Eating out doesn't have to mean consuming high-calorie meals. Most restaurants offer at least some items with reasonable calorie counts. The trick is being able to identify them. Some eateries make that easy, posting nutritional information on the menu. At others, you are on your own.
Step 1
Learn the buzzwords for "high calorie." Steer clear of cream sauces and anything that is fried or crispy. The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible also advises avoiding items with these words: a la mode (with ice cream on top), au gratin (covered with cheese), battered, bisque, breaded, buttered, rich, Hollandaise (sauce of butter and egg yolks), scalloped and tempura (deep fried.)
Step 2
Plan ahead. If you know you'll be dining at a certain restaurant, call ahead for healthy suggestions or visit the restaurant's Web site for nutritional information. Plan your meal outside of the influence of scents and ambiance.
If you wind up eating out unexpectedly, have in mind some "safe" foods you can request -- perhaps turkey on wheat with mustard, a broth-based soup or pasta with a tomato-based sauce.
Step 3
Come prepared. Both Calorie King and Diet Detective offer paperback calorie guides that include many of the most popular restaurants. Weight Watchers also has a "Complete Food Companion" that uses its trademarked points to assess food choices.
You may prefer a "Calorie Tracker" application for your iPhone, available at the iPhone App Store. It includes calories (plus fat, sugar, carbohydrates, cholesterol and more) for more than 525,000 foods. Or use your phone's Internet connection to visit a restaurant's Web site once you're seated.
Step 4
Look on the menu -- or ask. Many chain restaurants, in response to legislation, are posting calorie information on their menus, and restaurateurs are becoming more used to fielding nutrition questions from patrons. Find out how many ounces of meat you'll be getting, whether the potatoes are fried or baked and what the sauce contains.
Tips and Warnings
- Control some of your calorie consumption with special requests: sauces and dressings on the side; no bread basket to tempt nibbling; water instead of soda; hold the cheese. Add flavor without adding calories by using mustard, vinegars, salt and pepper or other spices.
- Try to obtain the accurate number of calories for the dish you order, rather than guessing. If you estimate a 3-ounce roasted chicken breast without the skin is 140 calories, you may not realize that the restaurant adds calories by brushing it with butter or serving a portion larger than 3 ounces. Beware the premade salad, which may be served with way more dressing than you require. Simple vinaigrettes made with vinegars and oils are lower calorie than cream dressings such as ranch and blue cheese. Also, watch out for croutons, nuts and other add-ons that can be high in calories. Don't forget to add your beverage to the calorie tally. Some drinks (smoothies and regular sodas) are liable to contain more calories than your meal.
Things You'll Need
- Portable guides
- Electronic guides
References
- "The Calorie King: Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter"; Allan Borushek; 2010
- The Daily Plate: Calorie Tracker
- "The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible"; Charles Stuart Platkin; 2008
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