Eating Well When Eating Out
by Diane Dankert, RD, Project Nutritionist
Sixteenth Street Community Health Center WIC, Milwaukee

Like most people, you want to eat healthy. You know that good nutrition feels good and protects against chronic illness and disease. Relatively speaking, it’s much easier to control your food choices when you’re eating at home. Of course, the reality is that sometimes you need or want to eat out, and many times eating out lets unhealthy eating in. But it’s possible to take control:

 

1) Choose restaurants that offer healthy choices. 2) Be healthy when you order. Consider baked fish or chicken instead of red meat. Pick a stir-fry or salad with a lot of vegetables. Vinaigrettes and low-fat salad dressings score better than regular creamy dressings. Order broth-based soups instead of cream and cheese soups. With pasta, select marinara rather than Alfredo sauce. Avoid dishes with fatty meats like sausage. Beware the croissants, biscuits and pie crusts. Choose whole grains and order salads with darker greens like romaine and spinach. 3) Explain how you want your food prepared and served. Choose broiled, steamed or grilled instead of fried. Ask for the sauces and dressings on the side so you can choose how much you will have. Sometimes you can ask for meals to be prepared with less oil. Request extra vegetables. 4) Pay attention to your beverages. Consider water—it’s free and healthy. If you prefer, choose unsweetened tea or beverages without added sugar. Limit alcohol. 5) Limit your portions. Fill up on the salads and vegetables. Take home half of your food and you’ll have two meals for the price of one!

For more ideas, check out www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/eating_out.html