TGI Friday isn't the best place to be able to food optimise, but here's some tips!!
- avoid anything described as coated, crispy, sautéed, breaded, deep-fried or topped with melted cheese
- If you look for a salad, watch out for croutons, cheese, avocado and fatty bacon and creamy dressings. Instead look for options that are packed with Free Food, with lean meat or fish and that have a light (fruit or balsamic-based) vinaigrette. If you ask for the dressing on the side, you can use as much or as little as you like.
- Crispy Noodle Salad– the crispy noodles and sesame seeds are the two additions that bring the most Syns with them. If you’d enjoy your meal without them, ask the waiter… the worst they can say is ‘no can do’! And if you do enjoy your salad with noodles and sesame seeds, estimate on the higher side.
- BBQ Chicken Salad– the barbecue sauce and cheese add the Syns this time. Ask for yours on the side, and stay beautifully in control of how much you add
Syns in these:
- Ribs or chicken. Smothered in glaze with more on the side, it quickly adds up.
- Side-orders of cheesy mashed potatoes – whichever way you look at it, it won’t be Free. Count a handful of Syns per spoonful or ask to swap the mash for Cajun-spiced rice or extra vegetables.
- Steak sauces – your choices of maison butter, wild mushroom, Jack Daniel’s or bourbon peppercorn. These come on the side, so you get to decide how much to enjoy. Over-estimate to keep your weight loss safe and sound – 5-6 Syns for the little pot.
An ideal thing to look at on the menu is the grill and the side dishes too.
8oz* New York Strip – generally quite lean
12oz* Ribeye Steak – usually with a rind of fat which is easy to chop off (that way, you know it’s Free!)
16oz* Bone-In Sirloin
Surf & Turf Combos
Seasoned vegetables – steamed and lightly salted mean your veggies are Superfree!
Cajun-spiced rice – possibly cooked in a little oil, but saving you Syns galore compared to the fries and cheesy mash.
Also, Spicy Diablo Pasta – packed with filling Speed Food including broccoli, green beans, mushrooms and red pepper, and topped with a spicy chilli and tomato sauce. Ask for the cheese on the side, so you can sprinkle as much or as little as you’d like
