I remember the first time that I went to a Chipotle restaurant. It was when I was in the ninth grade and I was with a bunch of friends from school. I actually did not eat anything there because it did not appeal to me at the time. If I only knew what I was missing…
Three years later I finally had my first Chipotle burrito. I have been in love ever since. I remember that first bite that I took from that big and toasty chicken burrito…it was heavenly.
My passion for Chipotle has grown stronger over the years and there are three reasons for this: the food is always great, I never walk away hungry, and I am never guilty about what I am eating when I am there. All three are vital, but I think that the last one is the most important one. Chipotle is all about appealing to the health-conscious conusmer. It only uses naturally raised chicken, pork, and beef. These meats are from animals that have not been raised with antibiotics (and growth hormones in Cows). The food is all grilled, and not fried and you also get a glimpse of the kitchen, which eases your concerns about how the food is prepared.
These are all very good qualities which are responsible for my continued patronage at Chipotle. However, that does not mean that Chipotle is perfect. You always have to be mindful of all the extra ingredients (sourcream, cheese, etc) as well as the amount of calories that are packed into the gigantic meal. A burrito is well over 1000 calories. Therefore, its important to be vigilant about how energy-packed all of the individual ingredients are. The people at ChipotleFan.com have actually created a handy calculator which calculates the nutritonal content of various foods at Chipotle.
I think that Chipotle is perfect if you have a big appetite, but are conscious about what you want to put into your body. You can get a meal thats packed with calories, or, you can be careful and get away with not eating too much. Either way, you will get well-balanced meal of protein, carbs, and fats. And thats good enough for me.
Here’s the ideal “Get Fit” meal at Chipotle:
-bowl
-black beans
-not too much rice
-corn
-lettuce
-not to much cheese
-chicken
-water
This meal provides a good amount of protein necessary to sustain muscle growth. It is not loaded with carbohydrates and lacks flour. And lastly, has some fat which your body needs.
