Red Lobster is known for its delicious seafood options like lobster, shrimp, and fish. However, with seafood often comes high amounts of calories, fat, and sodium. When dining at Red Lobster, it’s important to make healthy choices if you’re watching your diet. But with so many tempting options on the menu, it can be hard to resist indulging in some of their more decadent dishes.
So what is the most unhealthy food at Red Lobster? Here we will look at some of the highest calorie, fat, and sodium options on the menu to determine which dishes you may want to avoid if you’re looking for healthier fare. We’ll also provide some tips for making smarter choices when dining at Red Lobster.
Dishes to Avoid at Red Lobster
When examining the nutritional content of dishes at Red Lobster, a few menu items stand out as being particularly high in calories, fat, and sodium. Here are some of the most unhealthy options to steer clear of:
Admiral’s Feast
This dish tops the list when it comes to total calorie count. The Admiral’s Feast includes fried shrimp, bay scallops, clam strips, and hushpuppies, served with french fries and coleslaw. A serving packs a whopping 2,710 calories, 162 grams of fat (25 grams saturated fat), 3,570 milligrams of sodium, and 205 grams of carbs.
That’s more calories than an entire day’s worth for most people! All those fried foods cooked in unhealthy oils make this dish a heavy hitter in terms of fat and calories. The very high sodium level is also concerning.
Parrot Isle Jumbo Coconut Shrimp
While coconut shrimp sounds like a lighter option, this appetizer is fried in batter and packs 730 calories, 48 grams of fat (24 grams saturated fat), and 1,500 milligrams of sodium for just 5 pieces. The coconut coating adds a lot of extra calories.
Chesapeake Stuffed Flounder
At 820 calories, 44 grams of fat (14 grams saturated fat), and 2,060 milligrams of sodium, this creamy seafood dish is anything but light. Plus, it’s made with heavy cream and butter, making it high in saturated fat.
Ultimate Feast
For seafood lovers, this platter piles it on with fried shrimp, bay scallops, clam strips, tilapia, crab cakes, and hushpuppies. It adds up to 2,470 calories, 144 grams of fat (24 grams saturated fat), 3,700 milligrams of sodium, and 167 grams of carbs.
Create Your Own Combinations with Fried Foods
Red Lobster lets you create your own combination platters. While this can be a healthy option when filled with grilled shrimp, salmon, and steamed veggies, it also allows you to load up on fried foods like popcorn shrimp, chicken tenders, and hushpuppies, quickly amping up the calories, fat, and sodium.
Healthier Options at Red Lobster
While fried seafood and heavy sauces are abundant on the menu, there are still some lighter ways to dine at Red Lobster:
Lighthouse Lobster and Shrimp
Get your lobster fix without all the butter and extra calories. This dish features a fresh lobster tail and grilled shrimp over rice and veggies for 440 calories, 6 grams of fat, and 960 milligrams of sodium.
Salmon New Orleans
Opt for this grilled salmon in a light lemon garlic sauce. At 330 calories, 12 grams of fat (3.5 grams saturated fat), and 770 milligrams of sodium, it’s significantly lighter than many creamy seafood pasta dishes and baskets of fried fish.
Shrimp Skewers
Skip the fried appetizers and start your meal with grilled shrimp skewers drizzled in olive oil and spices. For 150 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, and 710 milligrams of sodium for 3 skewers, it’s a solid appetizer choice.
Steamed Vegetable Sides
Rather than fries or hushpuppies, choose steamed veggies like broccoli, green beans, and carrots as your sides. They’ll add vitamins and fiber without excess calories and fat.
Herb Grilled Salmon
Get a lean protein in with this herb grilled salmon, served over rice and veggies. At 510 calories, 26 grams of fat (5 grams saturated fat), and 490 milligrams of sodium for an 8-ounce piece, it’s one of the healthier fish entree picks.
Tips for Dining Healthier at Red Lobster
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind for making smarter menu selections when dining at Red Lobster:
– Stick to grilled, broiled, baked, steamed, and poached cooking methods rather than fried.
– Opt for lighter sauces like lemon butter or olive oil over heavy cream-based sauces. Ask for sauces on the side.
– Load up on veggies for sides and skip high-calorie fried sides.
– Watch portion sizes, as seafood plates at restaurants tend to be very large. Take half home for leftovers.
– Limit bread basket items and go easy on creamy salad dressings, which add excess calories and fat.
– Choose water, unsweetened iced tea, or diet soda instead of sugary beverages, juices, or alcohol.
– Share an appetizer or dessert instead of getting multiple courses. Or skip them altogether.
– Choose Simply Grilled options to avoid extra calories from breading and frying.
The Bottom Line
When dining at Red Lobster, fried seafood platters, coconut shrimp, stuffed flounder, and loaded feasts top the list for the most calorie and fat-laden menu choices. To keep your meal on the lighter side, opt for grilled proteins, steamed veggies, and lighter sauces. Pay attention to portion sizes and limit extras like appetizers, sugary drinks, desserts, and bread basket items. With some mindful menu selections, you can still enjoy the tasty seafood at Red Lobster without overdoing it on calories and sodium.