Dining Out and Ordering Healthy

Photo via Flickr: Glasgow Solaro

Going out to eat is fun, but it can be hard to know which selections to make if you are trying to eat healthier. Here are a few tips to help choose better options...

• Avoid porterhouse, prime rib, rib eye, and T-bone steaks; keep the meat you do order to six ounces or less, and (at prepared-to-order restaurants) ask to have all visible fat trimmed from the meat.
• Eat only one or two helpings of bread; if you would like to eat more, enjoy only soup and salad, and not a traditional entrée, afterward.
• Drink water instead of ordering soda, or lemonade. Have lemon, lime, or cucumber slices added to your water if you need a little something extra.
  
• When ordering salads, remember to ask for your dressing on the side, then dip the end of the fork into the dressing before spearing the salad! Salads typically have dressing to spare, which is unhealthy and can ruin the salad. Use salsa or guacamole (which contains healthy fat) as the salad dressing for Mexican salads.
• When ordering Chinese, choose dishes made with chicken, shrimp, or lean beef in favor of duck or pork; also, go with steamed dumplings instead of egg rolls.
• Sandwiches should be no longer than six inches, and should be made on whole-grain breads, if possible. Choose lean meats such as turkey or chicken, mustard instead of mayo, and fresh veggies instead of cheese.
  
• For Italian dinners, go red and green: red sauces instead of creamy, white sauces, and green salads.
• When selecting sides, go for fresh fruits and vegetables instead of potatoes and fries.