Dine Out But Don't Pig Out

Dining out has a lot going for it. You don't have to shop for food, cook it, clear the table, or do the dishes. You can sit back, relax, and luxuriate in pleasant surroundings, and enjoy friendly service and deliciously prepared food. When dining in a restaurant, just as when eating a meal at home, you need to use eat wisely. Here are some strategies to help you.

Select foods that are broiled, braised, roasted, or poached rather than those that are sautéed or fried.

If the menu is not specific, ask your server so you know what you're paying for and putting in your body. (If you virtuously order fish, but it arrives at your table swimming in a creamy rich sauce, you might have been better off ordering prime rib.)

Cut calories by drinking water with your meals as well as other beverages.

Add fiber by selecting whole-grain breads, if available.

Try to avoid salad dressings. If you must eat them, use them sparingly. If oil and vinegar are available, mix your own dressing, using more vinegar than oil.

Order more chicken, turkey, and fish, and eat beef in limited quantities. Limit your selection of shrimp, which is moderately high in cholesterol, and organ meats, which are also high in cholesterol, to an occasional event.

Avoid whipped cream, whipped toppings, and custard sauces.

When ordering foods, don't hesitate to ask that they be prepared and served the way you want them. After all, it's your money.

Order roast meats without gravy.

Order your meat broiled specifically without butter. Many fine restaurants make a practice of heaping a generous pat of butter on meats before broiling. Make certain that baked potatoes come to your table without added butter or sour cream.

If using salad dressing, ask for it to be served on the side so you can control the amount you use.

Ask that breads be served with the meal, not before. If ordering toast or other traditional breakfast breads, request that they be served plain so you can control what you put on them and how much of it. When portion sizes are available, order the smaller ones, especially of calorie-rich foods.

When ordering soups, avoid those made with a rich cream sauce.

Don't add salt. Trim visible fat before eating.

Forget what your mother told you about cleaning your plate.

If fried or breaded foods are unavoidable, remove the outer crust and eat only the inside.

If chicken or turkey is served intact, remove the skin to reduce your intake of fat.

Go To Page: 1 2