So I’m hungry for a Fiesta Taco Salad from Taco Bell. I decide to be smart about it and go to the Taco Bell website where they have all the nutrition info for their menu. I’d like to send out a message to all other restaurants: Follow Taco Bell’s example! I really like their nutrition site.

You choose a menu item and then you can customize it to suit your dietary needs or just you taste buds. For example, I don’t eat the ground beef at TB, never have. So, I choose “Regular Style” from the “Specialties” Menu. Then, to the right, I check or uncheck the boxes next to all of the ingredients. When I’m done I click “Calculate” and then I see the damage.

The regular Fiesta Taco Salad without ground beef is a whopping 690 calories! I figured it would be high with the shell, but man…

Ok, so then I’m still hungry for the darn salad so I configure it without the little crunchy strips and without the cheese. It’s still 560 calories! I keep telling myself that if I just don’t eat the shell I’ll be fine. Personally, that’s my favorite part though! I’m not sure I could leave it on the tray and then throw it away! I’ll have to think about this. :)

Nope I’ll just stick to the lunch I brought from home. Good decision, right? I’m proud of myself - I didn’t just act and then feel bad about it later (which then leads to overeating on crappy foods). I think seeing the numbers right there really make a difference.

I also found a printable nutrition guide on the site. I’m going to go the websites for any of the restaurants that I normally go to, or that are in my vicinity, print out the nutrition guides and keep them in a folder in my car. I’ll put it in the glove compartment so I won’t lose it and it will always be handy.

Maybe this weekend I’ll find some links with nutritional info and put them in the sidebar so they’re handy while I’m at my desk too!