Dining Out Tips

Many of us dine out at least once per week. Dining out gives us a break from planning, prepping and cleaning up. Besides it is fun, convenient and timesaving, right? Unfortunately, dining out can cause a bulging waistband. Why you might ask? Dining out can double the calories and fat eaten compared to a meal you make in your own kitchen. “Extras” are added to restaurant meals to enhance flavor and those extras are usually in the form of fats like butter or excessive oil (usually not even the health-beneficial kinds). The result of eating out without being mindful could result in an extra 300 calories (or more) and 19 grams of fat (like 171 calories worth!). Do this often enough in a month and you will have packed on a pound or two on the scale. Yikes!

TIP 1 – Plan ahead: Most restaurants have their menus online and some even have the nutritional info posted (chains mostly). Go online, search for the nutrition information of the restaurant you want to go to, and plan out your choices. Popular restaurants that have all their nutrition facts posted online include Starbucks, Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, Cosi, Hale and Hearty, Pizza Hut, Chipotle, The Keg, Milestones, Montana’s, Boston Pizza and more.

http://caloriecount.about.com/restaurants-mc1 – This website also has a pretty broad listing of restaurants and their menu item nutrition facts.

If you want the low-down on nutrition information for menu items, The Economist ran a great commentary on the issue as it pertains to New York when in first hit the fan in 2011.

Once you arrive:

TIP 2- Hydrate: Try ordering a warm drink first thing such as hot water with some fresh lemon slices. You’ll be surprised how this warm calming drink can fill you up and soothe the craving/hunger beast. Herbal tea is also a great option while coffee tends to throw off blood sugar levels and may lead to cravings and bad decisions later on.

TIP 3 – Be an assertive orderer: Don’t be afraid to modify the menu. Trust me, in this age of “nutritionism”, waiters are used to it. Ask questions and know the terminology. Grilled, steamed, broiled, boiled and baked are fine but beware of terms such as creamy, smothered, lightly breaded, deep fried. Ask for sauces on the side and leave out the fries/rice/pasta/potatoes that usually come with the main and ask for extra steamed or raw veggies instead (most restaurants are happy to do this).

My favourite tip is to order an appetizer as a main entrée. The added bonus is that it saves calories with smaller portions and is less expensive.