Tips to follow a healthy diet while dining out

Before giving you the tips, I would like to mention that you will see a lot of statements below such as “avoid this, don’t eat that, or do not order if”. Unless you have to be on a very strict diet, please don’t take these prohibitive suggestions too seriously. Just follow the ones which you think would help you the most. This way following a diet does not feel like burden to you.

Now, the tips…

Before Visiting Restaurants

Call or, even easier, check the website of a restaurant to make sure there are foods that are good for your diet in their menu. Pick the best two meals for your diet in the menu (in case they do not have the one item, you have a back-up plan!)

And once you get to the restaurant…

Ordering Beverages

Ask for water, unsweetened tea, club soda, fresh fruit juice, tea or coffee (in moderation). Avoid tomato juice, unless it's low in sodium. Avoid coke, soda as they have a lot of sugar. (Please note that tea and coffee may not be good for you if you have Meniere’s disease.)

If you must order an alcoholic drink, forget the margaritas, piña coladas, and other exotic mixed drinks. They include sugary additions. Opt instead for a glass of wine, a light beer, vodka and tonic or a simple martini (without the chocolate liquor, sour green apple schnapps, or triple sec).

Ordering Soups

If you are following a low sodium diet, avoid ordering soups in restaurants as there is a very high chance that they are high in sodium.

Ordering Salads

When we are hungry, we tend to order more, it is a good idea to start your meal with a salad to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner. However, salads can be healthy only IF you are careful about their ingredients. For instance, you should avoid salty salad toppings like bacon bits.

Get your salad dressing on the side. To use minimal amount of dressing without sacrificing the taste, dip your empty fork into the dressing, then skewer a forkful of salad. You’ll be surprised at how this tastes just right, and how little dressing you’ll use. Plus, your lettuce won’t wilt and drown in a sea of oil.

Ordering Appetizers and Entrees

If you go to a restaurant notoriously serving big portions like Cheese Cake Factory, order appetizer or side dishes instead of an entrée.

Ask your server if the kitchen can alter preparations to meet your needs such as not adding salt to your meal or excluding some high sodium ingredients from your meal. You can also request that visible fat be trimmed from meat and skin be removed from poultry before cooking.

Thou shall not add butter or salt to your food!

Choose fish when you can rather than meats, but make sure your fish is not fried or sautéed.

Order foods without creamy sauces or gravies.

Order steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sautéed.

Ask that your food be prepared with olive oil, rather than butter or fat.

Use salsa instead of butter or sour cream as potato topper.

If you are on a strict low sodium diet, avoid Teriyaki sauces or any sauce served for sushis and sashimis in Asian restaurants, even the ones tagged "low sodium" as they most likely contain MSG. If a sauce tastes salty to you but there is no or low quantity of sodium mentioned in its nutrition chart, it probably has high amount of MSG or any other salt substitute. Your taste buds don't lie!

Ordering Desserts

Wait until few minutes after you finish eating your meal to order dessert. By then you might already feel full as it takes time for “full signals” to be received and processed by the brain. If you are feeling very full, skip dessert.

Choose fruits for dessert or fruit-based desserts more often. Take the cream off. Even if they aren't on the dessert menu, many restaurants can offer you fruit or sherbet instead of high-fat pastries and ice creams.

To limit your food intake

When we have more options, we tend to order more, so order an item from the menu instead heading for the “all-you-can-eat” buffet.

When your food is delivered, if it turns out to be more than you expected, set aside or pack half of it to go immediately. You can also share it with a friend.

Ask for the lunch size, even if you're eating dinner.

If given the choice, choose a small or medium portion. In the U.S. meal portions are big anyways.

On your commutes or trips, always carry fresh fruits like banana or apple in your bag. This will help you feel less hungry when you arrive at a restaurant. In fact, you can do this when you are not a trip as well.

In between your meals, drink plenty of water!

References:

Tips on eating out, My Pyramid web site

Eat smart when dining out, Reader’s Digest

Dash diet tips, Mayo Clinic web site