There’s plenty of meal choices at the MU — many of which will ruin any diet plan. “When dining at retail facilities in the Memorial Union, it can be hard to tell which of the options are lower in calories and which ones will put you in calorie overload,” says Sun Devil Dining nutritionist Kristen Rasmussen.
Try some of these MU low calorie winners as entrees to stay slim and offset indulging in calorie-laden holiday dishes.

Extreme Pita, Grilled Chicken Pita (regular size) $7.69
366 calories, 2.9 grams of fat, 30 grams of protein
This tasty pita comes served with a load of fresh veggies and sautéed mushrooms and is loaded with enough protein to stay full and satisfied for hours. “Go for the light dressings when available and pile up the veggies to keep you full for longer,” Rasmussen says. Adding cheese and sauces will tack on the calories — this choice is packed with enough flavor as-is and can do without the add-ons.

Jamba Juice, Strawberry Nirvana with whey protein boost (original size) $4.55
295 calories, .5 grams of fat, 18 grams of protein
Make a smoothie more of a lunch than a snack by adding a boost of protein. Regular Jamba Juice smoothies can sneak in over 500 calories per original size, so stick with one of the three choices on the Jamba Light menu — there’s no difference taste-wise.

AFC Sushi (in Devil’s Market) California Roll $5.09
361 Calories, 6 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein
Sushi is a known as a healthy favorite, but choosing rolls with cream cheese and spicy mayo-based sauces sends the calories soaring. This basic roll is tasty and is the premier choice for calorie cutters. Stick with one or two soy packets — a few measly tablespoons of soy sauce equates to nearly one-third of the recommended daily sodium intake.

Chick-fil-A, Southwestern Chargrilled Chicken Salad (without dressing) $5.55
240 calories, 9 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein
A salad with chicken is a great low carb, low calorie option. “The sauces are what increases the calories most,” Rasmussen says. Order the dressing on the side, dip fork first in dressing and then spear salad — this method will use much less of the full-fat dressing than pouring the packet directly on the salad.

Jump Asian Express, Chicken or Beef Stir Fry $5.59
Approx. 250-350 calories without sauce, 6 grams of fat, 19 grams of protein
Check out the stir-fry bar at Jump Asian, there’s an array of veggies. Ask the preparing cook not to use a ton of oil in the pan, and add as many veggies as preferred. Order the teriyaki sauce on the side (sauce adds about 50 calories per serving) and exchange the side order of rice for an extra serving of veggies. Rasmussen says most of Jump’s other veggie entrees are also under 500 calories.

Reach the reporter at michelle.masek@asu.edu. .