Restaurant Food Help Needed

annstainback

Hi, I enjoy dining out just like most everyone else. What are some foods you have found to be very tasty, lighter on the calories, but doesn't make you feel like you have just eaten a diet meal? I don't want meals like baked or grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, roasted potatoes or brown rice. I can get that anywhere. I am a chef and love flavors in my food. Last night I went to Jason's deli, put together a large salad with no bacon, very little feta cheese and croutons, and lots of healthy toppings such as tomatoes, peppers, artichokes, beets, cucumbers, beans, and other items. I watched the amount of dressing I put on, but still got 1/2 of a Rueben, and stayed away from their muffins. The sandwich put me over and I should have stuck with the salad.
Sorry for the lengthy discussion of my dinner last night, but I just wanted to point out foods that are somewhat adventurous that I enjoy. I eat most anything except Sushi (tried while pregnant, mistake), and some seafood like salmon, tuna, shrimp (not octopus, squid, oysters, grew up MidWest, Lol). I also have a husband and two kids living at home, so that makes it even more challenging to find locations that please everyone.
Please give me any advice you may have found. Thanks!

deannalfisher

if i'm planning on eating out for the night - i try to do research ahead of time and fit what works into my calories for the day - rather than eating and then freaking out that i'm over

that being said - one or two nights of overindulgence won't hurt you in the long run - its not a make/break deal - so if you go out - enjoy and then get back on the wagon tomrrow

kommodevaran

I think that must be smaller portions of anything you want to eat. Can you share with someone or take half home?

annstainback

Those are good points the two of you made. I have been doing well the last few days with the exception of yesterday, so I shouldn't beat myself up. I also could have cut a lot of the calories by cutting that sandwich in 1/2, or 1/4 since it was 1/2 sandwich to begin with. The sandwich was practically a full one to begin with.

estherdragonbat

I don't have a lot of variety where I am. (I'm strictly kosher and ovo-lacto vegetarian. In Toronto that generally means Pizza/Pasta/(Veggie) burgers, Middle-Eastern, or the ubiquitous veggie stir-fry often swimming in oil. (Kosher Chinese tends to focus on deep-fried or heavily sauced unless you go for stuff like "steamed tofu with veg," which I personally find too bland. And I'm horrible at eyeballing/guesstimating how much rice is underneath.) Generally, my go-tos are:

• Shakshukah (poached egg in chunky tomato sauce; you really have to WORK to make that one high-cal)
• Roasted veggie wrap with hummus
• Slice of vegetarian pizza (or two if I have the calories)
• Vegetarian lasagne or spinach ricotta canneloni (most of the other pasta dishes come in a salad bowl and I can't begin to estimate how much sauce goes into them, never mind how much it weighs. At least there are comparable entries in the MFP database for veggie lasagne and canneloni.
• Vegetarian buger

Cbean08

Eat smaller portions. I have certain things I get when eating out (it's usually a piece of chicken and a beer) but I'll get other stuff and just eat less of it. However, I am not a volume eater. If you are, then plan to get a vegetable too.

Some other things I like when dining out -

shrimp cocktail
ceviche
deviled eggs
falafel
dolmades
kifka
beef carpaccio
stuffed mushrooms
green bean fries
tom ka soup
potstickers

melanie32776

Choose fresh grilled or steamed seafood. I love Hooters 1 pound steamed shrimp or half pound with a side salad. Also Cheddars has an awesome bourbon grilled salmon and get a double side of green beans with it.

AndyBosisto

Check out the menu if it has salmon or tuna dishes I stick with them with veg and sweet potatoes or fries

apullum

How often do you eat out? If it’s once in a rare while, then I would say eat what you want, log it, and move on. One day of overeating does not affect your weight long term unless you let it turn into multiple days of overeating.

I personally do my best to avoid going out to eat for food I don’t really want. That’s not worth my calories. Instead, I go out to eat on days when I did a longer workout, or I save calories for a weekend restaurant meal. Then I can eat whatever I want, within reason, without stressing about it.