Healthy eating while eating out
Generally, fast food meals are higher in calories, sodium and fat, and often lacking in important vitamins and minerals. And sit-down restaurants offer their own challenges, with large portions and overflowing bread baskets. It’s possible to eat a fairly nutritious meal on the go, by keeping the following in mind:
- Avoid buffets - All-you-can-eat buffets promote overeating. If the temptation isn't in front of you, you are less likely to overindulge.
- Stick to the light menu / make careful menu selections - Many restaurants indicate healthy fast food restaurants now offer a wider range of healthy choices and most will provide nutritional information on all of their offerings by request.
- Don't be afraid to special order - Ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served without the sauces. Ask if things are fried or cooked in oil or butter – if they are, see if you can order them in a more healthy way.
- Share with others - Sharing entrees, appetizers and desserts with dining partners is a great idea. It allows you to sample something that you really want to have while also helping you avoid the temptation to overindulge.
- Watch high fat and calorie sauces, dressings, and sodas - Eliminate sauces/dressings or take them on the side and use sparingly; drink water or low fat milk rather than high-sugar sodas.
