How to Eat Healthy When Eating Out

More and more people are eating out. If you are one of them, you can still eat well, if you make the right choices. Here's a checklist to make sure you eat healthy - anywhere.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Check out the restaurant beforehand if possible, to make sure that high-carbohydrate, low-fat meals are available, or that it will honor special requests.

2. Inquire how dishes are prepared and request that they be made without added fat and/or sodium. Most places will honor such requests.

3. Look for dishes on the menu with the words broiled, baked, steamed, poached, or grilled, in its own juice.

4. Go for extra breads, vegetables, rice, potatoes and noodles, but hold the butter, margarine, cream sauces and gravies.

5. Ask for dressing on the side, and use sparingly.

6. Eat only half- to three-quarters of oversized portions, and take the rest home or share it.

7. Eat the less-than-healthiest item if you really want it, but split it with a friend.

8. Trim visible fat from meat.

Tips & Warnings

• Watch alcohol consumption. It adds "empty" calories and can be dehydrating. If you choose to drink, remember that spritzers and light beers are the best choices.
• Try natural foods or vegetarian menus or restaurants.

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[KaSaTwo]

on 11/2/2008 By the time I have researched the restaurants so-called nutrious meals, I can cook at home and be sure of what goes in my food.

[Namaste]

on 1/11/2008 Funny how things change. Eating high carb foods were reccommended in 2005? Interesting. I think that low fat/low carb is the way to go.

on 7/25/2006 Many popular restaurants also have online calorie information. For example, if you look up Pizza Hut or Subway online, you can find out just how many calories are in the items you want to order. Planning ahead can minimize the anxiety a dieter might feel about eating out.

on 11/22/2005 Drink 16-32 ounces of water fifteen minutes before the meal. You won't be hungry. Also order water to drink since it's healthy, and it saves you money.

on 11/22/2005 Often restaurants serve bread and butter or something while you're waiting for your meal. These fluffy rolls don't have much nutritional value, and eating them can really add up and in fact make an otherwise calorie-smart meal just not so great. It's especially bad at Mexican restaurants when they serve chips.

If you can't stop the munching, just ask the server to remove them from the table.