Let’s face it, we can’t all stay home every night and eat grilled chicken—and who wants to? Whether it’s a girls night out, family get together, or your husband treating you to a night without cooking—once in a while we have to eat out. Now, if you live in a place similar to me, eating out is a form of entertainment. I mean, what else can you do when it’s 30 degrees for five or six months out of the year?
So how do we face our fears and eat at a restaurant without completely wrecking our diets?
First and foremost-be prepared. I first enlist the help of my dining partners-from my husband to my friends and co-workers, most oblige when you tell them you’d like to stick to a place where you can stay on your diet. These days, restaurants like Applebee’s provide Weight Watcher’s entrees, which are delicious and they even put the points right on the menu. Other eating establishments like Friday’s offer Atkins approved items on their menus. You can look these and other menu’s online, so you can figure out what to eat before you go.
Plan Ahead. Don’t go to a restaurant so hungry that you can’t resist eating everything in sight. If you are starving, eat a small snack and drink some serious water before you go.
Skip the Snacks. By all means avoid the bread, rolls and chips the wait people put in front of you. If it’s ok with your tablemates, ask your server to remove them from your table entirely. If your dining companions would like to sample these no-no’s, politely slide them out of reach on their side of the table.
Ask the Waiter How the Food is Prepared. Many times menus fail to mention if something is grilled or fried. Restaurants these days are happy to prepare something in a healthy manner and some will even prepare your meals in low carb or dietary fashion– some even will provide you with their nutritional info. When in doubt, ask.
Pick Something Healthy—This is pretty self explanatory, right???…Hold the fries, get the salad! Order your dressings and sauces on the side, and while you’re at it, look for the best possible menu choices. My husband’s favorite steak restaurant offers a “naked” burger, which is a portion savvy burger, sans the bun, with a side of cottage cheese. A perfectly yummy and healthy eat-out meal.
Maintain Portion Control–The biggest obstacle to eating out is maintaining portion control. Using the hand method (link) to help approximate portion sizes really helps. On that note, ask your waitperson for a to-go container before you get your meal, and take half of your meal home.
Tomorrow: Think you can’t eat out at a Mexican/Chinese/Italian Restaurant?