Tacos are a popular Mexican food that have become beloved all over the world. A taco is a folded tortilla filled with various ingredients like meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and more. They make for a tasty, portable, and customizable meal. But how many tacos should you actually eat in one sitting?
How many calories are in a taco?
The number of calories in a taco can vary greatly depending on the size of the tortilla and filling ingredients. According to the USDA, a small 6″ corn tortilla contains around 60 calories. A larger 12″ flour tortilla may have over 300 calories. Fillings like carnitas, carne asada, chicken, or veggies add anywhere from 50-300 calories per taco.
Cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and other add-ons will add even more calories. A basic homemade chicken taco with a 6” corn tortilla, 3 oz chicken, lettuce, tomato, and 1 tbsp sour cream has about 210 calories. A loaded taco from a restaurant with a 12” tortilla, 4 oz meat, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and extras could have 500-800 calories or even more.
How many tacos are recommended per meal?
Most nutrition experts recommend limiting yourself to just 1 or 2 tacos per meal. The key is moderation. Here are some general taco meal guidelines:
- 1 taco = a good side dish or snack
- 2 tacos = a reasonable main meal
- 3 tacos = an indulgent main meal
- 4+ tacos = probably too much in one sitting for most people
Of course, the optimal number for you depends on factors like your body size, appetite, activity level, and any weight or health goals. Here are some more considerations when deciding how many tacos make sense for a meal:
Consider the tortillas
Pay attention to the size and type of tortilla being used. Small 6” corn tortillas are around 60 calories. But large 12” flour tortillas can have 10 times as many calories. So the tortilla alone could make a 200-600 calorie difference per taco.
Mind the fillings
The tastiest fillings like beef, chicken, pork, cheese, guacamole, and sour cream also pack the most calories. Going heavy on those will make each taco higher in calories. Focusing on lower cal fillings like beans, veggies, and salsa can help lighten things up.
Watch portion sizes
Even if you stick to lower calorie ingredients, eating giant overloaded tacos with huge portions can still lead to excess calorie intake. Moderating the portion sizes of the fillings to about 3-4 oz of meat and a couple tablespoons of cheese and sour cream per taco can help keep portions and calories in check.
Consider special diets
People on special diets like gluten-free, vegan/vegetarian, low-carb, etc may need to modify their tacos accordingly. For example, someone on a low-carb diet may want to skip the tortilla altogether and make a taco bowl. Vegan tacos would skip meat and dairy-based ingredients. So special diets may need more or fewer tacos to feel satisfied.
Benefits of limiting tacos to 1-2 per meal
Here are some of the key benefits that come with capping your taco intake to just 1-2 per meal:
- Better portion control – It’s easy to overeat with tacos since they taste so good. Stopping at 1-2 helps prevent overeating.
- Lower calorie intake – A single taco can have 500+ calories. Just 2-3 in a meal adds up fast. Sticking to 1-2 controls calories.
- More balanced nutrition – Tacos alone are heavy on meat, cheese, etc. Eating fewer allows room for more veggies, beans, rice, etc.
- Helps manage weight – Limiting tasty indulgences like tacos facilitates healthy weight management long-term.
While an occasional 3+ taco feast is fine, making 1-2 tacos your standard taco meal is generally a healthier approach.
Estimating how many tacos to buy for a group
If you’re having a taco party, ordering tacos for a work meeting, or buying tacos to feed a group, estimating how many tacos to purchase can be tricky. Here are some tips for buying tacos for different groups:
For adults
When feeding only adults, plan for 2-3 tacos per person. The average adult will likely eat 2-3 tacos. Some may have just 1 taco while others may have 3-4. Planning 2-3 per person provides a good amount of variety.
For kids
For younger kids under age 10, allow 1-2 tacos per child. Older kids age 10-17 will likely eat 2-3 tacos each. Growing kids tend to have big appetites when it comes to tacos!
For parties
At backyard BBQs, game day parties, birthday parties, and other group gatherings, plan for at least 3 tacos per guest. People tend to indulge more at fun gatherings. Having extra tacos allows for variation in fillings as well.
Catering tricks
When catering tacos for large groups of 20+ people, a good rule of thumb is to order 2-3 times as many tacos as people. This allows for people who want to indulge in 4+ tacos and also accounts for any extras/leftovers. It’s better to have too many than not enough.
Using tacos in a healthy diet
Tacos have a reputation as a fattening food. But they can actually be part of a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. Here are some tips for making tacos healthier:
- Choose corn over flour tortillas
- Load up on veggies like lettuce, tomato, onion, salsa
- Pick leaner proteins like chicken, fish, or beans
- Use just a sprinkle of cheese
- Go easy on the sour cream, guacamole, and other extras
- Flavor with cilantro, lime, hot sauce instead of fat
- Make “taco salads” by skipping the tortilla altogether
Tacos are very customizable to your tastes and diet. You can make tacos as healthy or indulgent as you want by carefully choosing the ingredients.
Common taco variations
One fun thing about tacos is the endless variations that exist. From fillings to shell, there are so many ways to make tacos. Here are some of the most popular taco variations:
Fillings
- Carne asada (marinated grilled steak)
- Carnitas (braised, shredded pork)
- Pollo asado (grilled chicken)
- Chorizo (spicy sausage)
- Lengua (beef tongue)
- Shrimp or fish
- Vegetarian options like beans, soy crumbles, grilled veggies, etc.
Shells
- Corn tortillas
- Flour tortillas
- Soft taco shells
- Crunchy/fried taco shells
- Lettuce wraps or tortilla-free “taco” bowls
Global tacos
Tacos have gone global, with many countries putting their own spin on tacos using local ingredients. Some examples include:
- Korean – bulgogi meat, kimchi
- Japanese – sushi-grade fish, seaweed
- Indian – chicken tikka, mango chutney
- Greek – lamb, tzatziki, feta
- Middle Eastern – shawarma spiced meat, hummus, tabbouleh
Should you eat tacos every day?
Can or should you eat tacos every day? Let’s dig into the pros and cons.
Pros
- Tacos are delicious! Who wouldn’t want to eat them daily?
- Endless variety – With different fillings, toppings, and global twists, you could have a different taco creation every day.
- Tacos can be healthy – Loaded up with lean protein, veggies, beans, etc. tacos can be nutritious if made the right way.
- Portability – Tacos are neatly handheld making them easy meals to pack for lunch or dinner.
Cons
- Risk of overeating – It’s easy to overdo indulgent ingredients like fatty meats, cheese, and sour cream if eating tacos daily.
- Nutritional imbalance – Tacos aren’t the most balanced meal. Eating them too often could mean missing out on other healthy foods.
- Food boredom – No matter how creative the variations, tired taste buds may grow bored of daily tacos.
- Expensive – Buying quality taco ingredients every day adds up quick, especially proteins.
The verdict
In most cases, having tacos 3-4 times per week is ideal balance. This allows you to enjoy tacos frequently while still switching it up with other nutritious meals. Daily tacos could work for some people depending on portion sizes, ingredients, and personal preferences. But too much of a good thing could still take its toll!
Conclusion
Finding your perfect taco and portion balance comes down to your own dietary needs and preferences. While unlimited tacos sounds great in theory, moderation and variety is key for overall health. Sticking to just 1-2 tacos containing wholesome ingredients as part of a balanced diet lets you indulge in this tasty food while avoiding overdoing it. Whatever your favorite taco style, keeping your eye on proper portions allows you to enjoy tacos guilt-free!