10 Healthiest On the Border Orders—and 5 To Skip

Since 1982, On the Border has served Texas-Mexico border flavors with traditional ingredients and mesquite grilling. The restaurant first opened its doors in Dallas, Texas, as a casual, welcoming place for locals and tourists to get fed. On the Border now stretches across the United States from California to New York. At On the Border, you'll find American-style tacos, traditional dishes such as carne asada, and an abundance of veggie-filled, meat-free options. It's a menu that's trying to please everyone.

You may not always be thinking about nutrition when you want a casual night out on the town. It's easy to order meals that may seem healthy at face value. For instance, the On the Border menu includes veggies in many of its dishes. Sometimes, seemingly healthy dishes hide some seriously risky nutritionals, such as egregiously high sodium and saturated fat counts. Sodium runs unchecked across On the Border's menu, as it does at many chain restaurants.

How can you order healthy food confidently at On the Border? That's where we come in! We've rounded up 10 of our favorite dishes on the On the Border menu to help you find something that strikes your fancy. We also highlighted five dishes we recommend you skip based on their flagging nutritional value.

We followed three basic criteria when sifting through On the Border's hefty menu. Although this proved a challenge in certain aspects—sodium levels are still higher than we would have liked—we worked hard to ensure you can make an educated decision when sitting down to your next On the Border meal. So, grab a tortilla chip and dig into our picks.

How We Chose the Healthiest On the Border Orders:

• (Relatively) Lower Sodium: Unfortunately, many chain restaurants fuel their dishes with mass amounts of sodium, and On the Border is no exception. You may not be able to "taste" high amounts of sodium as if you were tasting the salty rim of a margarita. However, the addictive feeling remains all the same. Sodium enhances flavor and gets consumers hooked, and this "heightened taste" allows chain restaurants to keep the sense of continuous quality across all branches. As it was a big challenge to find "low-sodium" options, we chose healthier dishes with relatively low sodium and flagged those with egregious sodium levels. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams per day for the average adult. That's because excess sodium intake can seriously jeopardize your health, especially in relation to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and proper kidney function.

• Low in Saturated Fat: Many Tex-Mex restaurants, especially chain restaurants, smother and cover their dishes in cheese, queso sauces, and cream. Many dishes, such as chimichangas, are deep-fried, contributing to higher saturated fat counts. We don't want to fearmonger when it comes to saturated fats. The fats themselves are not "bad." Instead, saturated fat is just a term for fats that solidify at room temperature. Yet it is still important to remember to limit your daily saturated fat intake to less than 13 grams per day, as excess consumption can lead to health issues such as obesity. We ensured that each of our "healthy" options contained the lowest possible saturated fat counts, given the choices available on the menu.

• Nutrient Density: It's easy to order a plain cheese quesadilla when you're unsure what to eat. Although it may be delicious, a cheese quesadilla can leave you with some serious nutritional gaps. We chose options across all areas of the menu that provide a slew of nutrients, ranging from Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, protein, fiber, and the gamut of often-overlooked vitamins and minerals. To help you understand exactly what about each order stands out, we flagged and explained the better-for-you ingredients so you can feel more confident about your dinner decision.

Read on to learn about the healthiest and unhealthiest dishes you'll find on the On the Border menu, then check out The #1 Healthiest Menu Item at 30 Popular Restaurants.

10 Healthiest On the Border Dishes

Best: Guacamole Appetizer

Made in small batches throughout the day, On the Border's guacamole appetizer contains wholesome ingredients: fresh avocado, red onion, cilantro, lime, and salt—the basics. Guacamole can be an excellent option for those who want to get their daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids that can aid in a slew of health outcomes, such as a lowering of triglyceride levels (a type of cholesterol) as well as anti-inflammation, especially in terms of cardiovascular health. Remember to go easy on the chips, as they can quickly stack up unnecessary fats and calories.

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Best: Fajita Salad With Chicken

Although we aren't in love with the sodium levels of this dish, high sodium is difficult to escape when ordering from On the Border. The Fajita Salad with Chicken is one of the healthiest menu options available. Made with mesquite-grilled chicken for a lean protein punch (34 grams), this salad also contains a plethora of veggies, including onion, lettuce, cabbage, pico de gallo, avocado, and roasted corn. Hold the queso fresco if you're hoping to cut down on your fat counts further.

Best: Portobello Border Bowl

Great for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, On the Border's Portobello Border Bowl is a veggie-filled medley featuring chimichurri-brushed portobello mushrooms atop cilantro-lime rice and black beans. With a whopping 20 grams of protein—great for a veggie-heavy meal—this bowl can promote satiety in fewer than 600 calories. Portobello mushrooms contain a compound called ergothioneine, a type of antioxidant. Ergothioneine is interesting because our bodies don't make it independently, so we need to get it from our foods. Some studies suggest it might help keep our bodies healthy by reducing inflammation and supporting our immune system.

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Best: Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Fajitas are a simple yet delicious staple in any Mexican restaurant menu, and On the Border's Grilled Chicken Fajitas are a healthy favorite thanks to their relatively low fat, calorie, and sugar counts. With only 3 grams of saturated fat and a whopping 39 grams of protein, this could be a good option for anyone who wants to hear that sizzle from the kitchen but doesn't want to sacrifice health or taste. The above nutritional values are for fajitas only and do not include a side of rice and refried beans. If you choose a side, please be careful not to rack up unwanted fat and calories.

