Nutrition Made Easy

Our nutrition experts and registered dietitians translate the latest nutrition research into tips you can use to eat healthier every day.

The Best and Worst Restaurant Salads

That bowl of greens may not be as good for you as you think. We navigate the best and worst restaurant salads and share our top picks. By: Holley Grainger, MS, RD

Photo: Dan Dalton/Digital Vision/Getty Images , Text: Holley Grainger, MS, RD

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Restaurant Salads

When the temperature starts to soar, a cool crisp salad seems like the ideal meal. But if you think you’re getting a light, healthy bowl of greens when you're eating out at favorite restaurants like Romano's Macaroni Grill, California Pizza Kitchen, or Applebee's, you may want to take a closer look. While many restaurant salads are low in calories and loaded with healthy ingredients, others are diet disasters packed with calorific ingredients like fried chicken, full-fat cheese, and creamy dressings that are overflowing with hidden fat, calories, and sodium.