Eating Healthier - Dining Out
This is part two in the Eating Healthier. Read part one on Fats and Carbohydrates.
Quite possibly one of the hardest problems to those trying to go on a proper diet is the local eatieries. Dining out brings unique problems such as not being sure how the food was cooked, how much fat it is in it, and if the best ingredients were put in the food.
Quite a few restaurants, and even some fast food chains, have noticed the requirement for better menu options, and they are working hard to meet that need. All too often, however, the healthy options on a diners menu are disgusting, uninviting, or just scant. It is imprarative to pay special note to the menu and make the best choices possible to eating healthier.
Another of the most important thing you can do to eat healthier in eateries is to be diligent. Diners should not be scared to find out how a dish is prepared, or what is used to make it . If the waitstaff doesn’t know, ask him or her to check with the chef. A quality chef will be glad to tell you the ingredients, and to make modifications in the recipe if needed to help you eat healthier. Also, most restaurants will happily accommodate special needs, such as low fat or low sodium meals. If not, you can find a better restaurant…
Some great ideas for eating healthier in restaurants include:
- One good standard rule to use when dining out is to order entrees that are grilled, baked or broiled. Deep fried dishes are not usually the best option. If you are not sure how a meals is made, ask the waiter/waitress.
- Portion size is also important in the restaurants as it is at home. That means getting the small fillet instead of the large steak, ordering smaller size portions of fries or eating less of your baked potato when dining out, and maybe even forgoing that tempting dessert. Choosing leaner cuts of meat or fish is also a good way to eat healthier.
- When choosing side dishes, ask if steamed vegis are an option. Steamed veggtables are a great, low fat, low calorie option for many diners. Vegetables that are fried, au gratin, or prepared in cream or butter sauces are best avoided.
- When ordering salad, ask if fat free choices are available. Most places have several no fat or low fat varieties of salad dressing available. If no low fat option are available, request the dressing on the side so that you can use a smaller amount. This is huge in eating healthier when dining out.
- When ordering soup, choose broth based soups, and avoid bisques or rich soups like cream of crab or cream of broccoli. A simple vegetable soup is a delicious and low fat alternative.
- Replace high fat, high calorie French fries with healthier alternatives such as fresh fruit or an unbuttered baked potato. Most restaurants will be happy to accommodate such special requests.
- In Italian restaurants, pick a tomato based sauce and stear clear from creamy or heavy Alfredo sauces. A simple pesto sauce without meat is a good choice for most pasta meals. Eating healthy is not always easy.
- When dining at oriental restaurants, go with the white rice and stir fried vegi meals. Again, stay away from heavy sauces and request that your meal be prepared with less oil–this might not always be an option depending on the places you go. In addition, try to choose dishes that feature less meat and more fresh vegetables.
- Choose a light dessert of fresh fruit or sorbet. When ordering traditional desserts, order one and share it with your dining partner.
Lastly, when dining at a drive through estaurant, it is important to curtail the desire of up-sizing the meal. Fast-food place often make their big portions more attractive by pricing really cheap. But being eating cheap is not usually eating healthier… ESPECIALLY when it comes to dining out. Also, most fast food chains now offer healthier option, such as salads and baked potatoes, as well as obviously displayed nutritional information. So you know exactly what you’ll be putting into your body.
While dining out certainly presents challenges to those trying to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and trying to eat healthier, there is no reason to forgo the pleasure of an occasional meal out. By following the guidelines listed above, and by adding some creative tips of your own, you can make dining out a healthy eating event, and it will be a nice change of pace.
