Guide to Eating Out: Restaurant Edition

Going out to eat for most is a wonderful time for celebration and just to eat some fried, greasy, and yes, I have to admit, yummy food. But when you are trying to be healthy and watch your weight, going out to eat can seem dreadful. But I'm here to share some of the tips I use to eat healthy when I go out to eat.


1) Choose a grilled protein for the main course.

Chicken, fish, shrimp, and steak are all good choices. If ordering steak, watch the portion size. 3-4oz is a normal portion size. So either order the smallest size or just eat half of the larger portion. Try to avoid anything that says fried, smothered, crispy, etc. Baked, broiled or grilled options are the best options. Most restaurants now do have some sort of "Under 550 calorie" menu, so take advantage of those if they contain a meal that sounds good to you. I personally don't like to be limited to the 5 options the menu gives me and sometimes they just sound so bland. But there are plenty of other options on the normal menu that are healthy.



2) Choose the right drink.

Water is always the number one choice. I mean it is essential to life and it has 0 calories, what could be better than that! If you want to order something else, iced tea is great, but make sure it is unsweetened or lightly sweetened if you need something to liven it up.

3) Skip the fries.

Choose fruits and vegetables for your sides. Steamed broccoli, carrots, green beans, sweet potatoes, and side salads (see salad tip for more info). Fries, onion rings, mac and cheese, and white potatoes are full of carbs and have a ton of fat/calories. Sometimes I will choose one of the not so great options, but only as one of the sides.





4) Salads.

Salads can be a wonderful option at restaurants, but you must be careful! Get grilled protein, if the don't offer grilled options on the menu, just ask and see if they can. Ask for the dressing on the side. I dip my fork into the dressing before takinga bite. That way I get just enough dressing for each bite. Lite or fat free dressing options are the better choice, but non-creamy based dressings are the best, such as vinaigrettes. You can customize your salad too. Just because it comes with croutons, cheese, and bacon, doesn't mean you have to have them on the salad.





5) Watch the bread.

Bread. And warm bread as a matter of fact is an absolute weakness. The aroma of fresh bread is just enticing to the taste buds. (I just love bread<3) If you can resist, then I applaud you. But if you are like me, you need it haha. Just limit yourself to one piece/roll, and really savor it so you are truly content with just the one.





6) Split a meal or go kids size.

Portion sizes are huge!! Find someone to split the meal with so you can get the proper portion size. At some restarants, they allow adults to order off of the kids menu. The kids menu is pretty much the right size for an adult. If the menu says 12 and under, still ask the waiter if you can order off of it. If you are ordering the meal to-go, then just order the kids meal and say its for "your kid". It's not like they will ever know....:)


7) Listen to you body.

Even if you decide to avoid all of these tips, and just say "What the hell", just listen to your body. Eat slow and really chew your food. When you feel full, stop eating and get a to-go box. Then you will have another meal for tomorrow and your actually kind of saving money!


These are my tips for eating out. Do any of these match your own tips? What are some of your tips for eating out? I would love to hear your answers!



-Britni