Indulging in BJ’s Decadent Dessert While Watching Your Calories

Eating out can be tricky when you’re trying to watch your calorie intake. Restaurant entrees are often loaded with hidden calories from generous portions and cooking methods like frying. But everyone needs a treat now and then and if you’re smart about your restaurant dessert choices you can satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your healthy eating plan.

One such indulgence is BJ’s Restaurant’s cookies ‘n’ cream pizookie topped with vanilla bean ice cream and mousse. This shareable dessert is a huge 1,230 calories, so you definitely don’t want to eat the whole thing yourself. But with some careful planning and portion control, you can work this decadent dessert into your daily calorie allotment. Here’s what you need to know.

A Closer Look at the Nutrition Facts

Let’s start by breaking down the nutrition facts on BJ’s pizookie dessert:

• Total calories: 1,230
• Total fat: 60g (92% daily value)
• Saturated fat: 31g (155% DV)
• Trans fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 69mg (23% DV)
• Sodium: 1,040mg (43% DV)
• Total carbs: 159g (53% DV)
• Dietary fiber: 3g (12% DV)
• Sugars: 101g
• Protein: 14g

Right away you can see that this indulgence packs a whopping 60 grams of fat and 159 grams of carbs per serving. It’s high in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, and sugar too.

But we know that once in a while, it’s perfectly fine to treat yourself to something decadent like this. The key is keeping your portion small and balancing it out with healthier choices for the rest of the day.

Serving Size Matters

This pizookie contains 12 servings according to BJ’s nutrition information. So if you share this dessert with a group of 12 people, you’d only be having about 100 calories each Not bad at all!

But let’s say there are just 4 of you dining together. If you split this dessert evenly, you’d each be having approximately 307 calories worth. That’s still a decent splurge, but not too outrageous.

The real trouble comes when you try to eat a whole pizookie yourself. At 1,230 calories, that’s well over half the calories most people should consume in an entire day!

So be mindful of portions if you want to enjoy this treat. Ask the server for small plates and share a slice or two with the whole table. Or box up half right away and take the rest home for later.

Balance It Out

No matter how big or small your portion, you can make this indulgence fit into your day by making healthy choices for your main meal. Opt for grilled chicken and veggies over fried entrees. Say no to buttered rolls, creamed soups, and other high-calorie sides. And stick to water or unsweetened tea instead of soda or lemonade.

You may need to eat a lighter breakfast and lunch too in order to “save” calories for dessert at dinner. Things like oatmeal, salads, broth-based soups, and lean proteins are great low-calorie options.

And of course, round out your day with plenty of activity. A 30-minute walk can burn around 100 calories, making it easier to indulge in a small slice of pizookie.

Worth the Splurge?

BJ’s cookies ‘n’ cream pizookie is definitely a decadent dessert! With its towering scoops of ice cream, drizzles of chocolate and caramel, and heaping mound of cookie dough, it’s a temptation for any sweet tooth.

The key is being mindful of portions and balancing out the rest of your food intake for the day. As an occasional treat, a couple bites of this dessert can be part of an overall healthy diet. Share with friends, take leftovers home, and keep your portion small. You’ll leave happy and satisfied without the guilt.

So next time you’re dining at BJ’s, go ahead and indulge in a little pizookie. With some calorie-conscious planning, you can have your cake and eat it too!