Hungry Girl Goes to...The Mall!

Tips and Tricks

Chinese
As tempting as it is, you are better off skipping Chinese food at the mall. They rarely can make cook-to-order meals, and the premade items, even if they aren't fried or breaded, are typically floating in oily, sugary sauces. That's bad news! If you're lucky enough to find a place that has steamed veggies, a plate of them with brown rice (not white!) is your best bet. But beware, when you eat rice, those PointsPlus® values can rack up quickly.

Bottom Line: Resist temptation at the mall and satisfy your craving when you can special-order your Asian meal elsewhere.

Mexican
Believe it or not, you can have a pretty good meal at that Mexican food place. It's all about asking for what you want. Ask for a plate piled high with lettuce and tomatoes, some grilled chicken and black beans. Then top it off with salsa or pico de gallo instead of dressing. Skip the cheese, sour cream and guacamole. They're so not worth it! And if you want to splurge on a tortilla or two, go for corn over flour. They're lower in calories and PointsPlus values.

Bottom Line: Go for it — as long as you can resist the greasy tacos and cheesy burritos. Special ordering is key here.

Subs & Deli
This is likely the best place to have a smart meal. Instead of a ginormous full-size sub, stick with a half or 6" size (or have a sandwich on whole-grain bread). Lean turkey breast is a great option, but just say no to mayo and cheese — and YES to lettuce, tomato and mustard. Or feel free to turn that would-be sandwich into a giant salad by skipping the bread altogether (that's what I do!). Just don't fool yourself into thinking tuna salad is a good choice. All that mayo makes those PointsPlus values skyrocket!

Bottom Line: Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Shockers!

Smoothie Scare
Never assume that all smoothies are sensible options for you. Many fruit-based sips pack have 500 to 700 calories. For a DRINK?! Not so smooth!

Pretzel Sadness
Don't think soft pretzels are always fat-free and innocent. Mall pretzel stands typically serve theirs drowned in butter, and with all sorts of crazy dipping sauces. No one needs a pretzel that averages 400 calories. Yuk!

Pizza Alert

Pizza slices with veggie toppings often have more calories than regular plain cheese slices. Why? Sometimes the vegetables are breaded, and typically they act as little sponges for excess oil. Pizza isn't a great option for you at the mall anyway, but don't fool yourself into thinking a veggie slice is a decent idea. It isn't.

Fun Fact

A 150-pound person burns about 170 calories per hour while shopping leisurely at the mall (a 30-minute mile pace). Want to burn more? Pick up the pace and choose the stairs over the elevator.

Heads up!

Next week Hungry Girl is going to ... A Holiday Party. Check back for her straight-up survival tips.

More About Hungry Girl
Learn how Hungry Girl came to be—and more!

Hungry Girl, aka Lisa Lillien, distributes her tips, tricks and takes on new food products through her daily emails and Web site. Check out Hungry-Girl.com