Dining at restaurants takes away the control you have over what you eat. While no one can make you clean your plate, it's hard to throw away food you've paid for, and taking a to-go box back to work may not be possible. On top of that, you can't ask a fry cook to reduce the saturated fat and cholesterol in your meal or even a chef if service is busy. Knowing in advance what foods contain less fat, and which fats to avoid, will help you pick low-fat menu items at lunch.
Low-Fat Definition
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has different definitions for reduced- and low-fat foods. The FDA bases its definitions on a variety of parameters, including grams or fat or percentage of calories per serving, which may be too difficult to remember each time you eat. Your definition might simply be a noticeable reduction in the amount of fat in favorite dishes, such as by having vegetable toppings on pizza rather than sausage or pepperoni. In general, stay away from foods heavy in animal products, particularly red meat, cheese, butter and cream. Avoid fried foods, as well.
Start with Soup
It can take 15 minutes or more for the hormones that tell your brain your stomach is full to work. Start each lunch with a cup of soup to start this process so you'll be less likely to go back to the buffet a second time, order dessert or finish a friend's fries. A Penn State University study found people that ate a cup of soup before lunch consumed 20 percent fewer calories over the course of the entire meal. Avoid cream-based soups and meat to cut fat calories. Order vegetable soups, and ask your server if the menu offers any soups made with a vegetable stock.
Salads
Salads don't have to be boring or make up your entire meal. Follow a cup of soup with a dinner salad and ask for a low- or nonfat dressing on the side, so you can control how much you eat. Ask for a few almonds or walnuts to add crunch. Order an entrée salad with a lean protein such as salmon or chicken breast meat. Salmon is a high-fat fish, but the fat comes from heart-healthy, nonsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.
Pizza
If you eat at a pizzeria that makes your pie to order, go with a thin crust to reduce calories. Avoid sausage, pepperoni, bacon and hamburger toppings that can be as much as 60 percent calories from fat. Ask your server for less cheese than usual on your pie. Many pizzerias cover the top of a pizza with cheese, then add even more. Tell the server you want to be able to see some of the sauce underneath the cheese and toppings.
Pasta
Contrary to the anticarb hysteria some people espouse, pastas can be a healthy source of low-fat nutrition. Stay away from Alfredo sauce, made with butter, cream, eggs and cheese. Order a meatless marina sauce or have low-fat shrimp tossed in garlic and angel hair pasta. Pesto sauce contains fat, but much of it comes from monounsaturated olive oil.
Sandwiches
Mayonnaise can increase the fat content of a hamburger by 25 percent. Skip the cheese and mayo on sandwiches and add flavor with lettuce, tomato and mustard. Grilled chicken breast and sliced turkey breast are low-fat alternatives to beef.
Member Comments