Sweetgreen Just Added 3 New High-Protein Meals to Their Menu—Here's What a Dietitian Recommends

Here’s what to know before ordering Sweetgreen’s new menu items.

Courtesy of Brand

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

For a healthier convenience meal, you may gravitate towards getting lunch at Sweetgreen. The chain offering salads, grain bowls and other satisfying options just released a fresh line of meals to their menu featuring a brand-new added protein.

Starting today, you can order caramelized garlic steak at Sweetgreen. You can add it to any of the salads or warm bowls already on the menu, but if you’re not sure where to start, the restaurant launched three new meals to highlight the steak. The Carmelized Garlic Steak Protein Plate, Steakhouse Chopped Bowl and Kale Caesar with Steak are now available to order nationwide.

We asked dietitian and EatingWell’s senior nutrition and news editor Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia what she recommends from the new options—plus what to keep in mind before adding one of these protein-packed meals to your lunch or dinner rotation.

Out of the three new curated dishes, Haddad-Garcia has her eye on one of the salads—it’s similar to her typical Sweetgreen order.

“I have a Sweetgreen location pretty near my home, within a 5 to 8 minute walking distance, and when my husband and I don’t have time to prepare lunch, we order something from Sweetgreen,” she explains. “I’ve tried their Kale Caesar and I love it, so a steak version sounds delicious.”

The Kale Caesar with Steak features chopped romaine, shredded kale, tomatoes, Parmesan crisps, shaved Parmesan, Caesar dressing and a squeeze of lime. The salad is packed with seasonal veggies for a fresh and nutritious bite.

“I love the combination of chopped romaine and shredded kale for a fiber boost, and the crunchy Parmesan crisps are just the best,” Haddad-Garcia says.

While nutrition information on the Kale Caesar with Steak is limited, we do know that it’s full of protein, thanks to the steak.

“With 39 grams of protein, this salad is a great lunch option to keep you satisfied,” Haddad-Garcia states. “Protein is mostly known for maintaining your muscle mass, but it does more than that. This essential nutrient helps slow down digestion, which increases your sense of fullness. Plus, it’s also key for your immune, bone and cognitive health.”

Something to note about this salad (and the rest of the new steak dishes) is that it’s high in total fat with 54 grams of fat per serving. Haddad-Garcia has some advice on how to reduce the fat in this salad.

“While we don’t specifically know how much of it is saturated fat, the fat content is pretty high,” she confirms. “It might be high in saturated fat due to the steak, Caesar dressing, shaved Parmesan and Parmesan crisps. To reduce the fat content, you could ask for light dressing and choose either shaved Parmesan or crisps.”

Red meat is a fulfilling source of protein, but when eaten frequently, it may contribute to an increased risk of heart disease and certain cancers due to its saturated fat content. Because of this, these Sweetgreen bowls can be included in a balanced eating pattern in moderation.

The Bottom Line

Sweetgreen’s new steak salads and bowls are packed with protein and fiber, meaning each option will keep you fuller for longer no matter what you choose to eat. However, because of the fat content and presumed saturated fat in these meals, enjoying them moderately instead of adding them to your daily lunch or dinner ritual is probably best. For a plant-based, heart-healthy take on the Kale Caesar, try making our Vegan Kale Caesar with Salad with Tofu Croutons at home.

Read the original article on Eating Well.