Tips for Making Better Food Choices When Eating Out

Also, see MRC Nutritional Guide to Eating Out.

Restaurant food can be filled with hidden calories and fat grams, but most establishments can prepare healthy meals to make eating out enjoyable. Dining out, without sacrifice to your weight loss program, is a matter of knowing what to look out for. Listed below are some helpful tips to help you make better food choices:

• Just Say No - Resist the restaurant's attempt to offer you free appetizers with cocktails. Both can add fat, sodium, sugars and calories. You should also pass on complimentary bread or chips.
• Be Deliberate - If you don't understand how your food was prepared, just ask. You can balance your intake by including healthier selections, such as lean proteins, healthy fats, whole grains and fresh vegetables to boost nutritional value.
• The Condiment Controversy - Condiments and sauces can add lots of flavor to rather bland food. Unfortunately, they also can add lots of sugar, sodium and fats. Opt for healthy spices, fresh salsa, chopped veggies or mustard to be safe.
• Order More Plant-Based Foods - Of course, order your favorite vegetables when dining out but discuss how they will be prepared. Don't smother your salad with a high-fat dressing or cover veggies in a rich cream sauce.
• Never Clean Your Plate - Although you may have been taught to clean your plate, that's a bad habit. If you never clean your plate, you won't be tempted to have second helpings.

With the average person eating out multiple times each week, eating healthy at restaurants is becoming more important these days. Instead of worrying about how to get out of an invitation, do your homework and figure out what to avoid beforehand. If you are hungry when you arrive at a restaurant, it is easier to order questionable foods or eat too much. Eating a healthy snack like a plain Greek yogurt about an hour beforehand will leave you feeling more sated.

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Having a better understanding of the food you are ordering will help you make a more informed decision. Download the Tips For Eating Out guidelines from the National Institute of Health and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute for additional advice on eating at franchise food chains.