How to Eat Healthier in Restaurants

Eating out is no longer just a treat but a necessary way of life. Who has the time to prepare several meals every day? The convenience of eating in restaurants is great; however, unless you're careful what you're eating in restaurants is probably making you more unhealthy! Few localities require restaurants to display nutritional information. So unless you're back in the kitchen monitoring your food preparation you're likely at the mercy of the kitchen staff. Fortunately, with some simple planning and education all of us can learn to eat healthier in restaurants.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. 
    
   Start Your Meal With a Salad

   Eat healthier in a restaurant by starting your meal with a salad. Select a light vinaigrette dressing on the side and tell them to hold the cheese, croutons and bacon bits. Salads are extremely healthy and will help to fill you up and prevent you from eating more unhealthy items.

2. Controlling portion size is the simplest and most cost effective way of eating healthier in restaurants. Many restaurant meals are large enough to share. Consider eating only half your meal and taking the remainder home to enjoy another day.

3. 
    
   Skip Table Salt

   Skip the table salt. Most restaurant food already contains an excessive amount of salt. Eat healthier and smarter by saying no to the salt shaker.

4. 
    
   No Coke Or Pepsi

   Replace your unhealthy high fructose corn syrup soft drink with fresh brewed tea sweetened with Splenda.

5. 
    
   Get It Baked And Not Fried

   Request that your entree be broiled or baked rather than fried. You don't need the calories, heterocyclic amines or trans fats. Minimize your consumption of grilled meats as well.

6. 
    
   Get The Gravy On The Side

   Always insist that your sauce or gravy be on the side. There are probably all kinds of unhealthy items hidden in that delicious sauce; however, if it's in a side container at least you can control the amount used.

7. 
    
   Skip The Dessert

   Skip the appetizer and dessert. Do you really need the calories? If you do splurge at least share it with everyone else. If you're eating a piece of pie or a tart then leave the crust behind.

8. 
    
   Limit Your Bread And Butter

   Limit bread and other high glycemic carbohydrates. Use olive oil for flavoring and limit butter. Do not use margarine for any reason since there's nothing healthy about it.

9. 
    
   Get Your Vegetables Steamed

   Eat healthier by asking for your vegetables steamed and lightly seasoned. Only in a restaurant can something as naturally healthy as broccoli, cabbage or kale be turned into a dish full of fat and calories.

10. 
     
    Select Fish Before Red Meat

    Choose lean cuts of meat. Pick cold water fish such as salmon and tuna before tilapia. Limit red meat consumption.

Tips & Warnings

• You're the customer. Do not be afraid to ask your server how something is prepared or what's in the sauce. Go up the chain of command until you get an answer.
• Be vigilant for trans fat. Trans fats are banned in Europe but restaurants in the U.S. do not want you to be aware of them.
• If you aren't careful eating in a local restaurant can be more unhealthy than eating in a national fast food chain that's been required to have some nutritional transparency.