Healthiest way to eat out... what are your tricks?

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  • YaGigi
    YaGigi Posts: 817 Member
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    I just go for whatever maximizes vegetables and lean protein and minimizes rice/pasta and heavy sauces. And no bread. At the mexican place you could get a chicken taco salad, hold the cheese and sour cream and don't eat the tortilla bowl. At the thai place you can get some sauteed shrimp and veggies in a light sauce, hold the rice.

    Once in a while I will get what I want though (and heck yes, gimmie that bread).

    THIS!!!

    OP, Just order any lean protein at any of those places and add some veggies. No bread, no pasta, no rice. It's easy :)

    For example, I had my lunch at a Middle eastern place today and ordered a doner (shredded grilled lamb) that came with rice and a salad and pita bread. I ate the meat and some of the salad, tomato and other veggies, didn't eat the rice. I also added some plain yogurt with spices and garlic to it.
  • oldmanstauf
    oldmanstauf Posts: 202 Member
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    I've been noticing every time I go out I go over on calories.

    Fried tofu and coconut curry at the thai place= too much fat.
    fish tacos at the mexican place. fried again but a little bit better.

    wondering what your tricks are for keeping the cals down when you eat out.

    Knowing the nutrition facts is the best way to help. After that, you just have to pick things off the menu that don't cause you to go over. A lot of times it will not allow you to have what you normally would order. Fried anything will obviously be higher in calorie that a lot of other things.
  • Cold_Steel
    Cold_Steel Posts: 897 Member
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    Thai - get a garlic chicken or tofu dish or any thing with chicken and veggies and lose the rice all together - try to substitute with a vegetable side or just no rice period.

    Mexican - See rice thing... No beans no cheese or abundance of the two. If they do not have a salad you can get like street tacos or whatever it depends on the menu I would say...

    If I have room I go all out if I dont I try not too... although lately I have not been doing great.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    First things first, eat at most 1/2 of what gets on your plate unless the restaurnt in question has a "healthy choice" menu. The other half is lunch tomorrow or dinner tomorrow night.


    If you are lucky, you are going somewhere that has online nutritional info. If not, check against the MFP database and generally if you pick an item between the middle and top of what comes up calorie wise you are close enough and just pick something that fits your goals.
  • stofteland
    stofteland Posts: 19 Member
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    I try not to eat out. The hidden junk that is in restaurant food just sets me up for a bad couple of days afterwards. I like to cook, so i fix items that we like to get at a restaurant and make them at home without the stuff we don't need. I am a wings fan. I buy a try of chicken wings and sprinkle them with curry, tumeric, paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. I bake them at 400 for about 20 min, then reduce temp to 375. You can brush them with your favorite BBQ sauce(optional) about half way through. Place them skin side up. They will get nice and crisp without frying. Then we have baked potatoes or even bake up some french fries(frozen) if we really want a treat. Throw a caesar salad together with a low fat caesar dressing. They are better than anything at a restaurant. Great for Game Day parties. Kids like them too. They are not the healthiest but a treat when you want something that tastes fried.
  • Derpina7
    Derpina7 Posts: 552 Member
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    Thai food - salad rolls and tom yum soup are relatively lower calorie items on the menu, and still have a bit of protein to leave you feeling satiated (or at least that's what I find). Satay skewers usually consist of lean meats, just maybe ask if the sauces can be put on the side if possible. Request brown rice in place of white!
    I say eating ethnic foods is for the experience though :), go with a group if possible so you can split up appetizers and dishes!
  • jasonp_ritzert
    jasonp_ritzert Posts: 357 Member
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    Always opt for veggies/sweet potatos whenever possible instead of fries, etc.
    Ask for all condiments on the side such as dressings, butter for potatoes, etc..
    Ask for your steak to be cooked "plain" "i.e., not with butter as every place does"
    When your server brings your food automatically ask for a to go box, split everything in half and just eat half.
  • kat_singer
    kat_singer Posts: 4 Member
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    I now prefer chains that post nutrition information online & try to plan my meal before I go.

    Olive Garden: http://www.olivegarden.com/core_content/pdfs/olive_garden_nutrition.pdf

    I always get the Venetian Apricot Chicken for 400 calories and if I have saved up they will send out a low calorie version of the house salad that is about 150 calories. Each bread stick is about 100 calories, so I do not eat them any more.

    Noodles and Company http://www.noodles.com/nutrition/lotsofchoices.php

    Love this place, there are so many low calorie options.




    http://www.nistn.com/nutritionallinks.php
  • AraLiaMoonBeam
    AraLiaMoonBeam Posts: 37
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    thanks for the great ideas!

    I live about 25 minutes out of town so I do a "town day" with errands. Have to eat out that day, because I would starve otherwise!
    A lot of it is just about thinking it through ahead of time. THanks! =)
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
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    Eat half of whatever. Save the rest for takeout.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
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    My tips to eating out

    *I ask for a doggy bag when I order. That way when the meal arrives, I can immediately pack half of the portion to take home
    *I opt for grilled, steamed, baked, or stir-fried entrees. And DO NOT be afraid to ask how your food is prepared. You are also welcome to ask that your food be cooked the way you prefer. (no oil, etc)
    *Try to skip out on the bread, or atleast opt for whole grain.
    *Ask for Salad Dressing on the side and try to avoid creamy dressing. Vinagrettes are best!
    *If your having dessert-Split it with your dinner date
    *If your ordering a burger, skip out on the cheese and/or ask for it to be wrapped in lettuce instead of having a bun.
    *Opt for sweet potato fries instead of regular french fries
    *Plan ahead! Have a look the the restaurants menu online before you go. This way you can decide ahead of time on what to get that is more calorie friendly for you.
    *Top off your dinner date with a nice 20-30 minute evening walk!

