Episode 019: Healthy Dining Review – Lighter Fare @ Applebee’s

In this tasty episode, Annette and her sidekick Gail critique the flavor and nutritional content of 4 Lighter Fare options at Applebee’s Neighborhood Bar and Grill. Listen here to find out what you should be ordering (or in this case, what to stay away from)! All healthy dining reviews are comprised of 3 segments: 1) restaurant background 2) eating experience and 3) nutrition evaluation. 

Today I’m veering off from our regularly scheduled podcast for another Healthy Dining Review! This time, my good friend Gail and I head to Applebee’s to try out their new “Pub Diet” menu with entrees that advertise a low calorie count without sacrificing flavor. Unfortunately, flavor is sacrificed, and so are the health benefits for that matter. Out of the four entrees we try on today’s episode, only 2 will pass my healthy dining review. Each of these dishes were missing the beautiful and brightly colored veggies we all know taste good while being good for us, and I personally missed a healthy portion of whole grains in each of these meals. I judge these plates today based on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and I look at the calorie count, the servings of fruits and veggies, the whole grains, the saturated fats, the sodium, and the added sugar to give you an overall look at what makes (or breaks) each meal.

APPLEBEE’S ENTREES REVIEWED IN THE EPISODE ARE:

SHRIMP WONTON STIR-FRY: Stir-fry veggies, dumpling sauce, wonton strips, white rice ($12.99)

SAVORY CEDAR SALMON: Grilled cedar-seasoned salmon, artichoke spread, steamed potatoes and vegetables ($15.99)

HOT SHOT WHISKEY CHICKEN: Whiskey onion & mushroom, peppercorn, rosemary pan gravy, cheddar jalapeno-topped mashed potatoes ($11.99)

GRILLED ONION SIRLOIN WITH STOUT GRAVY: House sirloin, grilled onion, roasted tomato, crispy red potatoes, stout gravy ($13.99)

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE…

0:48 What to expect from my healthy dining reviews

1:20 Gail is my good friend and partner in crime during these dining reviews

2:30 Check out my other dining reviews! Episodes 2 (Olive Garden), 6 (Chili’s), and 12 (Cheesecake Factory)

2:51 A bit of background on Applebee’s

4:41 Interesting facts and trivia about the Applebee’s chain

8:33 Welcome to our Applebee’s lunch! The Dining Review starts here!

9:05 First entrée up: Shrimp Wonton Stirfry with 610 calories from their “Pub Diet” menu

12:44 Second entrée: Savory Cedar Salmon with steamed veggies and potatoes at 540 calories

15:50 I get my food snob on with the third entrée: Hot Shot Whiskey Chicken at 640 calories

 “The chicken was so processed, the mashed potatoes were just not real mashed potatoes, the onions were slimy…my tongue was hurting from this dish.” – Gail

19:11 Final entrée: new Grilled Onion Sirloin at 600 calories

23:12 Would we come to Applebee’s for a healthy meal? (Spoiler: probably not!)

24:13 How I evaluate the healthy experience at Applebee’s

25:16 How did the entrees match up to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans?

28:21 Why I focus on saturated fats and not overall fat content

28:40 How I break down sodium content based on the Dietary Guidelines

30:26 My final nutrition quality grades for these 4 entrees

EATING EXPERIENCE RATINGS…

NUTRITION EVALUATION TABLE:

RESOURCES DISCUSSED:

Visit www.applebees.com/our-music to get a few tracks from their unique playlist

Familiarize yourself with the nutritional value of Applebee’s Pub Diet menu and their other menu items here. And for pictures of their menu items, visit them online at www.appleebees.com

For an in-depth look at the guidelines I use in my Healthy Dining Reviews, here is a pdf of the USDA 2015 Dietary Guidelines

THANKS FOR LISTENING!

Thanks so much for joining me again this week. Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Until next time!

Keywords: Applebee’s, Healthy Dining, Restaurant Review, Podcast

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