Eating Out Tips
Eating Out Tips:
• Eat a snack before you go. If you eat about thirty minutes to an hour before dining out, it will make sticking to your meal plan much easier. When your stomach is growling, making good food choices is hard. A good example of a pre-meal snack is a small piece of fruit, a yogurt and a bit of low fat cheese.
• Eat the lower-calorie foods first. Order soups (broth based) and salads (dressing on side) to start and you will be less hungry when the higher-calorie entrée arrives.
• If bread or chips are too tempting, REMOVE them from your table. Do not fool yourself with willpower. It is almost impossible to stop eating if it is in front of you. So practice out of sight, out of mouth.
• Order an appetizer (or 2) as your main entrée.
• Think about your choices and what will be best for your meal plan and limit your alcohol intake.
• Ask about portion sizes and how things are cooked.
• Request substitutions. Many restaurants are great about accommodating your needs.
• Always ask for salad dressing and sauces on the side and do not trust a menu that describes a dressing as light. This definition is misused frequently. Dip the tines of your fork in the dressing or sauce. This way you will get a taste without the fat.
• Choose broiled, grilled, or roasted meats and steamed vegetables.
• Ask what on the menu is broth based.
• If portion sizes are too large, share it or ask for a “take-home bag.”
• Order items a la carte so you wont get extra fattening sides that you don’t want.
• Avoid: Fried, au gratin, crispy, escalloped, pan-fried, sautéed, stuffed, battered, breaded, cheesy, creamy, buttered, and of course, deep-fried.