All-American Diner Once you could count on finding them, dependable as lighthouses along the great roads of America – Hwy 61, Route 66, Pacific 1 – bedecked in chrome detailing and neon lights. Milkshakes and malts, lifetime friendships nurtured over coffee in regular booths. A whole society can be found in the small town American diner.

Well, Milkshakes and Malts are still here, reminding us of the days when we did not know (nor care) about fat and calories. For those who have definitely changed, there are iced Fruit Teas.

Homemade soups contain less sodium and fewer preservatives than those from a can. French Onion is tasty and warming. Go easy on the cheese topping. A hearty Vegetable Soup is your best bet. If you’d like to be a little more reckless, Chili, made with ground beef, cooked in a rich broth and topped with cheese, is your best pick. Fat reducing modifications of a Cobb Salad or a Crab Louis leave you pretty much with a basic green salad. Of course, you can always “jazz it up” with an extra side order of chicken or crab.

Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Chili Dogs, and Hoagie Sandwiches are all traditional diner favorites. From a nutritional standpoint, they are not especially beneficial (but hey!). BLTs aren’t really a bad choice. Try to cut back on the bacon, load up with lettuce and tomato, and always hold the mayonnaise. Diner entreés are notoriously rich and oversized, especially when served with fried and salted side orders. Fried Chicken and Fish ’n Chips are hard to modify to make them low fat. Chicken Pot Pie typically has a rich filling pocketed in puff pastry. Grilled New York Steak and BBQ Beef Short Ribs are all right (sort of) when grilled over an open grill that allows excess fat to drip into the fire. Keep to small portions. Baked Potatoes are a better option as a side dish. Pass on butter toppings, sour cream or cheese. Mashed Potatoes, Potato Salads, and Coleslaw are all high in fat and calories.

The best diner strategy, if you must have dessert, is to split one with your table and only have two or three bites. Or order a low fat yogurt.

The All American Diner Menu

All American Diner Menu

Beverages

Milkshakes and Malts
(Ice cream blended with milk and flavorings)

Flavored Sodas
(Cola or lemon lime soda with various flavored syrups added, such as chocolate or cherry)

♥ Fruit Teas
(Brewed iced tea with the essence of fresh fruit)

Bowls and Salads

French Onion Soup
(Caramelized onions braised in beef stock, topped with crusty bread and Gruyère cheese)

♥ Fresh Vegetable Soup
(Fresh veggies and small pasta shapes cooked in a vegetable stock)

Southwestern Chili
(Ground beef and beans in a rich and spicy chili broth)

Cobb Salad
(Fresh greens topped with diced chicken, bacon, bleu cheese, avocado, and tomato)

Crab Louis
(Fresh crab salad served over a bed of fresh baby greens)

Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, and Sandwiches

Bacon Cheeseburger
(Grilled hamburger patty with cheese and bacon, served with lettuce and tomato on a bun)

Chili Dog
(A hot dog, topped with chili and cheese, served on a bun)

Hoagie Sandwich
(Salami, turkey, or ham, on a crusty roll with lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, and spicy relish)

BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato)
(Bacon, lettuce, and tomato, served on fresh bread with mayonnaise)

Large Plates

Fried Chicken
(Breaded chicken pieces deep-fried, served crispy and hot)

Fish and Chips
(Choice cuts of whitefish, battered and fried, served with French fries)

Chicken Pot Pie
(Diced chicken and vegetables in a rich chicken gravy, served baked inside of a flaky pastry)

Grilled New York Steak
(A 6-oz. to 8-oz. steak grilled, served with herbed butter)

BBQ Beef Short Ribs
(Beef short ribs braised in BBQ sauce)

Side Dishes

French Fries
(Thin potato sticks deep-fried until crispy and seasoned with salt)

Onion Rings
(Batter coated onion slices, deep-fried and seasoned with salt)

Baked Potato with All the Fixings
(A baked Russet potato served with butter, sour cream, and chives)

Mashed Potatoes
(Boiled and mashed potatoes that have been folded with cream and butter)

Coleslaw
(Shredded cabbage mixed with a creamy slaw dressing)

Desserts

Banana Split
(Three scoops of ice cream, served with banana slices, topped with chocolate, strawberry, and pineapple sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and maraschino cherries)

Ice Cream Sundae
(Ice cream topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, nuts, and maraschino cherries)

Apple Pie à la Mode
(Fresh apples baked in a flaky pie dough, with ice cream on the side)

Banana Cream Pie
(Banana-flavored custard cream in a pie shell, topped with whipped cream and fresh bananas)

Cheesecake
(Cream cheese and eggs baked, served with fresh fruit and cookies)