Costa Vida counter guide
Need a lighter bowl without losing flavor?
Customizing is the core skill at a Costa Vida build-your-own counter. Swap the base, adjust the protein, lighten the sauce.
Costavida runs on choice. Bowls and salads adapt most easily, tacos portion naturally, and burritos stay balanced with small changes. This guide walks through practical swaps for lighter meals, vegetarian needs, and family tables.
How the line works
Four decisions, one tray that eats lighter
Pick the protein
Grilled chicken is the workhorse for a lighter bowl at Costa Vida. It carries salsa and lime well, so you can skip heavier sauces without the bowl tasting plain.
Set the starch
Keep rice to a scoop and beans to a half scoop if you want less starch. You still get a full meal, just with more room for vegetables and grilled flavor.
Lighten moisture
Skip extra cheese and sour cream. Choose salsa and a squeeze of lime for moisture. Pico adds crunch and juice, hot salsa adds depth without cream.
Add volume
Add cabbage or lettuce for volume. It keeps the bowl savory and filling while reducing richness. Ask for extra greens — the line expects it.
Build-your-own tray
A grilled chicken bowl, portion by portion
Use the tabs to walk the tray left to right, the way the counter runs. Each stop is one decision. Together they make a customizable menu bowl that still eats as dinner, with salsa brightness doing the work that cheese used to do.
- Rice — one scoopEnough to catch the juices. Cilantro-lime rice plus extra cabbage stretches the base without a second scoop.
- Beans — half scoopBlack or pinto for substance. Half keeps the bowl lighter while the protein and vegetables fill the rest.
- Grilled chicken — full portionThe anchor. Grilled texture holds up under salsa and lime, so the bowl needs no creamy sauce to feel complete.
- Pico, cabbage, limeMoisture and crunch. Ask for lime wedges on the side — they brighten the whole bowl more than extra salt does.
What the lighter bowl looks like
Half the starch, full protein, double greens. Salsa and lime carry the moisture. Nothing crowded, nothing dry.
Separated tray · grilled chicken bowl · salsa-forward
Salads, tacos, burritos
Three formats, same lighter logic
Salads that stay satisfying
Start with greens, add grilled chicken, then use pico and a light dressing or salsa instead of heavy sauce. A small scoop of guacamole adds richness without needing cheese. For takeout, ask for dressing on the side so greens stay crisp.
Tacos for portion control
Order two tacos instead of three when pairing with chips, or mix one indulgent taco with two lighter ones. Corn tortillas where available keep each taco smaller. Chicken or grilled fish style fillings with cabbage and pico eat lighter than cheese-heavy builds.
Burritos without heaviness
Choose a bowl-style filling inside a tortilla but hold one starch — either rice or beans, not both. Ask for extra cabbage and light cheese. Sweet pork still works in a smaller amount alongside grilled chicken. Request salsa on the side to control moisture on the drive home.
Vegetarian and flexible swaps
Bean-and-rice bowls with cabbage, pico, guacamole, and lime make a complete meatless meal. Add extra beans when skipping meat. Two-topping simplicity often beats a crowded build. Ask about preparation if you avoid animal broth or lard, since methods vary by location.
Lighter mexican options
What lighter means next to grilled-chicken chains
El Pollo Loco built its name on fire-grilled chicken meals, burritos, bowls, and salads for diners who prioritize grilled protein. At Costa Vida, you reach a similar lighter plate by choosing grilled chicken, greens, and salsa-forward moisture. Both paths suit diners who want Mexican-American flavors without heaviness. Compare grilled texture and salsa brightness to find your preference — burrito bowl customization works the same way in either line: protein first, vegetables second, sauce last.
How we prep freshFeeding kids and mixed tables
Let kids pick one protein and two toppings to keep the line moving. Mild salsa and cheese bridge unfamiliar flavors. Adults who want heat can add hot salsa after paying. Splitting a burrito plus a side often feeds two small appetites better than two full entrees.
- One protein, two toppings for kids — faster line, fewer spills.
- Heat after the register, so mild and hot plates stay separate.
- Split a burrito plus chips and salsa for two small appetites.
Allergy and sensitivity notes
Tell the line about allergies before building starts so staff can adjust. Ask about shared surfaces and utensils if contact matters. Keep your order simple to reduce cross-contact points. When in doubt, a simple bowl with fewer toppings is easier to manage than a fully loaded burrito.
Ready when you are
Bring your build to the counter
Walk in with a plan — grilled chicken, half starch, extra greens, salsa and lime — and the line will move fast. Questions about ingredients or a family order? Send a note before you visit.
Costa Vida Fresh Mexican Grill · 3101 N Ashton Blvd, Lehi, UT 84043 · Monday – Saturday: 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM