With choices like Fettuccini Alfredo, chocolate decadence and a big, juicy cheeseburger on many restaurant menus, eating healthy when dining out can seem like an impossible feat. But rest assured, dieticians say you can turn that next bite into a healthier alternative at almost any fast food, buffet or sit-down restaurant.
In fact, eating out can be an opportunity for you to eat even healthier by taking advantage of prepared fruits and vegetables – the healthy foods you might bypass at home because of their prep time and short shelf life.
Not to mention, many fast-food restaurants are now beginning to offer healthier options, such as salads, baked potatoes, fruit bowls and bottled water.
The first lesson to eating out healthy, dietitians say, is distinguishing the good-for-you foods from the high-fat, salty foods that add pounds. Sometimes it’s easy if restaurants note the healthy meal options on their menus with a star or other symbol. But without those indications, what should you do? Here are a few tips:
• Higher-fat items include words like “buttered,” “escalloped,” “au gratin,” “fried” or “cream-based.” So, look for healthier options, indicated by terms like “grilled,” “broiled,” “steamed,” “poached,” “roasted” or “broth-based.”
• Try to plan ahead, and decide in advance what you will order, so you won’t be tempted by fatty foods once you’re there, says registered dietitian Suzanne Henson, a coordinator of University of Alabama at Birmingham’s EatRight Weight Management Program.
Take advantage of menus on the Internet, which list the caloric and fat contents of foods from leading fast-food restaurants. You can also find many restaurant menus online or get them faxed to you in advance, so you can peruse the options carefully before ordering.
You might even want to eat a snack or small meal in advance, to avoid eating too much at the restaurant.
• When eating out, beware of foods with high-sodium, such as those that are pickled or smoked, and those in a tomato base, au jus or teriyaki sauce.
• Maybe the most important tip of all is it to take careful note of portion sizes. Restaurants have been enlarging their plates and super-sizing their entrees. In reality, Vitolins says, a good portion is the equivalent of a children’s meal at a fast-food restaurant – small drink, small fries and no double-layer hamburgers.
To control the portion size, order a la carte, order an appetizer or ask for a children’s meal. Also, consider splitting your entree with someone else, or take food home with you for your next meal.
• Don’t be tempted by free foods, such as a breadbasket or basket of chips placed on the table. These types of food can quickly add calories to your meal. Also, beware of the continuous refills of lemonade or soda. These beverages are full of empty calories and too many carbohydrates.
• Avoid grazing at the buffet, by considering the salad the main course of your meal and then trying samples of other foods, such as soups or meats. Create a healthy meal by filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits, the bottom quarter with starch, such as pasta, bread or rice, and the other quarter of your plate with protein, such as poultry, fish, pork or beans.
• Choose healthy protein options such as lean meat, fish or skinless chicken over fatty red meats or fried chicken.
• Order your sauce and salad dressing on the side to better control the portions. Avoid creamy sauces and mayo-based sauces that are high in fat. If you can’t do without the sauce, use the fork method. Order the sauce on the side, dip your fork in the dressing or sauce and then fork your greens or food. “You will use far less, but you will still get that wonderful taste,” Henson said.
• Watch what you drink. Research has shown that being dehydrated makes you feel hungry and may cause you to overeat. Water is the best option, and if you drink it throughout your meal, it can help you feel fuller.
If water is too plain for you, go for low-fat milk, iced tea, or diet soda, which are better options than sugary sodas.
• Ask for low-calorie salad dressings, or just squeeze a lemon over your salad for flavor. Also watch for high-fat salad items like cheese, croutons, cream dressings like Caesar, chopped eggs and bacon bits.
• Ask if your server if you can make substitutions or modifications to your meal. Instead of fries or scalloped potatoes, ask for a baked potato or fruit bowl, or special order fries with no salt. Still hungry? Add volume to your meal by asking for extra vegetables.
• The best news – you don’t have to skip the desert tray. Rather, watch what you take. Bypass high-calorie desserts like pie, cake and ice cream in favor of fresh fruit or fruit sorbet.
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