Eating Well Away From Home

On my way home from getting my gas station coffee this morning, I had a revelation about my diet. I eat out A LOT! Probably more that I should, but the difference is, I know what to look for on a menu and what to avoid. With enough will power, you can eat out as much as you like. It doesn't have to wreck your healthy eating plan. For me, eating out is sometimes a choice, but most of the time a necessity. "Too much on my plate," at one time you could say. Eating is not just about satisfying nutritional needs, it is also a major focus of social activities--whether it's eating with friends (hello sushi dates), taking part in work celebrations, or meeting family at parities and other events where hospitality is in the form of food and drink.  There are ways to enjoy such occasions with out losing sight of your long term goals: eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; choosing lean meats and fish over red meats; limiting your intake of simple carbohydrates, saturated fat, and salt; and being careful with portion sizes and alcohol consumption.
When ordering off a menu, you must be careful. It doesn't matter if you stopping somewhere quick for lunch, or having a dinner date late in the evening; I promise it's possible to make healthy choices. Fast food and restaurant meals are usually higher in calories and saturated fat, so just make sure you're balancing these choices with lighter meals at home. Remember, it's all about balance. First things first, DO NOT be afraid to ask how a menu dish is prepared. Coming from a server, we know. We know if it's fried, breaded, and if you want we can find out specific ingredients. Just ask us. These dishes can sometimes even be prepared a completely different way, and it may be healthier. If you wish to order an entree, but it talks about a rich cream sauce; tell the server to have them "hold" the sauce. Or put it on the side. The chef will not refuse your request, and a little dipping action is a lot better than a smothered entree.
Ordering Appetizers
First off, think about whether or not you really need this appetizer. If you're planning on having a full entree, it may not be in your best interest.

• Consider an appetizer/salad combination for your meal, or share an entree.
• Choose low-fat, high fiber soups such as vegetable, minestrone, or lentil. Avoid soups with added cream (Cream of Broccoli, Cream of Tomato).
• Fried appetizers, like mozzarella sticks, are high in fat and calories. There may be some baked options on your list, such as potato skins. However, this is a situation where you would have to ask your server about preparation, potato skins can be fried.
• If you have bread, eat it plain, or dip in olive oil, rather than adding butter.
• When ordering a salad, ask for the dressing on the side. Any vinaigrette made with olive oil is the healthiest option. Also, avoid shredded cheese, croutons, or specialty dressing, such as Caesar.

The Best Entrees
Use eating out as an opportunity to eat a healthy meal that's cooked well. Try something new!

• Grilled, baked, or broiled white meat poultry, fish, and shellfish are low-fat choices.
• Always choose tomato based pasta sauces, stay away from cheese and meat sauces.
• Order the smallest portion of meat, or share. Super hungry? Order extra veggies or a salad.
• Choose barbecue sauce, lime and lemon juice, horseradish, and salsa over condiments like sour cream and mayo. 

Enjoying Desserts
For a healthy, refreshing dessert, have a fruit salad or fresh berries that are packed with antioxidants and vitamins.

• Skip fruit pies or cobblers; the crust is made with shortening and way too much sugar.
• Sorbet is ALWAYS overlooked. Skip dessert at the restaurant and go buy a pint of Whole Fruit Sorbet. Try one scoop of lemon sorbet topped with your choice of berries. (I recommend raspberries)

When it comes to dinner parties, here's my strategy. Although you have no control over the food served when friends or family invite you over dinner, you can still limit your consumption. Fill up on salads and veggies offered, don't drink your calories, and ask for a small slice of whatever dessert happens to be. You don't deserve to miss out entirely, again BALANCE is key. You can also visit the gym or go for a walk to BALANCE this out. Exercise burns the excess calories you consumed and may help control your appetite too.
There's one last topic I want to cover. Mostly because I feel as though Americans [in general] consider Chinese food to be a healthy option. While this can be true, many of the dishes that have grown popular with us are high in saturated fat, calories, and sodium. (Of course sodium, no wonder it's SO good). Dishes that are batter-dipped, deep fried, sweet and sour, or have thick sauces are best avoided. I won't lie to you, I LOVE Chinese food. Crab Rangoon haunts my dreams, but Chinese can be healthy. Choose dishes based on authentic Chinese cooking. These are low in fat and protein and high in fiber. Studies show that cholesterol levels in China are far lower than in North America; we can attribute that to a diet that is based mainly on grains and a vast variety of vegetables, with very small amounts of protein and fat. Always opt for brown rice, steamed options, and chicken with no breading. The unhealthy options more than double the calories, fat, and cholesterol in the healthy Chinese food option. No brainer, right?

Pheww. I had a lot to say. ;)

**Sources
Lisa Hark, PhD, RD & Darwin Deen, MD
Fiona Haynes, Low-fat cooking writer--www.about.com