The weekend is almost here! If you’re like me that means you’ll be going out to eat once or twice over the next few days. As someone who always wants to make healthier food choices I sometimes struggle to find the best options on a menu. This post is all about some guidelines you can follow to feel good about your restaurant choices. For our purposes here “healthy” means food choices that are lower in fat, salt, and sugar.
As with any kind of meal planning, you want to find a dish that contains plentiful amounts of fruits and vegetables. MyPLate guidelines for healthy eating recommend that each meal begin by filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. When considering protein options you’ll want to look for lean proteins like chicken, fish or vegetable proteins like beans. How your meal is prepared also plays a big part in how healthy it can be considered. Avoid words like crispy, crunchy, or breaded. These keywords usually let you know that your food has been fried which adds fat and is not the healthiest method of preparing food. Look for things that are grilled, broiled, or baked instead. These cooking methods do not require a lot of added fat and grilling food can help boost the flavor too. One last thing to consider is your portion size. Many meals served at restaurants are actually much larger than a recommended serving size. To avoid overeating, consider sharing with someone or packaging half of your food “to go” as soon as it arrives.
So taking these guidelines into account, what kinds of entrees will you be eating? Think about entree salads with grilled meat and dressing on the side. If you order a sandwich, ask about subbing high calorie fries with a side salad or a fruit cup. If you feel like pizza, order light cheese and load up with veggie toppings. One last word to the wise- order water or unsweetened tea- both of which are sugar free and better drink options.