Keeping up with healthy eating habits is hard when it comes to eating out — especially when ordering appetizers.
But whether you’re sharing with friends or enjoying one on your own, consider trying one of these healthier appetizers at metro Atlanta restaurants.
Nutritional information was sourced from restaurant menus for Olive Garden and Cheesecake Factory, and supplemental information from a variety of online sources was used for others, so totals are approximate.
Cheesecake Factory
Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta
Date night just got a whole lot healthier. The Ahi tuna appetizer serves two people and is only 260 calories. It comes with wasabi pesto, creamy avocado and a Togarasi aioli.
The Vietnamese shrimp summer rolls are also a healthy starter. They're made up of rice paper rolled around asparagus, mushrooms, rice noodles, carrots, green onions, cilantro and shrimp. Typically served with spicy chili and peanut dipping sauces, this appetizer serves two to four people and is a total of about 660 calories. Check out the restaurant's SkinnyLicious menu selection for other lower calories options.
Kimball House
303 East Howard Ave., Decatur
You can start your meal off at the raw oyster bar at Kimball House. Half a dozen oysters are typically 43 calories with 4.6 grams of protein.
Olive Garden
Dunwoody, Kennesaw, Smyrna, Snellville and Roswell
Eating Italian doesn't mean you have to break your diet. Order the pasta e fagioli soup for only 130 calories and 160 grams of saturated fat and get 6 grams of fiber. Another good option is the stuffed mushrooms appetizer. Share with friends at only 380 calories. Take a look at the restaurant's lighter fare menu for low-cal lunch and dinner dishes to accompany your appetizers.
True Food Kitchen
3393 Peachtree Road NE, suite 3058B, Atlanta
Head over to True Food Kitchen for the full healthy dining experience. Basing the menu on an anti-inflammatory diet, the restaurant offers a variety of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals. At only about 175 calories for four, order the edamame dumplings with daikon radish and white truffle oil as a great, low-cal appetizer. Other options include the vegetable crudité or the shiitake and organic tofu lettuce cups.
Four more picks
There are several other metro Atlanta restaurants offer healthy appetizer options, but do not have readily available nutritional information. If you’re ever in the following restaurants, give some of these appetizers a try:
Gaja
491 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta
The vegan eggplant lettuce wrap is served with ssam sauce, radish kimichi and sesame leaf.
Café Agora
Buckhead and Midtown
If you enjoy Turkish cuisine, try the mixed maza platter. This dish is great to share and includes humus, eggplant salad, babaganush, ezme, kisir and piyaz. (Note: The mixed maza platter is only served at the Midtown location.)
St. Cecilia
3455 Peachtree Road, Atlanta
The yellow fish tuna is great to share, and is served with jalapeno, rhubarb, olives and preserved lemon.
South City Kitchen
Buckhead, Midtown and Vinings
The pickled shrimp at South City Kitchen is served with lemon, marinated onion, blistered tomato, herb salad and avocado.
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