Applebee's

We scored all 47 entree-style items on Applebee's menu for how well they fit a diabetes-friendly meal -- glycemic index, carb and calorie load against a standard 60g-carb / 600-calorie budget, and how processed the item is.

Best choices

Ranked by GlucoBeacon's own scoring formula -- glycemic index, carbs and calories against a standard 60g-carb / 600-calorie per-meal budget, and how processed the item is -- highest score first.

Item	Category	Carbs	Calories	Est. GI	Score
Caesar Salad	Salads	13g	220	35	82
House Salad	Salads	13g	280	40	81
French Onion Soup	Soups	16g	190	52	76
Double Crunch Shrimp - Sampler	Entrees	20g	200	55	74
Chicken Tortilla Soup	Soups	26g	280	45	69
California Grilled Chicken Salad	Salads	34g	510	35	65
Shrimp 'N Parmesan Sirloin	Steaks	48g	910	20	55
Grilled Chicken Breast	Entrees	43g	550	30	54

Approach with caution

These score lowest -- typically a mix of high carbs, high calories, high glycemic index, or heavy processing. Not "never eat," just items to pair with extra protein/fiber or eat in a smaller portion.

Item	Category	Carbs	Calories	Est. GI	Score
Waffle Fries Basket	Breakfast	80g	760	67	26
Three-Cheese Chicken Penne	Pasta	102g	1350	60	26
Sweet & Spicy Chicken Sandwich (with Grilled Chicken)	Sandwiches	140g	1220	60	26
Sweet & Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich (with Hand-Breaded Chicken)	Sandwiches	156g	1350	60	26

How we score it

Each item gets up to 30 points for glycemic index (lower is better), 30 points for staying under a 60g carb budget, 15 points for staying under a 600-calorie budget, and 25 points for being minimally processed -- the same formula GlucoBeacon's in-app Restaurant Advisor uses, just run here against a generic budget instead of your own goals. A higher score means an easier fit into most diabetes meal plans; it isn't a guarantee for any individual, since real blood sugar response depends on portion size, what else you eat with it, and your own physiology.