How to Eat Healthy at Restaurants

MorgueFile.com: alvimann

Making a conscious decision to eat healthy food is one of the best things you can do for your body. In addition to lower cholesterol and a healthier heart, you will have more energy and feel better when eating properly. Making wise dietary choices may be fairly easy while you are at home, but it can be difficult once you leave your own kitchen and head for a restaurant. Knowing some basic facts will help you navigate the menu and avoid pitfalls.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step 1

Avoid heavy cream that can be heavy on the menu in some restaurants. Stay away from white sauce and cream-based soups. Instead, choose marinara or tomato sauce and try the vegetable or minestrone.

Step 2

Flee fried food; it is often the biggest culprit on the menu. Instead of fish and chips (the fish is usually battered and deep fried and accompanied by deep-fried french fries), have the baked or broiled fish. Many dishes that are baked, steamed or broiled will be a safe bet as long as they aren't covered in a fat-laden sauce after cooking.

Step 3

Be careful with the butter. A baked potato slathered with butter and sour cream is tempting, but that butter will clog your arteries and add tons of fat grams to your daily diet. Olive oil is high in fat as well, but it is monounsaturated fat, which actually has some health benefits.

Step 4

Ask for special preparation. When ordering, ask to have your food prepared with little or no butter or fat. Most chefs will accommodate requests such as this. Also ask for salad dressing or sauces to be served on the side so you can control the portions.

Step 5

Eat your veggies. They are chock-full of vitamins and will fill you up fast. Make sure to order yours steamed without butter and skip any tempting cheese or cream sauce that may be available. Salad is a good choice as well, as long as you skip the creamy dressing and go with a vinaigrette. Try to order salads that offer dark leafy greens instead of iceberg lettuce.

Step 6

Drink water. Ice water is the best beverage in the house, and it's free. Skip the soda or alcoholic beverage and you'll not only save calories, you'll save money, too. If you just cannot drink water, try iced tea. Diet soda has little or no calories but may present other health risks.

Step 7

Buy one, get two. Restaurant portions are so oversized that they sometimes contain enough calories and fat grams for three people. Eat half of your entree and get a box for the other half--lunch tomorrow. When you go out with friends or family, see if you can agree on one entree and have the server split it into two dishes for you. It is good etiquette to tip a little extra if you do this--the server is still doing the work of serving two people with only one entree on the check.

Step 8

Eat dessert. There's no need to deprive yourself. Instead of chocolate cake or ice cream, choose fresh fruit or sorbet. Or order that cake and share it with a friend.

Article Written By Cate Rushton

Cate Rushton has been a freelance writer since 1999, specializing in wildlife and outdoor activities. Her published works also cover relationships, gardening and travel on various websites. Rushton holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Utah.

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