Celebrating a lighter, brighter and fresher Cinco de Mayo at Rubio’s Coastal Grill is easy with 17 menu choices recommended by Healthy Dining at 193 Rubio’s locations on the West Coast. Healthy Dining’s expert team of dietitians identifies menu choices that emphasize lean protein, vegetables, whole grains and unsaturated fats. The most experienced restaurant nutrition services provider in the world, Healthy Dining features thousands of tasty and nutritious recommendations on HealthyDiningFinder.com.
Rubio’s has grown significantly since it opened its first location at an old Orange Julius stand in San Diego in 1983. While Rubio’s has long been known for its beer-battered fish tacos, the fast casual Mexican restaurant is working to fuse its Baja roots and the influence of California’s coastal waters with fresh ingredients. One of Rubio’s most important changes has been adding healthier options and being conscious of calories and carbohydrates.
“At Rubio’s, we take great pride in our commitment to the ocean and delivering our promise to offer customers delicious and sustainable seafood whenever possible. As part of our brand evolution and culinary progression, we’re also committed to offering our customers new products with fresh flavors they can feel good about eating,” said Ralph Rubio, co-founder of Rubio’s. “We support the Healthy Dining Program and its efforts to helping consumers make healthier food choices.”
“Rubio’s has transitioned its brand for an even healthier future,” said Anita Jones-Mueller, president and founder of Healthy Dining. “I especially love the Chipotle Orange Salad with shrimp. I add salsa from Rubio’s salsa bar instead of dressing, and it is really fabulous – and packed with healthful ingredients and nutrients.”
Here is a sample of Rubio’s dietitian-recommended menu options featured on HealthyDiningFinder.com:
- Balsamic & Roasted Veggie Salad – Fire-roasted corn, roasted peppers and onions, buttery Hass avocado slices, and a cilantro/onion mix on a butter and spring lettuce mix. Drizzled with light balsamic vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil. Choice of seafood or grilled chicken not included in analysis. (200 calories, 25 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein)
- Chipotle Orange Salad – Mandarin oranges, fire-roasted corn, Fresno chiles, avocado slices and black beans on a spring mix and butter lettuce, topped with tortilla strips. Drizzled with white sauce and chipotle vinaigrette. (280 calories, 31 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams protein)
- Pan-Seared Shrimp (70 calories, 0 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams of protein)
- H-Mex Chicken Burrito – Grilled chicken with citrus rice, black beans, red tomatillo salsa and salsa fresca wrapped in a whole grain tortilla. (550 calories, 77 grams carbohydrates, 36 grams protein)
- Two Grilled Atlantic Salmon Taco Plate – Sustainable Atlantic salmon, grilled or house blackened on an authentic comal with a special garlic marinade. Topped with fire-roasted corn with a pinch of ancho chile, creamy chipotle sauce, cilantro/onion and red and green cabbage. Served on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla and garnished with a slice of lime. Citrus rice and black beans served on the side. (730 calories, 93 grams carbohydrates, 40 grams protein)
- One Classic Grilled Chicken Taco Plate – Marinated grilled chicken on a warm stone-ground corn tortilla with our handmade guacamole, salsa fresca, and creamy chipotle sauce along and a blend of cheeses and crisp romaine lettuce. Citrus rice and black beans served on the side. (530 calories, 70 grams carbohydrates, 26 grams protein)
For a complete list of participating restaurants nationwide, visit HealthyDiningFinder.com.
It is Healthy Dining’s passion to contribute to a healthier America…in a delicious way! Healthy Dining’s signature web and mobile site, HealthyDiningFinder.com, is the only search engine of its kind providing personalized dining out recommendations validated by Healthy Dining’s team of registered dietitians. The site enables millions of diet- and nutrition-conscious restaurant diners as well as those dealing with diabetes, high blood pressure, and other conditions to easily find Healthy Dining choices served at restaurants coast to coast, spanning quick serve to fine dining. HealthyDiningFinder.com also features a Kids LiveWell platform, a program developed by the National Restaurant Association, to help parents find restaurants offering healthier fare for children.
With 25 years of nutrition expertise in the restaurant industry and hundreds of thousands of restaurant recipes analyzed, Healthy Dining is the most experienced restaurant nutrition services provider in the world. Healthy Dining’s team of registered dietitians supports thousands of restaurants in meeting the expanding nutrition needs of their guests as well as helps them comply with the new FDA menu-labeling regulations. Most of Healthy Dining’s clients are featured on HealthyDiningFinder.com. The National Restaurant Association has named Healthy Dining as its exclusive nutrition partner for the industry. Additionally, Healthy Dining has been selected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to implement a variety of restaurant nutrition-related research projects through the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program.
Rubio’s first opened in 1983, in the San Diego neighborhood of Mission Bay. Today, counting the ocean as a source of inspiration, Rubio’s uses sustainable seafood in nearly all of its seafood dishes and continues to expand its menu with innovative recipes ranging from sustainable shrimp to Atlantic salmon. In addition, Rubio’s offers crisp fresh salads, grilled marinated chicken and steak, “no fried” pinto beans, handmade guacamole, a variety of proprietary salsas, and craft beer and sangria beverage options. The award-winning restaurant regularly receives accolades for its famous Original Fish Taco®. It was also recently named the number one Mexican chain on Consumer Reports’ latest survey as well as ranked as one of Fast Casual’s ‘Top 50 Movers and Shakers’. Rubio’s participates in a variety of ocean-centric efforts throughout the year including its annual CoastFest celebration and beach cleanup. Rubio’s is headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., has over 4,000 employees and operates 193 restaurants in California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Nevada. For more information, visit http://rubios.com.
