so attempt to restrict your sodium consumption the remainder of the day.)
Salad with rooster
Add black beans, fajita greens, and contemporary tomato salsa.
- Calories: 360
- Fat: 9 grams
- Protein: 41 grams
- Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Burrito bowl with sofritas
Add cilantro-lime brown rice (mild), pinto beans, fajita greens, tomatillo green-chili salsa, and romaine lettuce
- Calories: 425
- Fat: 15 grams
- Protein: 19 grams
- Carbohydrates: 58 grams
Veggie tacos
Choose two crispy corn tortillas as an alternative of three, and add black beans, fajita greens, contemporary tomato salsa, guacamole, and romaine lettuce
- Calories: 406
- Fat: 22 grams
- Protein: 10 grams
- Carbohydrates: 46 grams
Lifestyle Bowls
If you’re following a particular food regimen plan, you may also select considered one of Chipotle’s pre-designed Lifestyle Bowls — they’re accessible in Whole30, paleo, and vegan-friendly variations.