Craving quick meals however making an attempt to not skimp out on dietary advantages? Gaby Vaca-Flores, RDN, CLE, breaks down how you can construct a wholesome order straight from the Chipotle menu.
Chipotle delivers on comfort and taste alike, and its recognition is basically attributable to its customization issue. Chipotle solely makes use of 53 components to organize their menu, but there are numerous meal combos to be made.
Furthermore, Chipotle has earned a fame for being a more healthy various to different quick meals eating places. Whereas they actually do provide loads of nutritious choices, a few menu objects aren’t essentially the very best in your eating regimen.
When you repeatedly eat at Chipotle, it could be value re-evaluating your go-to order to just be sure you are ordering along with your well being and wellness in thoughts. This dietitian-approved information to navigating the Chipotle menu will break down the healthiest selections, then give you three pattern order choices to attempt the following time you get takeout.
Whether or not you’re ordering a bowl or burrito, step one within the Chipotle expertise is choosing a base. You get to select from three choices:
- white rice
- brown rice
- no rice (maybe subbing with greens for a salad)
This can be stunning—largely as a result of white rice typically will get a nasty rep—however white and brown rice are each wholesome choices. Each ship the identical quantity of energy (210 energy per serving) and solely differ barely of their fats and carbohydrate quantities.
The principle benefit that brown rice holds over its white counterpart is that it packs roughly a gram extra of fiber per half-cup of rice. With this in thoughts, each choices can contribute comparable dietary worth to your bowl or burrito.
Really useful Base Choices
Personally, I discover the pleased medium by asking for a lightweight quantity of brown rice (or white, if that’s what I’m within the temper for that day).
Skipping rice altogether may be one thing to think about if you’re trying to construct a bowl that’s much less carb-heavy and also you wish to make room for different starchy toppings (i.e., beans). If I plan on having fun with chips with my bowl, I ask for no rice to assist create a extra balanced meal.
Subsequent in line are the protein choices. There’s loads to select from, together with staples from the usual Chipotle menu:
- rooster
- steak
- barbacoa (shredded beef)
- carnitas (shredded pork)
- sofritas (plant-based protein)
It’s value noting that Chipotle provides a number of several types of rooster and steak selections that differ in taste and dietary worth.
The leanest protein choices at Chipotle are the common rooster, common steak, and barbacoa. These choices present between 21 to 32 grams of protein and solely 6 to 7 grams of fats per serving.
The much less wholesome protein sources embody garlic guajillo steak, carnitas, pollo asado, and rooster al pastor. Primarily, these are thought of much less wholesome as a result of they’re larger in fats, ranging in 11 to fifteen grams per serving.
Sofritas are the plant-based protein possibility which might be comprised of sauteeing a mixture of chipotle peppers, tomatoes, spices, and tofu. This can be a scrumptious possibility for vegans and vegetarians. Although sofritas are a superb supply of protein, in addition they present 10 grams of fats per serving.
It’s additionally value mentioning that Chipotle provides a ‘Veggie’ protein possibility that consists of guacamole and selection of beans. Whereas this feature offers much less protein than the meat-based choices, it could possibly assist give your bowl or burrito a increase of wholesome fat and fiber.
Really useful Protein Choices
For a balanced meal at Chipotle full of lean protein, I like to recommend selecting the next:
- rooster (common)
- steak (common)
- barbacoa
Chipotle Menu: Veggies and Salsas
This step is the right alternative to add some coloration and extra vitamins to your meal. You possibly can select from beans, lettuce, and fajita veggies. There are additionally a number of tiers of salsa accessible that adjust in spiciness.
In terms of beans, you possibly can choose black or pinto beans. Each choices provide close to similar dietary worth, offering 130 energy and eight grams of protein per serving. Plus, beans are an wonderful supply of fiber.
Equally, there are not any noteworthy dietary variations between the chopped romaine lettuce and fajita veggies. Nonetheless, lettuce will add a satisfying crunch to your meal. Fajita veggies, or sliced bell peppers, will add savoriness.
Moreover, the totally different salsa choices—such because the contemporary tomato salsa and the tomatillo inexperienced salsa—present one other alternative to spice up the quantity of taste and veggies into your meal.
Really useful Veggie and Salsa Choices
You possibly can’t go mistaken selecting any of the vegetable choices at Chipotle. Don’t overthink it and easily choose the mixture of veggies that you just want. (In terms of veggies, the extra the merrier!)
