Dining Out Tips

Below are some simple tricks to use for making healthier choices while dining out.

Know Your Options
Get to know which restaurants have healthy options available. Look at nutrition information before going out to eat or afterwards for future reference. Pick places with smaller or more appropriate serving sizes, such as a 400 calorie burger rather than a 1200 calorie one.

Treat Eating Out the Same as Eating In
Use the same eating guidelines that you practice at home when you’re eating out. Don’t think of a meal out as an excuse to splurge and blow your healthy habits.

Put It in Perspective
When looking at your menu options, think about how this meal fits into the rest of the foods you’ve eaten that day. Can you afford to eat a little more than usual, or have you spent too much of your calorie budget already? How long would you have to exercise to make up for getting dessert? Is it a special occasion or restaurant that’s worth eating lighter tomorrow for?

Limit Pre-meal Options
It’s hard when you’re hungry, but keep the reins tight on snacking before your meal arrives. Commit to one piece of bread and then have the bread removed from the table.
Say no to appetizers. Get a dinner salad instead with the dressing on the side.

Let Your Salad Be a Salad
Salads typically are filled with colorful, healthy vegetables. But entrée-sized salads are commonly filled with high fat, high calorie ingredients, too. Be on the look out for lots of cheese, fried wonton or tortilla strips, guacamole, sour cream, bacon, nuts, and the worst one – the flour tortilla bowl. Also ask about lower calorie dressings and always have them served on the side. Dressing alone can add an extra 400 calories to a salad.

Pass on “Fried”
Avoid or limit ordering anything fried. Lots of appetizers and side orders fall victim to being fried such as French fries, onion rings, chips, fried mozzarella, or chicken strips. Also watch for sandwiches and entrees that included breaded and fried chicken or fish. Descriptors like “crispy”, “beer battered”, “golden”, or “popcorn” probably means the item is fried. Inquiry about substitutions you can get like grilled chicken or fish, extra veggies or beans on the side, or getting a salad instead.

Size Matters
Be conscious of serving sizes. It’s common for restaurants to serve larger than life portion sizes. Decide when you first get your plate how much you will eat. Divide your meal in half and you will probably have just the right amount of food you need at one sitting. The extra food can be packed in a to-go box at the beginning of the meal or as soon as you’re getting close to the half way point. Another option is to share an entrée with your dining companion.

Look For a Substitute
Instead of high calorie sides, investigate what your other options might be. More healthy options are being offered as sides including salad, vegetables, cottage cheese, cole slaw, beans, and fruit.

A Good Thing Can Go Bad
You can ruin any healthy meal with the extras you add. Watch out for these calorie packers: cheese, “sautéed” with oil or butter, cream, white/cream/alfredo sauce, mayonnaise, dressings, sour cream. Ask to leave them off or to use less. There may be lower calorie alternatives like tomato sauce, mustard, salsa, pico de gallo, fresh lemon juice, and vinegar.

What Do They Recommend?
Look for menu items marked as healthy. Some menus have a healthier section or symbols that indicate the more health conscious choice. Look for entrée salads, vegetable focused entrées, or eat the vegetables and protein and leave behind the extra helpings of rice, potatoes, or pasta. Experiment with healthy options, and you might find something new you love.

Leave a Little
Leave the last few bites of your meal on the plate. You probably are already full by this point, and every calorie counts.

Just Say “No” Or…..
Decide you will not get dessert before the dessert tray or menu is brought to the table. If can’t resist, try these tricks:

  • Sharing, extra forks for everyone
  • Have a low-fat or nonfat cappuccino or latte instead.
  • Pick a healthier option such as fresh fruit, sorbet, meringues instead of cream based items
  • If it’s indulgent, can you pump up the health factor by choosing something that does at least have nuts, whole grains, or some fruit.
  • Don’t add ice cream or whipped cream.
  • Leave some behind, especially the crust.

Keep Your Toolbox Full
Use all of the tools available out there to help you have a healthier dinging out experience. Make the most of DiningOutNutrition.com to keep your health a priority while you still enjoy eating out. And DON’s Healthier Choices can be a resource you can go to for quick advice on what to order. It’s like taking a personal nutritionist to lunch with you. Bon Appetít!