Restaurant foods are typically higher in calories, fat and sodium. Existing data reveal that people who dine out eat larger quantities, higher calories or both. As health-conscious eaters expand in numbers, however, restaurants are beginning to take notice and feature low-calorie and heart-healthy dishes. No matter where you choose to dine, eating healthy isn't impossible.
Know Before You Go
Most restaurants today offer their menu on their website. When planning a meal out, visit the website in advance to plan your meal. Look for healthy keywords such as grilled, roasted, seared, baked, broiled or poached when choosing the main dish. Avoid dishes with words such as glazed, butter, cream, cheese, sauce, fried, lightly fried, hand-breaded, battered and aioli; these words connote high fat. Lean proteins to choose include fish, shellfish, skinless chicken and pork, lamb or beef tenderloins. Side dishes should only support the main dish, not offer another entree. For example, the popular garlic mashed potatoes side dish may have more calories and fat than the entree. Instead, order steamed or grilled vegetables and a side salad.
Special Requests
Ask your server for dietary consideration; most are happy to oblige. Inform him that you have dietary requirements including low fat and sodium intake. He may suggest a particular dish or offer alterations to one on the menu. Request steamed vegetables without oil or salt. Should they arrive shiny and glistening, they contain oil. Ask that your side salad be served with dressing on the side, and request balsamic vinegar or fresh lemons as dressing. Avoid vinaigrettes because they typically contain oil.
Portion Control
Consider sharing a meal with someone. Calorically speaking, restaurant portion sizes serve enough calories for two people. If you are not sharing a meal, ask your server to prebox half of your meal to take home. A January 2008 study published in "Preventing Chronic Disease" reports that people are more likely to succeed in weight loss maintenance when ordering reduced-size entrees by sharing or reducing the serving. Researchers reported that people eat more when presented with more.
Do's and Don't's
Avoid consuming liquid calories. Bottomless glasses of regular soda can exceed 600 calories for the night in drinks alone. Choose water, unsweetened tea or diet soda instead. Avoid alcohol, especially mixed drinks, which are high in calories and sugar. Pass on the dessert, or ask for a small dish of sorbet. Many restaurants are now serving miniature desserts --- bite-size treats full of flavor for a fraction of the calories as regular dessert portions. Eat earlier rather than later to give your system plenty of time for digestion. You may even enjoy a nice evening walk after dinner. Occasional treats are necessary; it's the behavior that follows that is critical. If you happen to make a choice off of your healthy eating plan, the best response is to forget it and get back on track afterward.
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