Healthy Mall Eating

Is there such a thing as healthy mall eating? Surprisingly yes.It;s not just sugary cinnamon buns and oil soaked fries. There are some good choices out there  that are both healthful and tasty.It's just a matter of finding what works for you. Anyone can have a fun treat after a hard day of shopping.

Salads are always the best bet for healthy mall eating. Every stand has at least one salad dish on their menu.There are even stands, such as Green Leaf that specialize in customized salads.The trick is to make it healthy. be wary of all those creamy dressings like French and Russian.Stick to a lemon and oil  one instead.Also avoid croutons and cheese too. Think veggies .Think variety. Try to have your salad bowl filled with peppers, broccoli florets and grape tomatoes. Beans are always a good add on. If you want to continue in the vegetarian vein then consider  Burger King. It's one of the rare fast food joints that's offering veggie and turkey burgers. Have them with just tomatoes , onions and lettuce, Nix the special sauces and use mustard and a small spattering of ketchup.

Italian and Chinese restaurants abound in malls. The food is fun and easy to eat. However some choices may not be good for you. if you're craving Italian, then stick with smaller dishes of spaghetti. Stay away from the cheesier pizza and calzones.Chinese is also good however be careful with what to order. Egg rolls are usually fried. Some like General Tso's chicken is loaded with sugary sauces and fried meat.Try to aim for noodle soups or Buddha delight which is all veggies, from broccoli to snow peas. Aim for dishes that have very little sauce . Mexican is actually the healthiest and you can always find something that is not only low calorie but delicious. Think plain tacos or burritos with just tomato, lettuce  and guacamole. Don't ask for cheese and sour cream/.

Mall eating can be just as healthy as eating at home. Choose wisely after your shopping spree.  Eat the right foods. Not only will you feel better but you'll be able to fit into all those new duds.

A Meal At The Mall

Despite what food snobs say, mall food isn't that bad. Whether;'s it the popular chain restaurant or the pretzel stand, they can provide good eating for much less than a fancy privately owned restaurant. In these money tight times. there's nothing like a meal there.

Chain restaurants are mall magnets. it;s a bit more upscale yet the food isn't as high priced as some chichi one. There's PF Chan's which offers a glam setting and god Chinese food. They also have a wide array of dishes that cater to everyone. Their desserts are Western - .Let's face it who can resist the great Wall of Chocolate?. Another fun one is On The Border a fast and somewhat fancy Mexican restaurant (and a subsidiary of Chili's). Try their build your own fajita along with some of the tasty chicken taquitos. Another fun thing that I love about this restaurant is their bottomless bowl of tortilla chips that start off every meal. For more elegance, try the super cool Legal Seafood which looks more like a chic NY night club. The seafood is excellent with emphasis on the catch of the day and the shrimp dishes.

Malls can't be beat for less expensive fare either. They're great places to pick up pizza or a burger. my favorite is Villa Pizza which has one of the best spaghetti dishes. The sauce tastes exactly like homemade scratch and it comes with a garlic bread. Another fave is Ranch Chicken . Their popcorn chicken nuggets with fries makes a fun Saturday night dinner . The y also have healthy plates like the grilled chicken and veggies. This is a meal for two and doesn't; taste like any bland diet dinner.

There;s nothing like a meal at the mall. You can save money along with having a wide ranges of choices. You can go for Italian, Japanese Mexican , American, the whole gamut. It's great way of eating out without breaking the bank.

Corn-y Stuff

There was a new stand at the mall yesterday that caught my attention. All they were doing is selling cups of cooked corn kernels. Nothing else with it , just steamed kernels. They also sold little potato balls, not gnocchi, just rounded dime sized balls. This has snagged my curiosity.


I am planning on checking out this corn stand tonight. Anyone that sells just a cup a corn and expects to be successful - well bless 'em. Unless there's some kind of sauce whether butter , or oil or spice sprinkled on it no one is going to buy this,. There are other veggies that would be more saleable such as carrot sticks and broccoli florets, These could work Serve them with a cup of ranch dressing - a perfect pick me up for diet conscious mall walkers and mall rats.

I'm also kind of curious about the potato balls too. They looked like those veggie puffs you see in your health food aisle . It seemed like they had some flavoring there, sort of like parsley because they were green flecked. I wonder if they come in different flavors, like barbecue and sour cream (the most obvious flavoring choice).Again on my weekly Friday night pilgrimage to the mall, I'll pick up some cups and report back .

Corn and potato sold in styrofoam cups? This foodie will have to see for herself what's all about. Read tomorrow's entry for my review.