Last week, news broke that burritos stuffed with sour cream, cheese, and guacamole are not exactly as healthy as we'd like to believe — even when they come from the health- and environmentally-conscious Chipotle. The New York Times reported that "a typical order at Chipotle has about 1,070 calories," which is close to the daily recommended caloric intake for an adult (1,600 - 2,400 calories).
There are some easy swaps to make this beloved lunch spot healthier, though. Try these tricks the next time you order:
Wrap it up
If you don't feel like suddenly changing up your favorite burrito, just cut your portion in half. "Ask for an extra piece of foil or an extra bowl and wrap up half of your meal straight away," suggest Willow Jarosh and Stephanie Clark of C&J Nutrition. "You not only keep your portion size in check naturally (without having to calorie-count), but you get two lunches for the price of one! Win-win." Be selective about carbs
"The trick to getting the most out of Mexican food is to be selective about carbs," says Shira Lenchewski, MS, RD, an L.A.-based dietitian. "I'm all for stocking up on delicious meat, guacamole, peppers, greens, salsa, and sticking to 1/2 - 1 cup black beans. Ditching the chips, rice, and tortilla allows you the freedom to enjoy your meal without the feeling of carb overload." Opt for a corn tortilla
Jarosh and Clark explain that "the soft corn tortilla shells are whole grain and have more fiber than the flour tortillas, which will help keep you more satisfied and your blood sugar more stable. Plus, they're smaller to offer built-in portion control." Eat your vegetables
Vegetables are great way to bulk up your bowl or burrito with hunger-quashing fiber while not adding too many calories. Jarosh and Clark recommend you add as many veggies as you can. "Ask for extra fajita veggies, tomato salsa, and lettuce," they say. Go easy on the extras
If you love adding on cheese, guac, and sour cream, tread lightly. Jarosh and Clark recommend you opt for just a tablespoon of guac or sour cream ("this amount looks like half a golf ball") instead of the 1/4 cup Chipotle typically offers. You'll still get "lots of flavor," they say — meanwhile, the calorie counts are totally reasonable. "A tablespoon of sour cream has 30 calories and 3 grams of fat, and a tablespoon of guac delivers around 22 calories and 2 grams of fat," they say.
If you don't feel like suddenly changing up your favorite burrito, just cut your portion in half. "Ask for an extra piece of foil or an extra bowl and wrap up half of your meal straight away," suggest Willow Jarosh and Stephanie Clark of C&J Nutrition. "You not only keep your portion size in check naturally (without having to calorie-count), but you get two lunches for the price of one! Win-win." Be selective about carbs
"The trick to getting the most out of Mexican food is to be selective about carbs," says Shira Lenchewski, MS, RD, an L.A.-based dietitian. "I'm all for stocking up on delicious meat, guacamole, peppers, greens, salsa, and sticking to 1/2 - 1 cup black beans. Ditching the chips, rice, and tortilla allows you the freedom to enjoy your meal without the feeling of carb overload." Opt for a corn tortilla
Jarosh and Clark explain that "the soft corn tortilla shells are whole grain and have more fiber than the flour tortillas, which will help keep you more satisfied and your blood sugar more stable. Plus, they're smaller to offer built-in portion control." Eat your vegetables
Vegetables are great way to bulk up your bowl or burrito with hunger-quashing fiber while not adding too many calories. Jarosh and Clark recommend you add as many veggies as you can. "Ask for extra fajita veggies, tomato salsa, and lettuce," they say. Go easy on the extras
If you love adding on cheese, guac, and sour cream, tread lightly. Jarosh and Clark recommend you opt for just a tablespoon of guac or sour cream ("this amount looks like half a golf ball") instead of the 1/4 cup Chipotle typically offers. You'll still get "lots of flavor," they say — meanwhile, the calorie counts are totally reasonable. "A tablespoon of sour cream has 30 calories and 3 grams of fat, and a tablespoon of guac delivers around 22 calories and 2 grams of fat," they say.