    Bon Appetit!

    :smile:
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
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    * At mexican, portion out 12 chips on a napkin. eat them slowly. Order fijitas, dont eat the tortillas with it. No guac No sour cream.
    *At jap/chinese order steamed white or brown rice, not fried. Shrimp entrees are generally low cal there too, or chicken and broccoli.
    *Always ALWAYS get dressing on the side.
    *Order coffee to end your meal not dessert.
    *Pizza should be thin crust and all veggies.
    *If you can help it, replace a starch (baked potatoe) with a green (broccoli)
    *You can ask for things cooked without butter as well.
    *When in doubt, order grilled chicken.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    kid's menu or just an appetizer =P
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Eat Half an entree and save the rest for dinner the following night. Two dinners for the price of one.

    This
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    * At mexican, portion out 12 chips on a napkin. eat them slowly. Order fijitas, dont eat the tortillas with it. No guac No sour cream.
    *At jap/chinese order steamed white or brown rice, not fried. Shrimp entrees are generally low cal there too, or chicken and broccoli.
    *Always ALWAYS get dressing on the side.
    *Order coffee to end your meal not dessert.
    *Pizza should be thin crust and all veggies.
    *If you can help it, replace a starch (baked potatoe) with a green (broccoli)
    *You can ask for things cooked without butter as well.
    *When in doubt, order grilled chicken.

    Ewww.... What's the point in eating out then? No guacamole at the Mexican restaurant? I would kill myself first! :laugh:

    (Avacado is VERY healthy, screw the calorie count and just EAT IT!)
  • reptilegrrl
    reptilegrrl Posts: 24 Member
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    If the foods you like to eat at restaurants go over your calorie/nutrient budget, there is a really easy way to stay within budget: eat half your entree and take the rest home to eat later. Most restaurant meals are very large compared to what we need in a meal.

    Many studies show that we eat what is in front of us out of habit. If people are given a bowl of soup that keeps gradually refilling itself, they don't even notice! They just eat the soup! So you have to be mindful. Before you even start eating, look at your plate and portion out what you are going to eat then and there, and what you are taking home.

    I strongly disagree with the person who said to not eat guacamole, not eat sour cream, not eat tortillas. This sounds like a recipe for feeling deprived, and frankly, tortillas and sour cream and guacamole all have their place in a healthy diet (sour cream, for example, is a great source of protein and healthy fats, and so is avocado.) Butter is delicious and good for you.

    And, it is silly imo to go to a restaurant, where people have worked very hard to create recipes that you like, and then ask them to change them. Why are you there in the first place? Because you like the food the way they make it!

    Also, NEVER get dressing on the side. Anyone who has prepped salads in a restaurant can tell you this is a huge myth. People who get their dressing on the side usually eat more dressing than do people who get their salads pre-dressed.
  • AggieFan2011
    AggieFan2011 Posts: 551 Member
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    Eat Half an entree and save the rest for dinner the following night. Two dinners for the price of one.

    This! I've found that sometimes I can even turn restaurant portions into 3 whole meals as well. Also, at a lot of places you can ask your server to box up half the meal right when they bring it to you that way you won't be tempted to overeat because it won't even be on your plate.

    Another thing I do is order off of the lunch menu because the portions are smaller, or possibly find a "choose two" combo where you can get half of an entree with a soup or salad or something. I don't know if the restaurants around you would have anything like that since the choices are so limited, but if so I would definitely look into trying that.
  • msbunnie68
    msbunnie68 Posts: 1,894 Member
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    This is my dining out routine.

    1. I plan to eat out so I have lowish calorie breakfast and lunch (about 200-250 cals each) then my pre-dinner snack.

    2. I have a pre-dinner snack - if you are out all day grab a piece or two of fruit. Eat before you go out I here you say? It stops you devouring 3 courses out of sheer hunger. This enables me not to want bread/garlic bread/entree.

    3. If possible I check out the menu online to see what the cals are - I don't limit myself to the lowest calorie dish just because it is the only one. I LIKE my food so I look for something I feel like and make myself aware of the calories.

    4. I ask for salads without dressing. I eat my salad naked at home so why should I change that when out? IF they are ones like a caesar I ask for it on the side with a teaspoon and measure out how much goes on as I really like salad crunchy not swimming.

    5. I ask for my main as an entree size and then really eyeball the amount of food that comes out. Food is not the enemy. Portion size is the enemy. If they don't do entree sized mains then I ask for second plate and serve myself what I think is enough of my dish and either offer the rest around the table as a tasting plate or ask for it to be boxed for later.

    6. At a fine dining restaurant I eat roughly half of each course as the servings are usually small - for example, a few fine cuisine restaurants here do the amuse-bouche as and 8 course meal, and it is perfectly acceptable to only eat half of each tantalizer.

    edit to add 7. Just because it comes with a side of fries doesn't mean you have to EAT them. I ask to have my plate taken after I finish the main portion and BEFORE i touch the fries on the side. They are just a cheap filler anyway.

    If you don't eat out too much, or it's a special occasion then order something you are going to enjoy eating, eat a mindful portion of it but don't let your diet kill it for you either. As I said earlier...food is not your enemy...portion sizing is.
  • sunraew
    sunraew Posts: 96 Member
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    Really good tips! Thank you for asking the question and huge thanks everyone for your sage answers. :flowerforyou:
    No need to fear a dinner out, after-all!
  • maryjay52
    maryjay52 Posts: 557 Member
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    if you know where you are going ahead of time then see if they have a menu online. if i do that then im less likely to gorge myself on something i really would regret the next day

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