According to the National Restaurant Association there are 1 million restaurant locations in the United States which rake in $709.2 billion in sales! Then head over and read at United States Healthful Food Council that the average American adult buys a meal or snack from a restaurant 5.8 times a week, and more than 30 percent of children eat fast food on any given day.
That is CRAZY to me! I will admit that a couple of years ago, that would describe my household. It was nothing to stop at some fast food restaurant while we were out running errands to grab a quick bit to eat. Well that quick bite to eat was costing more than money....it was costing us our HEALTH! I KNOW it's not logical to say stop eating out and skip the drive-thru. I have two young kids, a husband and a busy life. I also know that there are ways to keep yourself on the right track even if you are going out to a dinner date or just tired of cooking and want to have someone else cook and serve your family. There are ways to stay on track with your weight loss, healthier eating and overall well being while still enjoying those date nights. Here are my go to tips to eating smart while dining out.
Plan, Plan, Plan
Plan where you are going. Most of the restaurants these days make their menu available online so use some time before going to dinner to look over the menu and CHOOSE what you will order. Stick to that choice as well. If it's a restaurant that you go to often then you probably already know what's on the menu or you can get one of their menus to keep at home. There are also plenty of apps like myfitnesspal that you can input your meal items and it will give you the calories and nutrition facts. The fact is, if you go to the restaurant with your mind made up and having already made the healthy choice then you will feel less stress and honestly it makes for a much better dining experience from what I have experienced.
Be the first to order!
We have ALL been there....we told everyone else to order first and as they spout out what they want we get overwhelmed or our mouth starts watering at the sound of that juicy steak and french fries instead of that grilled fish we were planning on. If you planned appropriately then you already know what you want anyway so you don't even need to open your menu.
You're paying for it, get it the way you want it!
Okay, I will admit that when I was a server this would annoy the heck out of me. People asking a million questions about a certain dish or substitutes. How is it prepared? Can I substitute? Do you have any other healthier options? How large is the portion? The list of questions really goes on and on. Well as much as it aggravated me as a server, I can now appreciate why those customers did that. I am now one of those customers. If I am spending my money on it then I am going to get what I want. Ask for broiled or baked if the item you want is fried. Ask that they do not add any additional salt to your dish. You can also ask them to hold the butter or oil. Substitutions are a big one as well. Some restaurants charge a dollar or two more but to me it's worth not having those tempting french fries on my plate and instead having a double order of veggies. If the item is on the menu (maybe paired with a different dish) then the kitchen shouldn't have a problem accommodating you. Then ensure your meal comes out the way that you asked. If it did not then send it back! Now don't be rude about it, just remind the server that you asked for certain items or for it to be cooked a certain way. At that point they should apologize and correct the issue for you. It's your money, your food and your health!
Just say no to the appetizers.
It's especially hard for me when we go to a Mexican Restaurant and they have the free chips and salsa or even places like Texas Roadhouse that have DELISH bread hanging out on your table. If you don't feel like you can control yourself then ask the server to remove the items from your table....or better yet not to bring them to the table at all. If they aren't there you won't miss them. A lot of the appetizer choices sound awesome and most taste pretty good but you don't want to "eat just one" and then not be able to eat your healthy meal. If you want an appetizer so bad then choose something healthy like the steamed seafood and make that your meal by adding a small side salad to it. You would laugh at me if you knew how many times I have done that! Keep away from fried stuff....some of the fried appetizers are a day's worth of fat for FOUR people!
Sub the side dishes.
Side dishes are often the starchy, carb filled items in the meal. This is where you substitute. Look for steamed veggies, brown rice (butter on the side), fresh fruit or roasted potatoes. Skip the cheese, butter and creams. You can always add salsa or pepper.
Where are the drinks?!
Okay, so I will admit, one of my favorite things about going out to dinner is getting to order alcoholic drinks. That sounds funny...what I mean is I get to try new drinks or order ones that every time I am at home and try to make they taste nasty. I also know that those fancy drinks that I love are a WHOLE LOT of empty calories. If you plan on drinking while you are at dinner and you just have to have that mixed drink you have been dying to try then limit yourself to one and then drink water! Also, hold off on ordering that drink until either you meal arrives or during "dessert" time. Setting this limit and sticking with it will help you reach your goals.
Larger Portion = Larger Person
That may sound harsh but I actually took it from the book A Big Fat Crisis by Deborah A. Cohen, MD. In her book she says:
"In 1955, a McDonald's burger weighed 1.6 ounces. Today, the burgers come in four sizes, with the larger ones being four ounces (quarter-pound) or eight ounces (half-pound). At a sit-down restaurant like Howard Johnson's, a burger in the 1970s weighed 3.5 ounces. Today it weighs either five ounces or eight ounces."
Does that shock you like it shocks me? I can tell you that her book is a REAL eye opener and I believe everyone should read it. My solution to this....ask for a box the minute you get your food (or even before) and then box half of your meal right away. The portion you are given at the restaurant is TWICE as much as you should eat so if you box half of it right away then you won't be tempted to eat more than you should. Trust me, you will be thanking me when you aren't sitting at the table regretting all that food you just ate. You also won't be one of those people who complain about how stuffed they feel and just want to go to bed. I have been that person and now when I leave a restaurant, I am energized and happy. My body got the fuel it needed, I ate well and I feel full but not overly stuffed. Which to me is one of the worst feelings...don't you hate when you eat so much that you almost feel sick....then don't do it! Box it up right away! :)
But....what about dessert?!
I always get asked if I ever eat dessert. OF COURSE I DO! This is a lifestyle change...not a crash diet! I don't deny myself but I also don't overdo it! Most often when we (my husband and I) decide that it's a dessert night then we will order ONE and share it. Typically I will only eat about 3-4 bites and then I am satisfied. When you start eating well you will see that your body doesn't necessarily respond the best to sugar loaded treats. If you don't have someone to share with then I suggest maybe ordering the dessert, taking 3-4 bites (slowly because it allows your body time to process it) and then have your server take it away.
There are so many other tips about eating out that I could probably go on for a while. I don't want to do that LOL. These are the ones that I think are the most important and will keep you on track to reaching your goals. The weekends are obviously the hardest time (especially for me) because our routines get thrown for a loop but if you can stick to the plan then you will reach your goals a lot quicker. As always, I am here if you have questions or if you are searching for someone to help motivate and support you on your journey. Please don't be scared to message me! I am always so inspired by the comments and stories that are shared with me. XoXo
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