Is Healthy Restaurant Dining Possible?
Eating out in a restaurant when you are trying to manage a healthy diet can be a really challenging task. There are so many unanswered questions such as: How is the food prepared? Did they use butter, margarine or oil? Are the ingredients fresh and whole, or frozen or from a can.
When it comes to eating out you absolutely must be proactive. You must ask questions around preparation and ingredients. Any quality restaurant will be able to answer your questions and make modifications to accommodate you. As we become more and more health conscious as a society, we can see many restaurants pivoting to include lower fat, lower sodium, gluten free, dairy free, and vegan options.
Even fast food chains are offering healthier menu choices to meet the demand. Of course sometimes the healthier choices are limited, and may not appear as appealing as some of their signature meals... but it is important to try to make the best choice you can, and eat all things in moderation.
Here are a few tips for healthy eating in restaurants:
The most obvious… stay away from anything deep fried. Order all your meats grilled, baked, steamed or broiled. If you are unsure how a dish is prepared, don’t be afraid to ask.
Choose the leaner cuts of meat such as chicken or fish. Some organic meats or game choices are also surprisingly delicious.
Portion size is also very important. Many restaurants have enlarged portions, which can warp our sense of a moderation. Meat portions should be able to fit in the palm of your hand. Try and order half portions of the starch, and always eat your veggies first.
A good rule of thumb is to ask what vegetables are available. Steamed, baked or grilled vegetables are a great low-fat, low-calorie choice. Do your best to avoid vegetables that are fried, have a cheese sauce or are prepared in cream or butter.
A side salad is a nice alternative to vegetables on the plate, especially when the vegetables sound boring to you ☺. Request to have your dressing on the side so that you can control the amount that is used. Most restaurants will have oil and vinegar to offer for your salad, and you can always ask for lemon wedges if you prefer that over vinegar.
Broth based soups are a better selection for a healthy choice in a restaurant. If you can, avoid bisques or rich soups that begin with the name “cream of…”. If it is tough to miss out on a particular chowder, eat all the goodies in the soup first so they fill you up, you may be less likely to finish all the liquid after.
Order ½ the amount of fries. Or skip the fries all together and replace them with options like a baked potato or rice - or even ask for ½ fries, ½ salad.
When in Italian restaurants, order the olive oil based or the tomato-based sauces on your pasta or pizza. Watch out for the cream in things like alfredo sauces. A simple pesto sauce is a great choice.
When dining at Asian restaurants, have the plain steamed rice and stir fried vegetable entrees. Watch out for the heavy or syrupy sauces. You can also request that your meal be prepared with less oil, less sauce, or have them put the sauce on the side so you can monitor your amount. In addition, choose dishes that feature less meat and more fresh vegetables.
It can be difficult to always pass on dessert, so if you find that you need a sweet treat try this: choose a light dessert of fresh fruit or sorbet. When ordering more traditional desserts, share one with your dining partner.
Finally, when dining at a fast-food restaurant, it is important to avoid the temptation of super sizing the meal. Fast food restaurants often make their larger portions more attractive by pricing them competitively, but a big part of healthier eating is to control portion sizes.
A great way to manage portion size is the ask for a take-away dish as soon as your meal comes. Put aside half you meal for lunch or another time, then continue to enjoy your meal.
In short, do not forgo the pleasure of eating out. Especially now that we can finally eat out more freely. It can be done very successfully and in a healthy way. In the beginning it will be difficult to order differently. But, it does not take long to get the hang of it. Use the guidelines listed above, and by adding some creative tips of your own, you can make dining out a healthy experience as well as a pleasant one.
