PETEGAWTRYHow To Eat OutWithout Ruining Your Diet
I decoded seven of the UK's biggest restaurant and takeaway chains so you don't have to — the smart picks, the hidden landmines, and the simple rules that work on any menu.
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Eat out without blowing your goals
More of us are eating out and ordering in than ever, while home cooking is in steep decline. It's the path of least resistance — but it doesn't have to be the path that derails you. With a little know-how, you can walk into almost any high-street favourite and walk out having eaten well.
This guide takes seven of the UK's biggest chains and pulls out the choices that are genuinely worth ordering — lean protein, plenty of veg, lower calories — while quietly flagging the "healthy"-looking dishes that are secretly a whole day's calories. Every pick comes with the numbers so you know exactly where you stand.
- The smart picks at each chain — with calories, protein, carbs and fat laid out.
- The hidden calorie landmines to sidestep (some "salads" top 1,200 calories).
- Simple swaps and order tweaks that save hundreds of calories without killing the experience.
- Written by Pete — a qualified, award-winning Leeds PT, not an influencer.
The four golden rules
Master these and you can handle a menu anywhere — even the chains that aren't in this guide.
Water or a low/no-calorie soft drink is almost always your best move. Those "healthy" green juices and smoothies often pile hundreds of calories on top of your meal — tread carefully.
Salt, sugar and fat are added to almost everything to make it sell — which is exactly why the tastiest dishes often fail us on calories. Taste before you salt (the UK guideline is 6g a day), and ask for dressings and sauces on the side.
The "indulgent" extras are usually what turn a respectable meal into a blow-out. Keep starters and puddings for genuine occasions rather than every visit, and you've won half the battle.
Overeating is often triggered by who you're with, where you are, or how you feel. Spot your triggers — and where you can, dodge the trigger entirely rather than relying on willpower in the moment.
What's inside
Seven of the British high street's biggest names, decoded. Jump straight to wherever you're headed.
Nando's
A fitness-community favourite thanks to all that grilled chicken — and a menu that looks simple. But there are hidden caloric landmines, especially in the starters and sides, so a little care goes a long way. Build your plate around the peri-peri chicken, add a smart side or two, and you've got a high-protein meal for well under 600 calories.
The smart picks
| Smart pick | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Peri-peri chicken | ||||
| Chicken Butterfly | 310 | 57g | 0g | 9g |
| ¼ Chicken Breast | 278 | 52g | 3g | 7g |
| Burgers, pittas & wraps | ||||
| Grilled Chicken Wrap | 381 | 36g | 44g | 7g |
| Grilled Chicken Burger | 380 | 37g | 45g | 5g |
| Salads (with chicken) | ||||
| Mediterranean Salad + chicken | 417 | 39g | 12g | 24g |
| Caesar Salad + chicken | 464 | 37g | 22g | 24g |
| Best sides | ||||
| Mixed Leaf Salad | 25 | 2g | 2g | 0g |
| Sweet Potato Mash | 97 | 2g | 20g | 0g |
| Macho Peas | 141 | 8g | 18g | 6g |
Figures are Nando's published values at the time of writing — always check the latest in-store.
The Houmous and Peri-Peri Nuts starters sit around 800 calories each — even shared, that's a big chunk of your day. And the frozen yoghurt is bottomless, so those "low" per-serving calories multiply fast.
Pizza Express
The average Brit gets through 731 pizzas in a lifetime — and pizza is one of the most energy-dense foods going, so make trips infrequent. When you do go, the Leggera (light) range is your saving grace: proper pizzas with a hole of salad in the middle, all around the 450–500 calorie mark.
The smart picks
| Smart pick | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leggera pizzas (the light range) | ||||
| Pollo ad Astra Leggera | 486 | 37g | 55g | 14g |
| Padana Leggera | 465 | 16g | 68g | 14g |
| American Hot Leggera | 440 | 24g | 49g | 17g |
| Lighter salad | ||||
| Leggera Superfood Salad | 472 | — | — | — |
| Starters to share / go solo | ||||
| Roasted Tomatoes | 67 | — | — | — |
| Olives | 122 | — | — | — |
The Al Forno Pollo Pesto tops 1,200 calories, and the regular salads with their dough sticks land at 900–1,200. If you want a starter, share one — the Dough Balls, Caesar and mozzarella salads are 300–400 calories, so split they barely dent your day.
Wagamama
Fresh, made-to-order and looks healthy — but Wagamama is one of the trickiest menus to navigate. A high proportion of mains land near half an adult's daily calories, and the salt on most dishes comes close to or tops the entire daily guideline. It's more of a "sides" place than a starters place, which actually works in your favour.
The smart picks
| Smart pick | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mains worth ordering | ||||
| Chicken Ramen | 476 | 41g | 63g | 6g |
| Sirloin & Shiitake Salad | 434 | 53g | 11g | 19g |
| Smart sides & extras | ||||
| Wok-Fried Greens | 181 | 3g | 6g | 16g |
| Yasai (veg) Steamed Gyoza | 210 | 5g | 32g | 6g |
| Chicken Steamed Gyoza | 223 | 9g | 26g | 9g |
| Edamame with Salt | 280 | 21g | 27g | 8g |
| Miso Soup & Pickles | 66 | 3g | 12g | 0g |
| Kimchee | 18 | 1g | 3g | 0g |
Only two ramen come in under 600 calories — the Chicken Ramen makes the list. Build the rest of your meal from the steamed (not fried) sides and you'll keep both calories and salt in check.
