If you’re really looking for healthy food, eating out is hardly your best choice, but there are restaurant picks for healthier cholesterol levels on those occasions when you do head out.  After all, we all know that if we want calorie and nutrition control, we should be eating at home. However, what American wants to skip ever eating out ever again?

Choosing the Best Restaurant Picks for Healthier Cholesterol Levels

Fortunately, national chains are trying to draw diners by providing more health conscious items on their menus.  Now, it’s just up to you to know how to recognize the restaurant picks for healthier cholesterol that appeal to you the most.

Though it can be a challenge spotting the lower calorie offerings – not to mention total fat and saturated fat – it’s not impossible.  While many restaurants don’t offer a complete list of nutrition information for all their dishes, most will offer at least some info.  A little bit is better than none at all.

Three chains that make it easier for you to make the best restaurant picks for healthier cholesterol include:

• Olive Garden
• Red Robin
• BJ’s Brewhouse

Here Are Some Top Restaurant Picks for Healthier Cholesterol

Olive Garden

The main challenge here is to avoid the free breadsticks that come with every Olive Garden meal. The calories and grams of fats per stick are sky high and will negate the benefit of pretty much any of the top restaurant picks for healthier cholesterol here.  Instead, take the salad but request your dressing on the side and look to the following delicious options.

• Shrimp Scampi- 570, 24 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available
• Chicken Piccata- 530 Calories, 26 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available

Red Robin

Known for its burgers and bottomless fries, it may seem that Red Robin won’t have anything you can choose for a cholesterol friendly diet, but there are some surprisingly light options health-conscious diners can choose.  These include:

• Banzai Salad- 439 Calories, 12 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available
• Whiskey Rio BBQ Salad- 520 Calories, 32 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available
• Simply Grilled Chicken Burger- 432 Calories, 15 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available
• 1 Piece Ensenada Chicken Platter- 216 Calories, 9 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available
• 2 Piece Ensenada Chicken Platter- 345 Calories, 14 g Fat, Saturated Fat Info Not Made Available

BJ’s Brewhouse

This menu is a tough one.  Though they do have an “Enlightened Entrée” list that is meant to provide options for the health-conscious diner, many dishes come with considerable caloric heft.  Fortunately, there are some options that will serve you 550 calories or less.  While that’s not necessarily the lightest meal, it’s definitely suits the definition of restaurant picks for healthier cholesterol.  Here are some options to consider:

• BJ’s Brewhouse Classic Tavern-Cut Pizza (per 3 slice serving)- 330 Calories, 18 g Fat, 6 g Saturated Fat
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps- 540 Calories, 24 g Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat
• Fire Roasted Barbacoa Chicken- 540 Calories, 16 g Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat
• Asian Chopped Salad- 540 Calories, 21 g Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat