Dining Splurge vs. Steal

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Dining Splurge vs. Steal

Atlanta dietitian Carolyn O'Neil offers ways to cut calories from your next meal without sacrificing flavor.

Fashion magazines love to show side-by-side comparisons of high-priced couture designs next to less expensive versions of the same style. Apply that to balancing your calorie budget at mealtime. Atlanta dietitian Carolyn O'Neil shows you how to invest wisely at Atlanta restaurants:

SPLURGE: Yes, that coconut flavor can be addictive. But ask yourself, is a 6-ounce pina colada really worth 400 calories?

STEAL: It's better with bubbly. Six ounces of champagne will only cost you 100 calories. Bottoms up!

SPLURGE: A yummy 6 ounces of fried calamari will set you back 400 calories and a whopping 16 grams of fat. That's before you even get to the entree!

STEAL: A steamed artichoke with lemon will keep you svelt and only cost 55 calories. Zero fat grams, hello!

SPLURGE: Yum. Consider French onion soup the ultimate in comfort food. Perhaps that's why one cup will cost you 360 calories and 22 grams of fat. Ouch!

STEAL: Minestrone gives you the texture and the warm comfort, but also delivers healthy veggies in a tomato broth. One cup costs a paltry 100 calories and 3 grams of fat.

SPLURGE: Consider Pasta Carbonara the Manolo Blahnik stilettos of the food world, dangerous curves ahead. All that cream and bacon adds up to a whopping 1,280 calories and 77 grams of fat in a 2-cup serving.

STEAL: Two cups of flavorful pasta Bolognese will cost 660 calories and 14 grams of fat. But you get all that creamy flavor in a luscious meat sauce. Now that's amore!

SPLURGE: Sure, a chocolate martini is yummy and indulgent. But the creamy fad is soo over. Dump those 440 calories and 20 grams of fat in a 6.5-ounce serving. There are better options behind that bar!

STEAL: Order an espresso with one ounce of liqueur for 100 calories and zero fat. It will keep you alert for the rest of the evening!

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Fashion magazines love to show side-by-side comparisons of high-priced couture designs next to less expensive versions of the same style. Apply that to balancing your calorie budget at mealtime. Atlanta dietitian Carolyn O'Neil shows you how to invest wisely at Atlanta restaurants:

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