When eating out at a restaurant, it is difficult to determine what ingredients are in a dish, even while eating it. Restaurant food is often loaded with excess butter, vegetable oil and lard, not to mention unnecessary sugar, in an attempt to make it as delicious and irresistible as possible. Unfortunately, these added ingredients will make the dish high in fat, even though a similar dish you cook at home may not have the same fattening ingredients. Stay away from high-fat foods when eating out at restaurants and cooking for your family at home.
Braised Short Ribs
Braised short ribs are a decadent meal to enjoy at a restaurant or at home. Unfortunately, a main dish of braised short ribs packs in 1,250 calories, according to Charles Stuart Platkin, author of "The Diet Detective's Count Down." The Olive Garden's Chianti Braised Short Ribs contains 1,060 calories per serving, 522 calories from fat, 58 grams of fat and a whopping 26 grams of saturated fat. Braised short ribs are not likely to be the only thing you eat for dinner, so adding any bread, side dishes or salads to the meal will increase the caloric and fat count even more. Practice portion control by taking half of the dish home to eat the next day, or order braised chicken or fish instead.
Movie Popcorn
It may seem like a good idea to eat a snack while watching a movie at the theater, but if you're forgoing the nachos for popcorn because you think it is more nutritious, you're wrong. A large popcorn from AMC Theaters contains 664 calories, 310 calories from fat, 31 grams of fat and 28 grams of saturated fat, which is 35 percent more saturated fat than you should consume in an entire day. Adding butter to the popcorn ups the ante to 1640 calories, 1134 calories from fat, 126 grams of fat and 73 grams of saturated fat, which is over three times the amount of saturated fat that the average adult should consume per day. Ordering the small nachos instead cuts down the fat and calorie counts of your snack significantly.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Fettuccine alfredo is a dish available at most Italian restaurants, combining a flat pasta with white cheese sauce. Although fettuccine alfredo may seem unassuming, 1 cup of homemade fettuccine alfredo contains 622 calories, 279 calories from fat, 31 grams of fat and 16.5 grams of saturated fat, which is 82 percent of the daily suggested intake of saturated fat. If you add chicken to the meal, the calorie count skyrockets to 1370 calories and 873 calories from fat, and 97 grams of fat and a staggering 57 grams of saturated fat. Saute fettuccine noodles in olive oil, and then add a small amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese on top when you are craving fettuccine alfredo.
Croissants
A croissant is a light, airy french pastry that seems like a healthy substitute for bread. A plain croissant at Dunkin' Donuts contains 330 calories, 170 calories from fat, 18 grams of total fat and 4.5 grams of saturated fat. Add a filling to your croissant, and the saturated fat rises considerably. A chocolate croissant at Starbucks, for example, contains 350 calories, 171 calories from fat, 19 grams of fat and 8 grams of saturated fat. Opt for a whole-wheat English muffin or a slice of whole-wheat toast instead of a croissant.
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