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What Dietitians Would Eat At Kelsey's

Gluten-free penne and plenty of salads!
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Kelsey's/Twitter

One of Canada's original roadhouse restaurants, Kelsey's is the place for large group dining, summer patios and a menu with a lot of options.

But like any joint with a ton of offerings, it's important to figure out where you pick up the most nutrients, as well as sodium, fat and sugar.

"The key to chain restaurants is to steer clear of anything fried and to ease up on the starchy choices," says registered dietitian Desiree Nielsen. "To add insult to injury, everything you eat here is literally covered in salt, even the healthy seeming choices. The gluten-free penne with chicken, for example, packs an entire day’s worth of salt into one meal… insane."

Of course, you can cut back on carbs and calories by saying no to bread to ordering dressing on the side, and for the most part, Kelsey's has a variety of options when it comes to somewhat healthier choices. Don't be afraid to play around with your menu either — you can make substitutions and order a side salad or steamed vegetables.

This week, our dietitians chose everything from protein-filled salads to grilled salmon to tacos you can share with a group. What do you order at Kelsey's? Let us know in the comments below.

What Dietitans Would Eat At Kelsey's
Thai Coconut Seafood Salad(01 of10)
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Calories: 400 Total Fat: 21 grams Sodium: 1740 mg Carbohydrates: 21 grams Protein: 34 gramsExpert:Registered dietitian Leah Shainhouse "It contains lots of fresh ingredients including a variety of vegetables to make sure you’re getting an abundance of vitamins and minerals. You always want to aim for at least two different vegetables per meal, and this one pushes you over the top. Unfortunately, this choice contains an excessive amount of sodium. Most of the sodium comes from the sauce. Ask for your dressings on the side and use minimal amounts to help you cut back."
Fish Tacos(02 of10)
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Calories: 1110 (for the plate) Total Fat: 55 grams Sodium: 1650 mg Carbohydrates: 125 grams Protein: 27 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Nicole Fetterly "Unless you're a large man over 6 feet, you likely do not need 1,100 calories in one sitting. So share these with a friend and each have a side salad or coleslaw to bump up the veggies. The Asian Sesame dressing is the best choice for topping the salad — it's half the calories of some of the others."
Beet & Goat Cheese Salad(03 of10)
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Calories: 440 Total Fat: 31 grams Sodium: 930 mg Carbohydrates: 27 grams Protein: 19 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Desiree Nielsen"My favourite formula at restaurants is ‘protein + produce’. Keep to that and you will reduce the dietary damage. This salad has actual colourful vegetables (not just iceberg) plus protein-rich chicken breast to help keep you satisfied for more than an hour. It still contains almost half of your day’s sodium… so better guzzle some water on the side."
Gluten Free Tomato Basil Penne(04 of10)
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Calories: 920 (without chicken) Total Fat: 36 grams Sodium: 1380 mg Carbohydrates: 127 grams Protein: 20 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Cristina Montoya“Great option for people with wheat intolerance or gluten sensitivity, especially when going out with friends and family for dinner. Since it’s a generous serving, you may choose to pack half portion for your lunch which will help reduce the amount of fat and sodium. Avoid the bread on the side. For people with Celiac disease, please check with the chef first to ensure there was no cross-contamination with gluten in the kitchen” (credit:Twitter/roshinixo)
Classic Sirloin(05 of10)
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*Pictured sirloin with peppercorn sauce and mashed potatoesCalories: 450 (no sides or toppings) Total Fat: 21 grams Sodium: 380 mg Carbohydrates: 0 grams Protein: 60 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Vanessa Yurchesyn"Classic sirloin steak without sides or topped with a side of Yukon gold mashed potatoes or a plain baked potato, and either a house salad with balsamic dressing on the side or steamed vegetables.Why? Keep in mind that vegetables should take up half of your plate! Consider ordering both the salad and steamed vegetables to get this half plate filled with veggies! The baked or mashed potatoes provide a healthy starch, but remember to keep this to 1/4 of the plate. The sirloin steak is a great source of protein and iron, and when kept at an appropriate serving size [the size of the palm of your hand], it can be part of a healthy diet."
Asian Seasame Chicken Salad(06 of10)
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Calories: 330 (without chicken)Total Fat: 18 grams Sodium: 420 mg Carbohydrates: 38 grams Protein: 6 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Nicole Osinga "This salad is very balanced, macronutrient wise. The sodium is a little high at 1270 mg with chicken. You can cut this down my limiting the dressing and saying no to the crispy wontons."
Sonoma Valley Salad(07 of10)
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Calories: 630Total Fat: 49 grams Sodium: 870 mg Carbohydrates: 36 grams Protein: 14 gramsExpert:Registered dietitian Leah Shainhouse "This option is pretty hefty on the calories at 630 calories and can be even more depending on your choice of popcorn shrimp or grilled chicken. My suggestion is to choose the grilled chicken breast, a leaner protein choice. Consider eliminating the croutons and maybe even the raisins to reduce the amount of fat, sodium, and calories. Also, ask your server to bring the feta cheese and dressing on the side."
Tomato, Bocconcini And Fresh Basil Salad(08 of10)
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Calories: 410 Total Fat: 28 grams Sodium: 440 mg Carbohydrates: 17 grams Protein: 23 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Rivanna Stuhler"Make sure to share it, as one portion has 28 grams of fat and 410 calories. If you're mopping up the sauce with bread from the bread basket, try to stick to one piece only, particularly if you're thinking of a main dish as well."
Grilled Salmon(09 of10)
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Calories: 650 Total Fat: 38 grams Sodium: 1230 mg Carbohydrates: 39 grams Protein: 38 gramsExpert: Registered dietitian Nicole Osinga "Hold the mashed potatoes and ask for an extra side of veggies instead! This dinner provides you with 38 grams of filling protein and healthy omega-3 fats." (credit:Instagram/giraf1979)
Chicken And Goat Cheese Wrap(10 of10)
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Calories: 550Total Fat: 21 grams Sodium: 1160 mg Carbohydrates: 64 grams Protein: 28 gramsExpert:Registered dietitian Leah Shainhouse "This is a great source of protein. Unfortunately, like many options on the menu, it contains a lot of sodium. Consider asking for minimal amounts of the mayo spread, having it on the side or eliminating it altogether. This will reduce the saturated fat and sodium content."

In our series The Dietitian Dish, we ask Canadian dietitians what they would recommend as breakfast, lunch or dinner options at specific fast food and chain restaurants in the country. Please note, none of the dietitians below are associated with the restaurants we choose, and the restaurants are not paying us to dissect their food. Which restaurant would you like to see us tackle next? Shoot us an email at CanadaLiving@huffingtonpost.com or let us know in the comments below

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