Which chains make healthier eating easy? :: allaboutyou.com

Read more on the Good Housekeeping Institute's investigation into healthy restaurant meals - and your eating-out health strategy...

The menu highlighted meals containing five-a-day fruit and vegetable portions and those that were low in fat. Staff couldn't recommend healthy options, but gave an information sheet outlining the nutritional content of all meals. ‘It was much easier to eat healthily here than I anticipated,' said one taster. We gave the Wetherspoon website top marks for providing full nutritional information (apart from sugar), including daily guideline amounts, as well as a tool that calculates the total nutritional content of any Wetherspoon meal.

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘It's great that Wetherspoon offers nutritional

information both online and in the restaurant. Although healthy options

are available, be warned that the majority of dishes are high in calories, fat and salt, and the portion sizes are large.'

Anita's choices Organic Tomato and Basil Soup (200cals, 15.1g fat/8.1g

saturates, 3.5g salt), Five-bean Chilli (592cals, 10.1g fat/1.2g saturates, 4.3g salt) and Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Bombe (297cals, 12g fat/7.4g saturates, 0.3g salt).

Pizza Express has a dedicated menu of lighter options called Leggera (Italian for light), which includes pizzas under 500 calories and 5g fat. There was only one healthier dessert, however. ‘It would be good if the menu included the fat and calorie content for every dish,' said one taster. The website gives calorie contents and suggestions of healthier choices. Full nutritional data is due to be added to the site later in the year.

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘The Leggera range is good as portions are smaller, but most of the restaurant's other pizzas have lots of cheese and fatty meats.'

Anita's choices Rustica Tomatoes (80cals), Vitabella pizza from the Leggera range (500cals) and Sotto Zero from the Leggera range (180cals).

The menu listed ingredients but cooking methods weren't detailed - staff twice recommended a tofu salad that came deep-fried. Some testers thought many meals sounded nutritious, but others struggled with the unfamiliar ingredients.

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘The menu has lots of vegetables and low-fat, high-fibre dishes. However, the lack of nutritional information in the restaurants and on the website made it difficult to select the healthiest meal.'

Anita's choices Miso soup, Saien Soba (wholewheat noodle soup with

vegetables) or Yaki Soba (noodles with chicken, shrimp and veg) and Mango with Lime Zest and Lychee Sorbet. 

‘The heart symbols on the menu next to low-calorie choices helped,' said a tester.

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘The menu has a few healthy options, but most dishes are high in calories and fat. There's nutritional information on its website.'

Anita's choices Tomato, Garlic and Balsamic Soup (66cals, 0.3g fat/0.3g saturates, 1.4g salt), Smokey Joe Tuna (500cals, 13.8g fat/1.6g saturates, 2.1g salt), Fresh Fruit Skewers (399cals, 8.5g

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘The veggie dishes and salads are healthy options, but most of the menu is high in salt. Nutritional information was listed online.'

Anita's choices Spicy Mixed Olives (212cals, 21g fat/3g saturates, 4.6g salt), Veggie Pitta (379cals, 6.6g fat/0.6g saturates, 2.8g salt), and Bottomless Frozen Yoghurt (single serve 72cals, 0g fat/0g saturates, 0.1g salt).

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘Most of the burgers are high in calories, but there are interesting vegetarian options, some lower-fat meats including buffalo, and you can add extra vegetables. Having no nutritional information online or in the restaurants makes it difficult to choose.'

Anita's choices Mixed Leaf Salad, Puy Lentil Burger or Chilli Chicken Salad. The restaurant doesn't serve desserts.

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘The salads and paellas seem healthy and interesting. They make up quite a lot of the menu, which is good, but without nutritional information it's easy to choose the wrong thing.'

Anita's choices Ensalada de la Casa, Paella Verduras (vegetarian paella) or Paella de Mariscos (seafood paella), Frutillas Frescas (strawberries with cream on the side).

Nutritionist Anita says... ‘Salad or fish is your best bet, but nutritional information was only on the web and only for some dishes.'

Anita's choices Mixed Marinated Olives (135cals, 10.1g fat/1.4g saturates, 3.7g salt), Salade de Chèvre (534cals, 34.9g fat/14g saturates), 2.8g salt), Crème Glacée à la Vanille (260cals, 11.4g

fat/7.6g saturates, 0.5g salt).

Read more on the Good Housekeeping Institute's investigation into healthy restaurant meals - and your eating-out health strategy...