Healthy Hints For Dining Out
Eating out can be a calorie-laden mystery. Knowing what you're really getting at your favorite restaurant can be tough. Is that egg white omelet cooked on a greasy pan, adding hundreds of fat calories? Are you destined to live on salad-dressing-on-the-side? These few tips can keep you from outgrowing your skinny jeans.
Tips for dining out
- Become a regular and get to know the wait staff. They'll be more likely to direct you to best, freshest items.
- Ask what the chef can grill or poach. Order a simply grilled or poached piece of fish or chicken with fresh herbs.
- Choose a dish that's naturally low-fat to start. Don't take a fried item and try to make it healthier.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions.
- Ask for the details of the sauce ingredients.
- Beware of the calories in beverages, which add up quickly.
- Beware of individual pizzas, which are often enough for four people.
- Order dressing on the side instead of asking them to dress the salad lightly.
- Consider whether you'll be satisfied with a low-cal version or if you're better off eating less of the real thing.
A few websites aim to help take the mystery out of your choices. One such site, healthydiningfinder.com, works with restaurants to find menu items that meet the nutrition criteria of leading health organizations. Restaurants that participate in the program train their staff to modify their recipes to meet Healthy Dining's criteria.
Overall, most restaurants happily accommodate special requests. They're used to it. Be sure the chef understands your request and is able to fill it.
Remember: If you're counting every fat gram, the only way to know know for sure what you're eating is to cook at home.
