You Might Want To Think Twice Before Ordering A Taco Salad At A Mexican Restaurant

When I make Mexican(ish) food at home, I'm most likely to throw together a taco salad. The reason is, I can make it to my own specifications, meaning cheap and fairly nutritious. That means I go heavy on the lettuce, with a moderate amount of cheese and protein (chicken, beef, and/or black beans), and just a sprinkling of crushed tortilla chips on top to give crunch without adding too many calories. Restaurant taco salads are a completely different story, however — surprisingly enough, they're one of the least healthy menu options at many Mexican restaurants.

Or maybe it's not so surprising, since for one reason or another (possibly nutrition-related), taco salads have been disappearing from menus in recent years. Several Disney World restaurants got rid of their taco salads in the 2010s in order to replace them with healthier options, while Taco Bell ditched its Fiesta Taco Salad in 2020. Unlike the Mexican Pizza, it's yet to make a comeback, although Taco Bell does offer a mini taco salad. Even this snack-sized item, however, has 280 calories and 16 grams of fat. Other candidates for the taco salad hall of shame include El Pollo Loco's double chicken tostada salad, with 1000 calories and 46 fat grams, and Baja Fresh's tostada salad, which has 720 calories and 44 fat grams even without dressing (the chili lime dressing adds another 120 calories and 11 fat grams).

Some may feel that the taco salad is ready for a comeback, but it would be nice if it did so in a different form. In the meantime, there are bound to be healthier options on the menu at any Mexican restaurant you frequent. The number one rule is to pass on anything fried. It's also best to pick a lean protein such as grilled chicken or black beans rather than something fattier like ground beef. Salads aren't an automatic "no," but choose one without a fried tortilla topping (or bowl), or ask for the tortilla strips and any creamy dressings to be served on the side. That way, you can mix a little bit of the dressing with a few packets of salsa to make a flavorful dressing that's lower in fat and calories.

At Taco Bell, the cantina chicken bowl makes a healthier taco salad substitute, since it has just 530 calories and 24 grams of fat. If you're not married to meat, you can also order a veggie bowl with just 410 calories and 20 fat grams. El Pollo Loco's double chicken avocado salad is a lighter alternative to the chain's tostada salad, with just 430 calories and 20 fat grams, and it's advertised as keto-friendly, too. The basic Baja ensalada at Baja Fresh has only 110 calories and 4 fat grams, and adding chicken and cilantro ranch dressing brings you to just 350 calories and 20 fat grams. That's only a little bit over the amounts found in Taco Bell's mini taco salad, but this full-size salad makes a far more satisfying meal.