Eating at Chipotle can be a great option for those looking to make healthy choices on the go.

The fast casual chain offers a wide variety of toppings, allowing customers to build their own burritos, bowls, tacos, salads and more with tons of toppings to choose from.

The number of options is exciting (who doesn’t love guac?) — but it can also be overwhelming if you want to stick to a low-calorie diet.

Angel Planells, a Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, spoke with TODAY.com about what to look for when ordering at Chipotle.

“You can mix or modify (your order) to fit your budget as well as (desired calorie intake) or lifestyle.”

TODAY.com nutrition editor and registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo also points out: Chipotle’s menu As a great way to prepare a healthy meal while you’re out of the house.

“The nice thing about Chipotle is that you can customize each order. So basically anything you order can include healthy ingredients like lean protein and lots of veggies,” she says.

When choosing foods you don’t prepare yourself, Planells says to ask yourself: “How does this fit into my day?”

If you’d rather make Chipotle a part of your day, here’s a breakdown of some of the healthiest options the menu has to offer, according to two registered dietitians.

burrito bowl

Planells says a Chipotle tortilla has 320 calories, so one of the easiest ways to make a healthy choice at Chipotle is to choose a burrito bowl instead of a typical burrito.

“This will save you 320 calories. It’s an easy start,” he says, adding that it’s also easier to divide the bowls into smaller portions. “At least you can cut the burrito bowl in half and eat it again later. So there’s an option there.”

When it comes to the proteins in your bowl, most proteins hover around the 150 to 180 calorie limit; but the new smoked brisket has 360 calories and the carnitas have 210 calories.

Planells notes that brown and white rice at Chipotle are both 210 calories, and black and pinto beans are both 130 calories, so there isn’t much of a difference in calories between either option. (Although, for example, brown rice other nutritional benefitsLike whole grain.)

Rizzo is a vegetarian and says her go-to order is a burrito bowl with brown rice, black beans, sofrita, lettuce, salsa and guacamole.

“Tofu has a combination of protein from sofrita and black beans, healthy carbohydrates from brown rice and vegetables, and healthy fats from guacamole,” says Rizzo. And he agrees with Planells that portion size is under your control. “But the portion size is large, so you may want to eat only half and save the other half for another meal.”

lifestyle bowl

Both Rizzo and Planells recommend: lifestyle bowls Available at Chipotle online and on the Chipotle app.

Rizzo recommends the Go Half Veggie bowl, which comes with a half-portion of chicken, a half-portion of sofrita, lettuce, rice, fajita vegetables, tomato salsa, peppercorn salsa, and sour cream.

“It’s well-balanced with plenty of vegetables and protein,” she says. “Leave out the sour cream to cut calories.”

Planells added that lifestyle bowls are a great option because many changes are made automatically. He’s talking about the Balanced Marcos Bowl, which includes light rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, guac and extra lettuce.

Planells also highlighted the Healthy Bowl with Carnitas, which clocks in at 490 calories. The bowl includes chicken, grilled vegetables, tomato salsa and guacamole on a bed of greens. “You may not get rice, you may not get beans, but you’re getting other things to make the meal healthy,” Planells says.

kids meal

Rizzo also recommends the kids’ meal at Chipotle, even if you’re not a kid.

“This includes 2 tacos (soft or hard), choice of protein (opt for something leaner like chicken), and two toppings like black beans and fresh tomato salsa,” she says.

The child’s meal also comes with a small portion of chips or fruit and a small drink. Opt for fruit to add more fiber to your meal, says Rizzo.

“This is a good option if you want to limit your portion size but still have a delicious meal,” says Rizzo.

steak salad

While steak isn’t the leanest meat option on the market, “if you really want steak at Chipotle,” says Rizzo, “order it on a salad to balance the fattiness of the meat with extra fiber and nutrients.”

She also suggests adding optional plant-based toppings, including black beans, salsa, or fajita veggies.

Remember:

You are in control of the toppings

Planells says another option for staying healthy at Chipotle is to ask for light sauces.

“If you want cheese, you’re looking at 110 to 120 calories. “You can ask them to go lighter on the cheese,” he says. “So the nice thing is, you can make changes.”

Planells adds that the same goes for sour cream. If you add all the sour cream it comes to 110 calories, but if you want a smaller portion it will be closer to 50 or 60 calories.

Planells says it’s also important to pay attention to the salsas.

“If you make the corn salsa that most people like to add, it will be 80 calories. But if you make the others there, green peppers are 15, fresh tomatoes are 25, and tomatillo red peppers are 30.”

Guacamole, which is “part” of a Chipotle order, is 230 calories and costs extra, Planells notes. Planells explains that cutting your avocado at home can be healthier and cheaper.

Think about your chips and drink

Further down the menu, Planells points out the difference between the large order of chips and dip and the regular serving: The chips and guac are 770 calories, and the large order of chips and guac is 1,270 calories.

Chips and queso have a similar increase: A regular serving of chips and queso is 780 calories, while a large portion is 1,290 calories.

“You can really go overboard there,” he notes, “And then of course the drinks.”

Lemonades at Chipotle range from 170 to 330 calories, according to the company’s menu, while sodas range from 0 calories for Coke Zero to 170 calories for Strawberry Izze. Planells recommends opting for water instead.

Check out the Chipotle app

Planells and Rizzo say the Chipotle app can be a great place to check the nutritional content of ingredients.

Instead of standing in line adding ingredients willy-nilly, customers can take some time to evaluate the nutritional value of what they’re eating.

This article was first published on: TODAY.com