10 Tips for Choosing the Healthiest Options When Dining Out
- Pass on the soda when eating out. Diet soda is even worse! Choose water with lemon, unsweetened iced tea, or hot tea instead.
- Skip the bread (period!)
- Order soup. This will help fill you up and make it easier to avoid unhealthy temptations later in the meal – including dessert. Make sure to choose a broth – based soup like chicken, vegetable, or bean soup rather than cream – based soups.
- Request romaine lettuce instead of iceberg lettuce when you order salad. Be sure to ask for olive oil and vinegar as a dressing rather than high fat / high sugar salad dressings.
- Order whole-wheat buns or pasta whenever possible.
- Don’t eat it all. Most restaurant portions are much too large. Ask for a “doggie bag” – for the dog…. or for your lunch tomorrow.
- Try to make at least half of your total meal consist of fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Skip dessert or order fresh fruit to finish off your meal.
- Plan what and where you’ll eat before heading out, and if possible, eat an early dinner so you can finish your meal early enough to burn off as many of the calories before you go to bed.
- Learn healthy food selections from the most common types of restaurants (or your favorite places to dine out). Most national chains provide all of their nutritional content on a Web site or as a brochure in the restaurant.