Everything in a tortilla, and more Mexican food has the potential to be among the healthiest, with its whole grain corn tortillas, good fats-rich avocado, abundance of fresh salads and grilled vegetables, and sensible protein portions. But unlimited chips are standard; portions generally are huge, high-fat, high-calorie toppings like cheese, sour cream, and guacamole are plentiful; and blended drinks have a meal's worth of calories. Mexican menus offer a lot of flexibility, however, if you order off the à la carte list, you can create your own calorie-conscious meal.
Mexican restaurant menus are packed with à la carte choices that make putting together a balanced meal easier and a lot of fun.
- First, pile half your plate with lettuce, tomato, salsa, and grilled veggies.
- Next, divide the remaining half into three sections and fill two of these with rice, a medium flour tortilla, or two corn tortillas.
- Finally, fill the last section with steak, chicken, pork, fish, or beans as your protein.
The Fat in Mexican dishes:
The following terms on a Mexican menu are a surefire sign that a dish is oversized and very high in fat. Calorie counts over 1,000 are not unusual
Big
Combo
Crispy
Grande
Loaded
Sampler
Supreme
Trio or tres
Ultimate
How to be calorie-wise with Mexican cuisine:
1. Take your portion of chips and then get rid of the basket. But there's no need to skimp on the salsa. Know your salsas—although red salsa looks hotter than green, usually green is spicier. Pico de gallo is made from fresh chopped vegetables.
2. Trim your dish by choosing just one high-fat, high-calorie topping, either cheese, sour cream, or guacamole, and just one grain, either tortilla or beans.
3. When you're dining with a group, order one meal for every three or four people and fill in with additional lower-calorie à la carte choices.
4. Swap out beef, chicken, pork, or fish for beans to create a vegetarian meal. Be sure to ask, however, if the beans are made with lard.
5. Ask if you can trade fried fish for grilled; grilled has more protein and fewer calories.
APPETIZERS AND Soups:
BEEF NACHOS
8 nachos
1,150 calories
3 nachos
420 calories
1 nacho
140 calories
CHEESE QUESADILLA, LARGE (10″), topped with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa:
1 quesadilla + ¼ cup each guacamole, sour cream, salsa: 1,200 calories
2½ wedges (1/3 quesadilla) + 2 Tbsp each guacamole, sour cream, salsa: 430 calories
1 wedge (1/8 quesadilla) + ½ Tbsp each guacamole, sour cream, salsa: 150 calories
BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 bowl (1½ cups): 220 calories
2 3/4 cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 150 calories
TORTILLA SOUP
1 bowl (1½ cups): 300 calories
2 cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 200 calories
TORTILLA CHIPS WITH QUESO CHEESE DIP
20 chips + 1 cup dip: 920 calories
10 chips + ½ cup dip: 460 calories
5 chips + ¼ cup dip: 230 calories
CHEESE QUESADILLA, SMALL (7″): 1 quesadilla
550 calories
3/4 quesadilla
410 calories
½ quesadilla
275 calories
TORTILLA CHIPS WITH GUACAMOLE
60 chips + 1 cup guacamole: 1,200 calories
20 chips + 1/3 cup guacamole: 400 calories
20 chips + 1/3 cup guacamole: 400 calories
Cheese Quesadilla
1 wedge + ½ Tbsp each guacamole, sour cream, salsa: 150 + 1 large chicken enchilada
230 = 380 calories
- good fats
Fish Taco
1 cup black bean soup
150 + 1 fried fish taco with cabbage, pico de gallo
250 = 400 calories
- fiber
Entrées:
SHRIMP TACO with shrimp, lettuce, tomato, salsa in a soft corn tortilla: 3 tacos: 600 calories
