California Pizza Kitchen after Weight Loss Surgery
Note: Whether you’ve had bariatric surgery or not, you’ll likely visit a fast-food or fast-casual restaurant at some point. With our rushed and busy lives, fast food may cross our minds. Often, we can get something to hold us over without destroying the diet, but it’s important to choose right. Speak to your bariatric practice and dietician for guidance…do not rely on this guide alone.
Is California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) Healthy? Based on the name, you’d be likely to guess “probably not.” CPK isn’t technically fast food – it’s a franchised restaurant specializing in thin crust pizzas as well as other common menu items. Most people wouldn’t assume that a pizza chain is a healthy choice for a sit-down dinner. However, the CPK menu offers a surprising amount of nutritious options. It’s easy to rack up the calories at a pizza restaurant, so always make sure you’re choosing a meal that includes a protein and veggie.
Below are the best compared to the not-so-great choices at CPK:
Healthier |
Less Healthy |
Roasted Veggie Salad CPK’s salad options come in a half or full portion. The half order only has 360 cal and includes 7g of protein. The protein isn’t particularly high, but it’s pretty good for a vegetarian option! |
Thai Crunch Salad This salad contains calorie dense ingredients like wontons, rice sticks and a high-fat dressing. The full size has 1180 calories and a whopping 1710mg of sodium! |
Cedar Plank Salmon Salmon is well-known for being a healthy food, and for good reason! Salmon is high in heart-healthy fat and protein – this dish boasts 52 grams of protein and also comes with a side of white corn and spinach, making it a well-balanced meal. |
West Coast Burger Unsurprisingly, this burger is not the best choice if you’re looking for an entrée at CPK. As with most burgers, this option is high in saturated fat and cholesterol, mainly because of the fried potatoes and bacon. |
Wild Mushroom Pizza This pizza, as the name suggests, is loaded with mushrooms, which are a great source of prebiotic fiber. Though the whole pizza is high calorie, 3 slices (half the pizza) is 510 calories and 21grams of protein. If you’re in the mood for pizza but want a healthier option, this is the one! |
Spicy Milano Pizza Even though this pizza is thin-crust, it’s surprisingly high in calories and saturated fat, thanks to the sausage/pepperoni/extra cheese combo. Try to choose pizza that has lower calorie toppings, since the pizza itself (bread and cheese) is naturally high in calorie to begin with. |
|
Banh Mi Bowl |
Santa Fe Bowl This bowl appears to be a healthy option (it contains farro, spinach, and black beans), though it’s high fat content (38 grams) makes it a little too calorie dense for someone trying to manage their weight. |
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Shrimp Scampi Zucchini |
Jambalaya Linguini Fini This pasta dish is made with four different types of meat, which makes it very high in cholesterol, saturated fat and calories. Though it has decent protein, the fat and calorie count make it a not-so-healthy choice. |
Keep in mind, this isn’t a complete list of the best and worse choices at CPK. There are a lot of menu options that can be part of a healthy diet. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep meals under 600 calories and protein above 20 grams, to make sure you’re meeting the needs of a healthy diet while still enjoying a dinner out. Always try to order whatever sounds the most satisfying to your taste buds while also being able to honor your health goals, whatever they may be.
