Lean Food Menu Choices

When you eat out or replicate restaurant favorites at home, you can easily exceed your calorie limits and get too much of certain nutrients. Instead of avoiding social dining or falling back on frozen dinners, learn to recognize lean food menu choices and find ways to reduce the impact of higher-calorie dishes. Begin by choosing entrees, sides and beverages with less fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar contents. Then, order your foods prepared with little butter or oil and topped with healthy condiments.

Foods to Avoid

Rule out the calorie-dense choices, or those with greater caloric than nutritional benefits, to focus on your healthy options. Breaded and fried shrimp, chicken and vegetables and fried tortilla-based tacos, nachos and chimichangas are all extremely high in fat or cholesterol. Pizzas and sandwiches made with processed meats such as bacon, pepperoni and other sausages have high fat and sodium ratios. Ice cream, milk shakes and regular carbonated sodas add large amounts of sugar to your daily totals.

Foods to Eat Often

Low-fat meat entrees include those that feature lean roast beef, chicken breast, fish and deli ham, as long as they are served cold, grilled or baked, but not fried, relates the American Diabetes Association. Bean burritos and soft tacos save fat and calories over fried Mexican dishes. Breakfast choices include English muffins and bagels instead of croissants and sweetened muffins. Order salads, scrambled eggs and other menu items without cheese most of the time. To control your sugar intake, drink low-fat milk, artificially sweetened sodas or water and choose fresh fruit or sugar-free frozen yogurt for dessert.

Acceptable Additions

Entree add-ons, salad bar toppings and sandwich condiments can send your calorie counts sky high. Avoid fatty cheese, butter, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, chili, sour cream and guacamole, and select tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, mustard, catsup and salsa instead.

Portion Sizes

Many restaurants lure customers with big portions at prices that may seem like a good deal. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, however, cites 1999 and 2002 studies that reveal that detrimental effects on weight and health may offset any dollar savings on economy-sized food portions. Researchers found that people tend to eat too much when they are served larger amounts, and that eating out is associated with weight gain and related health problems. Stick with smaller menu portions with single meat or cheese servings. While some fast-food outlets offer super-sized drinks as large as 29 oz., beverage sizes should be between 8 oz. and 12 oz. At home, use the suggested servings on FDA food labels as your portion guide.