Personally, I choose in for pinto beans for a fiber increase and fajita veggies topped with salsa for an additional kick.
Selecting the best mixture of toppings may be the distinction between a balanced meal and a not-so-healthy one. Further toppings at Chipotle embody guacamole, bitter cream, shredded cheese, and queso blanco.
Every of those toppings are comparatively excessive in energy as a result of they’ve a excessive fats content material. (For reference, fat present about twice as many energy as carbs or protein.)
Right here’s the calorie and fats breakdown of the extra toppings, based mostly on their typical serving measurement at Chipotle:
- guacamole: 230 energy, 23 grams of fats
- bitter cream: 110 energy, 9 grams of fats
- shredded cheese: 110 energy, 8 grams of fats
- queso blanco: 120 energy, 9 grams of fats
Whereas dietary fats has its place in a normal eating regimen, the fat present in most of those toppings are unhealthy saturated fat. The exception right here is guacamole, which is comprised of avocado, a fruit that gives a considerable quantity of wholesome unsaturated fat.
Really useful Further Toppings
When you’re trying to take pleasure in Chipotle’s topping choices, I’d suggest asking for a lightweight quantity from the choices shared above. Often, which means they are going to serve you about half of a typical serving. This can be a good strategy to nonetheless incorporate extra taste into your meal with out including too many additional energy.
3 Wholesome Pattern Orders from Chipotle
With so many mixture choices, Chipotle provides one thing for everybody. As a dietitian, I vet for the next meals as a number of the healthiest fare straight off of the Chipotle menu.
Wholesome Chipotle Meal #1: Rooster and Rice Bowl
Learn how to order:
- Rice (mild quantity of white or brown rice)
- Rooster or steak
- Pinto or black beans
- Lettuce
- Salsa of alternative
- Shredded cheese (mild quantity)
Right here’s the vitamin breakdown for the rooster and rice bowl:
- Energy: 470
- Protein: 45 g
- Carbs: 43 g
- Fats: 15 g
Consider this bowl as your go-to possibility for once you want a handy—however nonetheless wholesome and balanced—meal from Chipotle. On this bowl, you might be getting all three of your macronutrients plus veggies, fiber, and a ton of taste.
Furthermore, this meal is extremely straightforward to customise based mostly in your taste preferences. You possibly can simply swap out the lettuce for fajita veggies or the beans for the corn salsa.
I like to recommend asking for a lightweight quantity of rice to assist make room for the beans, that are a starchy and really filling vegetable.
Wholesome Chipotle Meal #2: Steak and Veggie Burrito
Learn how to order:
- Tortilla
- No rice
- Beans (mild quantity of black or pinto beans)
- Steak
- Salsa of alternative
- Roasted chili corn
- Fajita veggies
Right here’s the vitamin breakdown for the ability burrito:
- Energy: 660
- Protein: 37 g
- Carbs: 87 g
- Fats: 17 g
The facility burrito is the right alternative if you’re on-the-go or trying to increase your protein consumption. What’s nice about this burrito is that it’s loaded with flavorful greens from the fajita bell peppers, corn, beans, and salsa.
Since this burrito packs considerably extra energy than the primary possibility (one tortilla at Chipotle has a whopping 320 energy), I like to recommend chopping this burrito in half and saving the leftovers for dinner or sharing it with a good friend.
Wholesome Chipotle Meal #3: Veggie Bowl
Learn how to order:
- Rice (mild quantity of brown or white rice)
- Sofritas
- Beans (mild quantity of black or pinto beans)
- Salsa of alternative
- Fajita veggies
Right here’s the vitamin breakdown for the veggie bowl:
- Energy: 405
- Protein: 17 g
- Carbs: 55 g
- Fats: 15 g
The veggie bowl is the perfect alternative for somebody who’s on the lookout for a plant-based meal that also delivers on protein and complicated carbohydrates.
The Takeaway
It may be difficult choosing out the healthiest choices once you eat out, particularly if the restaurant does a superb job of promoting their complete menu as wholesome. Nonetheless, it’s very nicely doable to construct a wholesome meal from the Chipotle menu by choosing balanced bases, lean proteins, and nutrient-rich toppings. On the similar time, it’s value being conscious of portion sizes—in addition to being conscious of some less-than-nutritious choices that could be value having fun with now and again, however maybe not for each Chipotle order.
