Dining Out at a Glance

July 18, 2012

Staying on a balanced eating plan can be challenging when eating out, but it can be done! Follow these tips the next time you dine out and you’ll be sure to stay on track with your healthy eating.

• If you have the choice of restaurant, choose one that serves real food.
• Plan your meal in your mind on your way to the restaurant. Decide what you will order before looking at the menu, even before entering the restaurant. Choose foods that will make you feel good when you have finished your meal. The power of choice is in your mind—not in the advertised “Super-Sized” meals or the sugary desserts pictured on the menu (Remember, the photo of these items probably look better than how they’ll actually taste).
• Choose a reasonable serving of meat—4 or 5 ounces (about half of what many restaurants serve). Eat only the amount of protein you need and take the leftovers home for another meal.
• Add a salad and some cooked vegetables. Now, the trick is to put the butter on the veggies and not on the bread. It’s a good idea to ask that the bread basket be left in the kitchen so you’re not tempted to eat it.
• If you want potatoes, rice, or pasta with your meal, limit the serving size to a half cup and just enjoy the taste.
• A perfect dessert to order is a serving of fresh fruit.
• When ordering a sandwich, order only half a sandwich or an open-faced sandwich so you eat only one slice of bread. Have a salad with it so you feel satisfied.
• When ordering eggs, ask the chef to cook them in butter to avoid the damaged trans-fatty acids found in vegetable shortening.