2 tacos: 400 calories
1 taco
200 calories
BEAN AND CHEESE BURRITO, LARGE (ABOUT 5″ x 3″): 1 burrito: 840 calories
½ burrito: 420 calories
¼ burrito: 210 calories
BEEF EMPANADA (3″): 5 empanadas: 1,050 calories
2 empanadas: 420 calories
1 empanada: 220 calories
CHICKEN ENCHILADA, LARGE (ABOUT 6″ x 2″): 1 enchilada
230 calories
1 3/4 enchiladas
400 calories
1 enchilada
230 calories
BEEF BURRITO WITH SOUR CREAM, LARGE (ABOUT 5″ x 3″): 1 burrito + 2 Tbsp sour cream: 960 calories
2/5 burrito + 2 tsp sour cream: 380 calories
¼ burrito + ½ Tbsp sour cream: 240 calories
FRIED FISH TACO with cabbage, pico de gallo
1 taco
250 calories
1½ tacos: 375 calories
1 taco
250 calories
CHICKEN FLAUTA WITH QUESO, LARGE (ABOUT 7″ x 1″): 4 flautas + ½ cup queso
1,070 calories
1½ flautas + 3 Tbsp queso
400 calories
1 flauta + 2 Tbsp queso
270 calories
SOFT STEAK TACO with grilled veggies, rice, beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream:
4 tacos: 1,240 calories
1 1/3 tacos: 415 calories
1 taco
310 calories
SHRIMP SALAD
1½ cups lettuce + ½ cup tomato + ½ cup shrimp + 2 Tbsp cheese + 2 Tbsp salsa + 2 Tbsp tortilla strips + 4 Tbsp vinaigrette dressing: 520 calories
1 salad + 2 Tbsp vinaigrette dressing: 430 calories
1 salad, no dressing: 320 calories
BEEF AND CHEESE ENCHILADA, SMALL (ABOUT 6″ x 2″): 3 enchiladas
960 calories
1 1/3 enchiladas
425 calories
1 enchilada
320 calories
PORK TAMALE (ABOUT 2″ x 4″): 1 tamale
370 calories
1 tamale
370 calories
1 tamale
370 calories
CHILE RELLENO (ABOUT 2″ x 4″): 1 chile relleno
740 calories
½ chile relleno
370 calories
½ chili relleno
370 calories
VEGETARIAN SOFT TACO
4 tacos, each with 1 soft corn tortilla + ¼ cup refried beans + 2 Tbsp each salsa, guacamole + 1 Tbsp grated cheese: 760 calories
2 tacos: 380 calories
2 tacos: 380 calories
TACO OR TOSTADA SALAD
2 cups lettuce + ½ cup each diced tomato, ground beef, refried beans, guacamole, sour cream + 2 Tbsp each shredded cheese, salsa + fried tortilla shell: 1,600 calories
2 cups lettuce + ¼ cup each diced tomato, ground beef, refried beans + 2 Tbsp each shredded cheese, salsa + 3 Tbsp guacamole + 10 tortilla chips: 400 calories
2 cups lettuce + ¼ cup each diced tomato, ground beef, refried beans + 2 Tbsp each shredded cheese, salsa + 3 Tbsp guacamole + 10 tortilla chips: 400 calories
GRILLED VEGGIE BURRITO, LARGE (ABOUT 5″ x 3″), with beans, cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and sour cream:
1 burrito: 800 calories
½ burrito: 400 calories
½ burrito: 400 calories
STEAK TACO IN A CRISP TACO SHELL
4 tacos, each with 1 shell + 2 oz steak + 2 Tbsp guacamole + 1 Tbsp green tomatillo salsa + 2 Tbsp lettuce: 820 calories
2 tacos: 410 calories
2 tacos: 410 calories
CHICKEN FAJITA WITH SALSA AND GUACAMOLE
3 fajitas, each with 1 medium (7½″) flour tortilla + 3 oz grilled chicken breast + ½ cup grilled peppers and onions + 2 Tbsp each salsa, guacamole: 1,260 calories
1 fajita
420 calories
1 fajita
420 calories
Bean and Cheese Burrito
¼ large bean and cheese burrito: 210 + 1 cup tortilla soup
200 = 410 calories
- protein
- fiber
Steak Taco
1 soft steak taco with grilled veggies, rice, beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream: 310 + 1 bottle light beer
100 = 410 calories
- good fats
Chicken Enchilada
8 tortilla chips: 120 + ¼ cup salsa: 20 + 2 Tbsp guacamole: 40 + 1 large chicken enchilada
230 = 410 calories
- good fats
CONDIMENTS
Spice up your meal with these popular condiments. Most are extremely low in calories.
