There is no doubt that cooking at home is healthier than dining out. Restaurants tend to use more cooking fat, salt, seasoning and toppings than we use at home. That being said, I am a HUGE foodie and would never ask my clients to give up dining out all together. New foods are one of life’s greatest joys.
Here are my top 3 rules and tips for dining out. Use these when you are trying to eat healthier overall or trying to lose weight.*
Rule #1 – Value Add
- I find this to be the most important rule to dine by. Let’s work on ADDING nutritional value (fiber, vitamins, minerals) to your meals instead of trying to SUBTRACT from them. Even America’s top fast food chains have something small on the menu that you could add for some nutritional value.
- Example #1: The Burger Joint
- You’re not going to the city’s best burger joint to get the salad – you are there for the burger! So how can you get the burger but still feel good on your way out of the restaurant? Start with a side salad appetizer or share the roasted cauliflower appetizer for the table. Filling up on vegetables is a great way to add nutritional value and limit how much of that burger you have room for (without totally giving up the burger). This is key to seeing weight loss while keeping dining out in your routine.
- Example #2: Chinese Takeout
- You’re looking forward to the battered chicken like Orange chicken or General Tso’s – but how can we add value to this meal?
- Start with edamame or soy sauce marinated broccolini. Most of the places I order takeout from will also allow you to do double vegetables in your entree as well. Get creative.
Rule #2 – Watch Your Portions
- Unless you are fine dining, portions are huge in most establishments. I recommend sharing or anticipating having leftovers.
- Example: Italian
- If you and your partner go out to Italian, you obviously are going to be excited about the 3 cheese tortellini. The tortellini doesn’t come with any meat or vegetables though. “Splitsies” saves the day! You order the pasta, your partner will order the grilled chicken with Tuscan roasted vegetables and you can split both entrees.
- If you are dining alone or with someone who you are not comfortable sharing plates with, I suggest saving some food to take home. Now you get to enjoy this meal again the next day – which feels like a win to me.
- Note: Some entrees aren’t quite big enough to just split into 2 equal meals, so you may want an entree + 1 vegetable side or an appetizer. Do what feels right for you.
Rule #3 – Be the Picky Customer
- This is a habit that can take some getting used to for my shy clients. ‘Please’ and a ‘thank you’ go a long way here. Always be kind to your servers and tip them well. Get the meal you want that will make you feel the best. You don’t always have to order your meal just as the restaurant suggests it – customize away.
- Example: The Steakhouse
- You want the filet, but it comes with mac & cheese and mashed potatoes (Woof! that sounds heavy). The grilled chicken comes with broccolini and grilled squash. You could sub the mac and potatoes for the broccolini and squash if you wanted to have a higher fiber, lower calorie meal.
- Note: sometimes making substitutions can incur an upcharge.
- Example: The Salad
- I love a Caesar salad, but often it comes with iceberg lettuce which I don’t love. If there is another salad on the menu made with spinach or mixed greens, I will ask to have my salad made with those greens instead. This is an easy swap that gives me more flavor and nutrition than regular lettuce.
**Caveat Alert!**
These 3 rules for dining out are so helpful for people who are trying to make their dining experiences healthier or who are trying to promote weight loss. I want to clarify that if you are not someone that dines out all the time and you’re going out for an occasional treat, don’t feel like you need to micromanage this meal! Dining out does not always need to be made healthy. Not every meal is going to be perfect. Perfection is not the goal.
Working with a registered dietitian nutritionist can help make these rules and tips for dining out apply to YOU and your goals. Learn more here about what it is like to work with me.
In Good Health,
