Hey collegiettes™!
Confession: I love Mexican food. I was born in San Diego and though I didn’t live there long, most of my Dad’s side of the family lives in San Diego or Tucson. One thing that these two cities have in common is fabulous (and authentic) Mexican food. This combined with my Hispanic blood means I have been raised to appreciate the good stuff, no Chipotle-though very tasty-does not count as authentic.
Unfortunately, Mexican is well known for being unhealthy and can easily be a diet breaker. For this reason I have stayed away from Mexican since I started the SELF Jump Start Diet, though it has been brutal. But to my surprise one of the SELF tips of the day was 5 easy Mexican menu swaps! It gives some examples on how to make the healthiest decisions when faced with the endless baskets of tortilla chips.
SELF.com gives Fajitas as a healthier choice than the calorie packing burrito, because of the ability for customization. So next time you order Fajitas choose corn tortillas, pile on the meat and veggies, nix the rice and beans and ration the sour cream and guac (picking one might be your best bet), so you won’t have to regret any part of your meal.
Surprising to me was that SELF recommended beef tacos instead of the taco salad. Most of us hear salad and immediately think healthy, but when the greens come in a fried taco shell and are smothered in cheese, sour cream and guacamole the salad essentially becomes nachos with lettuce.
I was also surprised on SELF’s take on chicken enchiladas, but this time it was a good surprise! I love chicken enchiladas, but I normally consider that my splurge choice when I go to a Mexican restaurant. Though they obviously still aren’t the epitome of healthy food, it is nice to know that as long as I steer clear of extra toppings and the rice and beans, a chicken enchilada dinner won’t completely wreck my diet!
Make sure to check out the rest of the information on how to make Mexican night more of a healthy experience, versus a cause for guilt later on by going to SELF.com!