Greggs
The UK's biggest bakery chain has quietly built a genuinely user-friendly menu. Their Balanced Choice range is calorically excellent — we've picked the options that also bring a bit more protein and nutrients so you stay fuller for longer. It's still riddled with refined, quick-release carbs though, so keep this one on the "infrequent" list.
The smart picks
| Smart pick | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Choice salads | ||||
| Coconut, Lime & Chilli Chicken | 220 | 15g | 22g | 8g |
| Chargrill Chicken, Roast Veg & Grains | 235 | 18g | 25g | 6g |
| Falafel, Harissa, Roast Veg & Grains | 314 | 8g | 34g | 14g |
| Balanced Choice wraps & rolls | ||||
| Coconut, Lime & Chilli Chicken Wrap | 340 | 17g | 49g | 8g |
| Chicken Salad Sub Roll | 342 | 19g | 44g | 10g |
| Breakfast | ||||
| Red Berry Porridge | 261 | 8g | 51g | 3g |
| Strawberry & Granola Yoghurt + Seeds | 226 | 10g | 33g | 7g |
Pret A Manger
Pret has seriously stepped up its healthy game. There's a huge spread of calorie-controlled options, but the real heroes are the protein pots and the soups — nutrient-dense, high-protein and genuinely filling. A company that started as a sandwich shop, ironically, is one where the sandwiches are the thing to skip given how much better the alternatives are.
The smart picks
| Smart pick | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein pots & light bites | ||||
| Egg & Spinach Protein Pot | 104 | 12g | 2g | 5g |
| Smoked Salmon & Egg Protein Pot | 134 | 13g | 2g | 8g |
| Soups | ||||
| Chicken, Broccoli & Brown Rice Soup | 137 | 7g | 17g | 6g |
| Smoky Chorizo Chicken Soup | 223 | 15g | 18g | 7g |
| Bigger mains | ||||
| Pret's Protein Box | 376 | 38g | 7g | 21g |
| Sesame Salmon & Black Rice | 369 | 23g | 24g | 19g |
| Tuna Niçoise Salad | 469 | 27g | 7g | 36g |
Salad dressings come on the side in a little tub — some are sneakily high in sugar. The Dijon and Lemon dressings are your best bets. The protein pot + a fruit pot is a brilliant nutrient-packed combo on the go.
The Burger Joints
A "meal" from a burger place soon adds up to a whole day's calories — but the burgers themselves usually aren't the problem. It's the fries, extra patties, cheese and sauces. Stick to the basic burgers (even peek at the kids' menu), pack it out with veg, and you can track a burger trip easily. The best news: every chain here prints calories right on the menu.
The smart picks
| Smart pick | Kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic burgers | ||||
| Five Guys Little Hamburger (no bun) | 179 | 16g | 0g | 13g |
| McDonald's Hamburger | 250 | 14g | 30g | 8g |
| Burger King Hamburger | 268 | 14g | 32g | 9g |
| McDonald's Cheeseburger | 295 | 16g | 31g | 12g |
| Burger King Cheeseburger | 303 | 16g | 33g | 12g |
| Add this, not fries | ||||
| McDonald's Shaker Side Salad | 18 | 1g | 2g | 1g |
| BK Apple Fries | 30 | 0g | 7g | 0g |
| McDonald's Fruit Bag | 46 | 0g | 10g | 0g |
A Five Guys large fries packs 1,725 calories. Counter-intuitively, doubling up on a basic burger is lower in calories than adding fries — and the extra protein keeps you fuller. Hold the mayo to save ~100 calories, and a garden salad + apple fries adds just 58 calories while transforming the whole meal.
The Coffee Shops
Coffee shops sell far more than coffee now — frappes, milkshakes and syrupy hot chocolates that can swallow a quarter of your daily calories in one cup. The fix is simple: stick to the traditional coffee and tea menu and you almost can't go wrong. Here's the good stuff, lowest to highest.
The smart picks
| Drink | Approx. kcal | The verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Espresso | ~0 | Big caffeine hit, near-zero calories. |
| Americano | ~0 | Espresso + hot water. Brilliant if you're watching intake. |
| Filter Coffee | ~0 | The hidden gem — cheapest, and nothing but coffee. |
| Macchiato | ~90 | Just a dash of steamed milk (whole milk). |
| Latte (skimmed) | 135 | Lots of milk — skimmed nearly halves it. |
| Latte (whole) | 225 | About the same as an average chocolate bar. |
| Teas | ~0 | Almost all safe — just mind what gets added. |
A mocha is a latte plus chocolate, and a hot chocolate routinely beats an entire chocolate bar for calories — fine as a genuine treat, just not a daily habit. Frappes and milkshakes are the real calorie bombs.
Flip through the whole guide
Every page of The Eating Out Guide, designed to read at a glance before you order. Tap any page to open it full-size — or grab the PDF below to keep the lot on your phone for the next time you're staring at a menu.
All pages from The Eating Out Guide © Pete Gawtry Fitness
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Eating-out questions, answered
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Who's behind this
Created by Pete Gawtry
Pete is an award-winning personal trainer and nutrition coach in North Leeds, helping people lose fat and feel stronger with real food and honest coaching. He put this guide together so you can enjoy eating out without it costing you your goals — and shares it free. More about Pete
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