Americans spend 40 percent of their monthly food budget on restaurant fare, according to the University of Illinois Extension. If you are among those who often dine out, and you are interested in maintaining a healthy diet, it helps to have some knowledge about the healthy options available at different kinds of restaurants.
Fast Food
Fast food restaurants are not exactly health food emporiums. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fast food restaurants are especially notorious for offering large portions of inexpensive, often poor-quality food. However, there are healthy options available. For example, the McDonald's Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken contains a reasonable 320 calories, 30g of protein, and 6g of fiber. Though this dish contains 9g of fat, only 3g are from saturated fats.
Pizza
If you've got a hankering for pizza, consider ordering thin crust. Thin crust pizza often has fewer calories than standard pizza. For example, one slice of Pizza Hut's 12-inch Thin and Crispy Cheese Pizza contains 190 calories, while one slice of its 12-inch Hand Tossed Cheese Pizza contains 220 calories. Both these pizzas have the same fat content: 8g per slice. If you want an even leaner option, Pizza Hut offers a "Fit and Delicious" menu. Pizzas on this menu range from 150 to 180 calories per slice, and none of them contain more than 5g of fat per slice.
Fast-Casual
If you're headed out for a meal with a family, but don't want something especially fancy, consider Applebee's. This restaurant offers a selection of menu options under 550 calories, including Asiago Peppercorn Steak and Grilled Dijon Chicken & Portobellos. The leanest option on this menu is the Grilled Shrimp & Island Rice, which contains 380 calories, 4.5g of fat--only 1g of which is saturated--and provides 7g of fiber.
Special Occasions
When an occasion such as a birthday or anniversary calls for something a bit fancier than a fast-casual restaurant, consider Red Lobster, which offers a mix-and-match "Light House" menu. One good combination is wood-grilled salmon and broccoli. This meal contains only 315 calories. Though it does contain 9g of fat, only 1g is saturated fat. Plus, salmon, according to MayoClinic.com, is a good source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Take-Out Options
If you don't want to go to a sit-down restaurant or order a pizza, there are good options available at national take-out chains. Subway, for example, offers a "6 Grams of Fat or Less" menu, where you can order healthy sub sandwiches along with fresh apple slices and reduced-fat milk. For example, the 6-inch Black Forest ham sandwich, which comes with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, green peppers and cucumbers, has 290 calories, 4.5g of fat, and provides 5g of fiber.
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