Nothing is more gratifying than enjoying some drinks and good eats with friends after a long week of classes. The only down side? Going out loads on unwanted calories. So how do you socialize and have a good time without adding to your waistline? Not to fret collegiette™,below is your guide to navigate your way through your next Thursday night so you can have the skinniest happy hour possible.
Frozen Drinks
Unless your drinking Bandito’s Skinny Frozen Margarita, do not order any sort of fruity frozen drink. This means margs, daiquiris, and piña coladas. These calorie and sugar laden beverages have on average 330 calories, making it more of a meal than an enjoyable drink to accompany your tacos. I know it’s hard to pass up Blue Goose’s Margarita Thursdays, but if you need to satisfy your craving for a marg, go with the bars skinny version. Making your own happy hour at home? Try Baja Bob’s line of sugar-free mixes. They range from a traditional margarita to a Hurricane mix.
Bar Food
We all fall victim to the late night drunchies, and sometimes even earlier than the 2 AM call to Jimmy Johns. When at a bar that has a food menu, steer clear of the burger sliders and queso. Believe me, you will regret ordering the buffalo wings in the morning. There is two ways to go about eating while going out. One, you can eat before you leave your house. This ensures your have a satisfying and healthy meal. Your house, your food, so you control your calories. Two, you can opt for the healthier choice on the menu. If at a sushi restaurant, split a plate of sashimi or edamame with a friend. A good amount of places also offer shrimp cocktail which offers you a good amount of protein (never a bad thing when drinking!). Chicken or shrimp skewers are also a protein packed and healthy option. The Kona Grill located at the Northpark Mall has an entire happy hour menu that includes Skinny drinks and healthy eats with a calorie count listed.
Beer
If your not a fan of the cocktail and rather enjoy an ice cold brew, have no shame. While beer gets the bad rep for causing the “beer belly”, you can find a beer that often has fewer calories than a standard cocktail. Amstel Light, Bud Light, Miller Light, and Michelob Ultra all have 95 calories and only 5 carbs. Budweiser 55 only has fifty-five calories, making it one of the lowest calories beer out there. So no fear on ordering a beer next time you’re out watching a football game at Barely House.
Chasers/Mixers
Next time you order your rum and Coke, go for a diet cola rather than the regular one. This alone will save you nearly 75 calories per drink. If Vodka-Red Bull is your drink, ask the bar tender if they carry the sugar-free Red Bull. Many restaurants and bars do actually carry the lighter version! I would advise to not order anything with a cocktail juice in it. Cranberry and pineapple juice have lots of calories and added sugars, making them one of the least healthy mixers out there. Trying to choose between a vodka tonic or vodka soda? Go for the soda! Tonic water has nearly 130 calories and 30 carbs while soda has zero (If you can’t remember which one is the zero calorie one, think tonic is toxic).
Having a skinny happy hour is very easy and will save you from the next morning guilt about everything you consumed the night before. Keep the little tips above in mind next time you hit up your favorite Dallas bar or happy hour with your girls and you will be on your way to a guilt free night!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SMU chapter.