FOOD PORTION - CALORIES
Jalapeño pepper 1 5
Chopped tomatoes 2 Tbsp 5
Shredded lettuce ½ cup 5
Pico de gallo 2 Tbsp 10
Salsa 2 Tbsp 10
Sliced olives 2 Tbsp 20
Guacamole 2 Tbsp 40
Sour cream 2 Tbsp 40
Taco Salad
Taco salad (2 cups lettuce + ¼ cup each diced tomato, ground beef, refried beans + 2 Tbsp each shredded cheese, salsa + 3 Tbsp guacamole + 10 tortilla chips) = 400 calories
- fiber
- good fats
- fruits/veggies
Chicken Fajita
Chicken fajita (1 medium flour tortilla + 3 oz grilled chicken breast + ½ cup grilled peppers and onions + 2 Tbsp each salsa, guacamole)
420 calories
- protein
- good fats
Pile your fajita with grilled veggies plus virtually calorie-free salsa, pico de gallo, lettuce, and tomato.
À LA CARTE
CORN TORTILLA, SMALL (5-6″): 1 tortilla: 60 calories
7 tortillas: 420 calories
1 tortilla: 60 calories
FLOUR TORTILLA, SMALL (5-6″): 1 tortilla: 80 calories
5 tortillas: 400 calories
1 tortilla: 80 calories
BLACK BEANS
1 cup: 200 calories
2 cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 100 calories
TORTILLA CHIPS
20 chips: 300 calories
27 chips: 400 calories
8 chips: 120 calories
GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
6 oz: 240 calories
10 oz: 400 calories
3 oz: 120 calories
FLOUR TORTILLA, MEDIUM (7½″): 1 tortilla: 140 calories
2 3/4 tortillas: 385 calories
1 tortilla: 140 calories
CHILE CON CARNE
1 cup: 280 calories
1½ cups: 420 calories
½ cup: 140 calories
GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST
6 oz: 280 calories
8½ oz: 400 calories
3 oz: 140 calories
REFRIED BEANS
1 cup: 300 calories
1 1/3 cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 150 calories
SPANISH RICE
½ cup: 160 calories
1¼ cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 160 calories
GRILLED FAJITA STEAK
6 oz: 340 calories
7 oz: 400 calories
3 oz: 170 calories
GRILLED PEPPERS AND ONIONS
1 cup: 200 calories
2 cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 200 calories
FLOUR TORTILLA, LARGE (10″): 1 tortilla: 220 calories
1 3/4 tortillas: 385 calories
1 tortilla: 220 calories
Veggie Fajita
1 cup grilled peppers and onions
200 + ½ cup black beans
100 + 1 small flour tortilla: 80 = 380 calories
- fiber
- fruits/veggies
Make-Your-Own Steak Salad
3 oz grilled fajita steak
170 + ½ cup refried beans
150 + 2 Tbsp chopped tomatoes
5 + 2 cups shredded lettuce: 20 + 2 Tbsp pico de gallo
10 + 4 tortilla chips: 60 = 415 calories
- protein
Desserts:
FLAN
½ cup: 150 calories
1 1/3 cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 150 calories
SOPAIPILLAS
5 sopaipillas
1,350 calories
1½ sopaipillas
405 calories
1 sopaipilla
270 calories
Chips and Dip
6 oz frozen margarita
180 + 5 tortilla chips + ¼ cup queso dip: 230 = 410 calories
Beverages:
LIGHT BEER (12 OZ BOTTLE)
1 bottle: 100 calories
4 bottles: 400 calories
1 bottle: 100 calories
MEXICAN BEER (12 OZ BOTTLE)
1 bottle: 150 calories
2½ bottles: 375 calories
1 bottle: 150 calories
SANGRIA
1 cup: 160 calories
2½ cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 160 calories
FROZEN MARGARITA (12 OZ GLASS)
1 glass: 370 calories
1 glass: 370 calories
½ glass: 180 calories
Guacamole usually is made from the creamy Hass (also known as California) avocado; Florida avocados tend to be more watery.