Healthy Eating In Restaurants – Tips To Consider

During these stressful - fast-paced times - more and more people are turning to fast foods and restaurants for convenient and pleasurable dining. However - dining out can be a pain on your wallet - and your waistline. While eating out need not be too costly or fattening - you certainly need to be aware of what you’re putting in your mouth. Here are a few tips for healthy eating in a restaurant.  

Restaurants Often Serve Sodium and Preservative-Laden Foods

We all agree that the typical restaurant food far tastes better than the food we cook at home. Why? Because restaurants and fast food outlets often use a lot of flavor enhancers - preservatives and sodium-filled sauces - to make their food taste great. The sad thing is that these preservatives and sodium-laden sauces bloat our body - and add more bad cholesterol to our system.  

How To Have A Healthy Restaurant Eating Experience

According to some nutrition experts - the biggest mistake in restaurant dining usually happens during the first and last 10 minutes of the meal - where you usually get served with calorie-rich dressings - cream-based soups and sugar-coated desserts. Here are other healthy eating restaurant ideas.

• All-you-can-eat restaurants are truly tempting places - but family-run restaurants are much healthier. Since most buffet establishments don’t allow you to bring home nay leftovers - the temptation to overeat here is definitely very high.  

• Typical restaurant servings are definitely larger than home-made meals. Before you clean-up your plate - and plan to take at least half the meal home. Eating half the meal later will benefit your waist. And save you money as well.

• If you plan to order soups - choose broth-based soups instead of cream-based ones. Vegetables soups are healthy choices. However - most restaurant soups are quite salty - because they’re sprinkled with MSG - a preservative that enhances flavor.

• Green salads make for healthier restaurant food choices. However - ask for oil and vinegar to be served on the side - instead of fatty dressings. Instead of using oil - squeeze lemon juice over your veggies - and sprinkle pepper to add more spice. If you were offered a choice between soup and salad - go for fresh green salads instead.

• Order plain food - instead of fried food items. A plain broiled or baked chicken - steak or fish provide better sources of protein - to help build muscles and generate energy. - To add extra flavor to your meals - used tomato-based marinara sauces and salsas instead. For side dishes - go for steamed vegetables or plain potato and rice. Vegetable side dishes offer a lot of healthy nutrients and low calories. Always remember to choose the meals that offer the freshest and high-quality ingredients. Choose plain steaks or chicken breasts instead of entrees filled with lots of creamy or oily sauces - or ask for potato or plain rice instead of hash browns or French Fries.