Your Guide To Eating Out On A Diet

Heart UK recently revealed that a three-course meal out at one of our favourite chain restaurants could contain up to four times our recommended daily allowance of saturated fat. Government guidelines recommend that women consume no more than 20g saturated fat per day, but a single meal out could pack up to 80g. In fact, a single pizza or dessert often contains almost two days' worth, with Pizza Express' American Hottest Romana 65 pizza packing 36g saturated fat and 1,261 calories and Ask Italian's Chocolate Etna dessert containing 32g saturated fat and 767 calories. Starters aren't off the hook, either. Zizzi's Fonduta Formaggi contains 787 calories and almost a full day's allowance of saturated fat (15g).

Yep, those festive get-togethers could seriously derail your diet and your health... But don't despair. Make the right choices and you can take the guilt out of eating out (without forgoing dessert).

ZIZZI

Starter:

Mixed Olives (pitted green and purple olives in a garlic, red pepper and herb oil) - 144 calories, 2g saturated fat

Main Course:

Skinny Pizza King Prawn Diavola (butterfly king prawns, Fior di Latte mozzarella, crushed chillies and fresh oregano) - 488 calories, 6.3g saturated fat

Green Goddess Salad With Broccoli (tenderstem broccoli on cannellini beans, courgette ribbons and mixed leaves tossed in super green pesto with balsamic tomatoes, radish, baby watercress and toasted omega seeds) - 256 calories, 1.9g saturated fat

Risotto Funghi (mushrooms, rosemary, sage and riserva cheese) - 439 calories, 9.3g saturated fat

Dessert:

Honey, Sea Salt & Mascarpone Gelato - 54 calories, 1.4g saturated fat (per scoop)

Zizzi Nutritional Information

Menu

ASK ITALIAN

Starter:

Italian Olives (large green nocellara olives from Sicily) - 204 calories, 2.5g saturated fat

Main Course:

Chef's Salad (smoked prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, avocado and artichoke with tomatoes, cucumber, olives, peppers, red onion, mixed leaves and basil. Finished with grated Grana Padano cheese, croutons and extra virgin olive oil) - 527 calories, 17g saturated fat

Sea Bass Al Forno (sea bass fillet baked in a white wine sauce with new potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms and spinach) - 560 calories, 13g saturated fat

Spaghetti al Pomodoro (santos tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil in a rich tomato sauce topped with buffalo mozzarella) - 338 calories, 3.9g saturated fat (for a half portion with side salad, no dressing)

Dessert:

Coffee and a little slice of cake (any regular hot drink with a thin slice of Pistachio and Olive Oil cake) - 200 calories, 4.5g saturated fat (cake only!)

Ice cream profiteroles (filled with Italian-style soft ice cream and topped with a rich hot chocolate sauce) - 302 calories, 11g saturated fat

Limone sorbetti (2 scoops) - 144 calories, 0.3g saturated fat

Ask Italian Nutritional Information

Menu

NANDO'S

Starter:

Spicy Mixed Olives (with mushrooms, garlic and red pepper) - 138 calories, 1.4g saturated fat

Main Course:

Grilled Chicken Breast In Pitta - 375 calories, 0.7g saturated fat

3 PERi-Orange Wings - 361 calories, 4g saturated fat

Sides:

Corn On The Cob (regular) - 144 calories, 0.5g saturated fat

Fino Coleslaw - 72 calories, 0.3g saturated fat

Dessert:

Mango Frozen Yogurt - 71 calories, 0.1g saturated fat

Nando's Menu and Nutritional Information

WAGAMAMA

Starter:

Lollipop Prawn Kushiyaki (skewers of grilled prawns marinated in lemongrass, lime and chilli) - 142 calories, 0.4g saturated fat

Main Course:

Sirloin and Shiitake Salad (35 day aged sirloin steak with grilled shiitake mushrooms, carrots, mangetout, red onions, baby plum tomatoes and mixed leaves in a pea and herb dressing) - 381 calories, 1.7g saturated fat

Dessert:

Raspberry Mochi Ice Cream (little balls of ice cream wrapped in a layer of sticky rice, served with sauce) - 193 calories, 2.4g saturated fat

Wagamama Menu and Nutritional Information

PREZZO

Starter:

Marinated Olives (green and black olives, garlic and peppers, marinated in olive oil and herbs) - 145 calories

Main Course:

Light Tropicana Pizza (pineapple, prosciutto, mushrooms, mozzarella, tomato) - 472 calories

Pollo Al Funghi (penne pasta with mushrooms and spinach in a marsala wine sauce) - 421 calories

Light Penne Arrabbiata (with crushed chillies, parsley and garlic in a pomodoro sauce) - 383 calories

Dessert:

Nutella Hazelnut Spread and Banana Mini Calzone - 317 calories

Prezzo Menu

BELLA ITALIA

Bella Italia marks starters and desserts under 300 calories and mains under 600 calories on its menu.

Starter:

Insalata Rosso (tomato chunks, black olives and onion drizzled with olive oil and lemon dressing)

Main Course:

Tagliatelle Pomodoro (fresh egg tagliatelle with pomodoro sauce, fresh basil and basil oil)

Olive Pizza (from the Pizza Vita range - buffalo mozzarella bocconcini, fresh basil and baby plum tomatoes)

Dessert:

Choose a "shot dessert", each served in a shot glass and clocking in at under 300 calories:

Choose from Amaretto Chocolate Pot, Banoffee Pie, Mini Pannacotta, Tiramisu Mousse and Strawberry Cheesecake

Bella Italia Menu

PIZZA EXPRESS

Starter:

Olives Marinate - 122 calories, 1.4g saturated fat

Main Course:

American Hot Leggera (pepperoni, light mozzarella and tomato, with your choice of hot green, Roquito or jalapeno peppers) - 440 calories, 6.9g saturated fat

Leggera Superfood Salad (black rice, edamame beans, red quinoa, mung beans, chickpeas, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and kale in a flavoursome vinaigrette on a bed of seasonal mixed leaves, rocket, cucumber, roasted red and yellow peppers, red onion and fresh parsley with light house dressing) - 461 calories, 3.4g saturated fat

Dessert:

Leggera Tartufo Limoncello (creamy Sicilian lemon and Fior di Latte gelato with a liquid centre of limoncello) - 202 calories, 4.2g saturated fat

Lemon Posset Crunch (a creamy lemon posset on a ginger biscuit base) - 194 calories, 8.4g saturated fat

Dolcetti Chocolate Brownie (made using gluten-free flour, topped with fresh strawberry and icing sugar) - 235 calories, 6.2g saturated fat

Pizza Express Menu