Best: Border Smart Chicken Fajitas

Although you may be skeptical about why we're including another fajitas option with loads of sodium and more calories than the regular chicken fajitas, the Border Smart Chicken Fajitas is a winner, thanks to the sides. The listed nutritionals include a side of black beans, white corn tortillas, pico de gallo, and guacamole, all of which add up to far less fat and calories than would an order of the original chicken fajitas with a side of rice and refried beans. Therefore, this dish could be the way to go if you're feeling extra hungry. Plus, we love to see 18 grams of fiber, a critically important nutrient for a flourishing gut microbiota and regularity.

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Best: Honey-Chipotle Shrimp Tacos

Made with grilled shrimp tossed in a sweet honey-chipotle sauce, these tacos contain half the saturated fat of other taco options on the menu. The American Heart Association recommends that the average healthy adult consume no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day. For two tacos, 5 grams of saturated fat is a relatively low count that may keep you on track toward your health goals. Additionally, shrimp contains astaxanthin, an antioxidant that may aid in skin health, including recovery from oxidative UV stress, as well as skin elasticity.

Best: Veggie Burritos With Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans

Despite its lack of meat, the Veggie Burritos with Cilantro Lime Rice and Black Beans is a protein powerhouse with  38 grams of protein per dish. This veggie burrito is suitable for vegetarians, and if you're following a vegan lifestyle, ask to hold the cheese (which will also cut down on saturated fat counts). This burrito is our top favorite in this category thanks to its medley of veggies that includes zucchini and squash—both of which are high in vitamins K and C—as well as bell peppers, which contain potassium, a nutrient that may help improve heart health.

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Best: Two Crispy Veggie Tacos Combo

On the Border's combination plates offer a wide variety from which to choose, but if you're looking for the healthiest option, we recommend ordering two crispy veggie tacos. Two of these tacos contain 270 milligrams of sodium, which is within the American Heart Association's recommendations of no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day for the average, healthy adult. Note that On the Border offers combos beyond "pick 2," including  "pick 3" and "pick 4." It's important to remember that portion control is a critical factor in weight management, so it's best to order that "pick 2" combo.

Best: Border Queso Beef Enchiladas

Not everyone wants to go to a Mexican restaurant to load up on veggies. For the more carnivorous, the Border Queso Beef Enchiladas is a healthier option as it contains less than 500 calories and a third of the saturated fat of other enchilada options. Although many think they need to avoid beef when considering health, the protein offers a slew of nutrients, namely iron. Roughly 35% of women in the United States don't get enough iron. It can be challenging to consume enough iron, and beef is an accessible source of this mineral that can help stave off deficiency.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Best: Mini Sopapillas (With Chocolate Sauce) – Half Order

Let's face it: No one orders dessert thinking it's healthy. However, if you find yourself at On the Border with that sweet-tooth craving, order a half order of the Mini Sopapillas. These Mexican pastries are dusted in cinnamon sugar and come with honey and chocolate sauce for dipping (the nutritional information for both honey and chocolate is comparable, so it's the eater's choice). Specifically, we recommend that you order a half order, as visual cues are important: You're less likely to overindulge when there's less food in front of you.

5 Unhealthiest Dishes

Worst: 3 Dos XX Fish Tacos

Although fish tacos may sound like a healthier option as fish is a leaner protein full of healthy fatty acids, On the Border's Dos XX Fish Tacos are anything but nutritionally dense. These fish tacos are beer battered in Dos XX, ratcheting up the sodium count to a whopping 3,290 milligrams and providing 28 grams of saturated fat—over twice the daily recommended limit of 13 grams. This is a prime example of how "leaner" meats may not always be the healthier option, especially when considering the preparation. The worst part is that these nutritional values is that they don't count the included side of beans and rice.

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Worst: The Big Bordurrito – Chicken

Perhaps it's unsurprising that a dish with "big" in its name has earned a spot on our "to skip" list. One look at the nutritional information shows just how unhealthy this burrito is. This burrito—not even counting the sides—contains almost your entire daily goal of 2,000 calories, as recommended by the FDA. This burrito also contains twice the daily saturated fat limit and one of the highest sodium counts on the entire menu at 5,330 milligrams. It's a pretty solid rule of thumb to go ahead and skip anything with the word "big" in it—and even the website describes this burrito as, and we quote, "HUGE."

Worst: Stacked Nachos

On the Border's Stacked Nachos is one of many appetizer options that may—when you've just sat down and your stomach is growling—seem like a great option to begin your meal. However, these nachos are truly a meal unto themselves. Even if you're sharing, this appetizer contains 53 grams of saturated fat and more than enough protein to satisfy the stomach well before your entree even arrives. If you want an appetizer, we recommend a good old-fashioned bowl of salsa or guacamole to tide you over until the main event.

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Worst: El Gran Papi

If you're unsure what to order on the combination menu, you may be tempted to order the El Gran Papi, which contains one of everything: a cheese quesadilla, a chicken tinga enchilada with sour cream sauce, a seasoned ground beef taco, a chicken flauta, and beef empanadas. When it comes to dishes such as these, portion control is a must, as is mindful eating—it can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes for the brain to signal that you're satiated. Eating slowly and sharing can aid in proper weight management.

Worst: The Ultimate Fajita

On the Border's Ultimate Fajita is a carnivore's dream. This dish is served with mesquite-grilled steak, chicken, shrimp, and braised pork carnitas. Surprisingly, this dish has half the saturated fat of other options on our "to skip" list. However, we still can't recommend this fajita dish due to its egregious sodium counts and surprisingly high sugar. As nothing in this dish naturally contains sugar, we can only guess that the majority of these sugars are added. The AHA recommends that the average, healthy woman eat no more than 25 grams of added sugar daily, while men should limit their intake to under 36 grams. At 16 grams, this is over half the daily allowance for women, so it's best to avoid this dish.