Eating out

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  • Saraneedsachange
    Saraneedsachange Posts: 6 Member
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    Here's my opinion...
    If you end up eating out, just do some research and pick healthy options. Most restaurants have nutritional guides on-line or even on their menu now. My husband and I went to Olive Garden for a date night awhile back, I researched the menu on-line and found the healthiest option...add a side of steamed broccoli, etc... all is good.
  • yaseyuku
    yaseyuku Posts: 871 Member
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    Due to frequent travelling and other situations in my life, I eat out often.

    I choose health based restaurants whenever possible
  • star5785
    star5785 Posts: 140
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    I don't go to a specific place for healthy options, I just order the healthiest thing on the menu. I usually get salads with low fat dressing.
  • cebreisch
    cebreisch Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I try not to go to "fast fried food" places like McDonald's or Burger King much, if at all.

    Subway: Kids 4" sandwich with a side of apple slices.

    Arby's - I usually get the kids meal of the Jr. Turkey & Cheddar with the side of apple slices and a bottle of water.

    Steak-n-Shake: Turkey Club (either no mayo or mayo on the side so I can control how much goes on), side of apple slices

    McDonald's (if you must) - get a cheeseburger, cut it in half - take the bun off of 1/2 and put the remainder on the other bun - it'll count as half a double cheeseburger and you'll save on carbs. I've actually ordered the grilled chicken sandwich before - no bun, and cut it up and had it with the hot mustard dipping sauce. OR 6 piece chicken nugget happy meal.

    Chik-Fil-A: 6 piece grilled chicken kids meal with fruit cup for the side.

    Fazoli's: I usually get a kids meal of ravioli with meat sauce or spaghetti with meat sauce. They usually have whole wheat penne that you can get with meat sauce too.

    Longhorn Steakhouse: I usually get a 6 oz sirloin and for the side: sliced tomatoes. OR I'll get Sierra Chicken with a baked potato (just a little bit of butter and/or sour cream, salt, pepper - and I only have half of it).

    Olive Garden: I'll get the kids meal of ravioli with meat sauce or fettuccini with a piece of grilled chicken - comes with either a side of steamed broccoli or steamed grapes. I'll usually also order a bowl of Pasta E Fagioli (they describe it as sort of an Italian chili - it has ground meat and plenty of beans, celery, carrots)

    Most restaurants have apple slices anymore. They also have some form of grilled chicken. Anyplace that offers bread or breadsticks, tell the waiter/waitress not to bring it. Or if you must have it, tell them to only bring you 1 piece.

    Notice the trend: kids meals = smaller portions; usually comes with a fruit or vegetable; lower carb counts due to less bread; higher protein counts by getting meat sauce or adding grilled chicken.
  • seilidhe
    seilidhe Posts: 1,042 Member
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    I try to check out the nutritional information before I go anywhere. Sometimes that backfires, like the other night when something I'd decided on at home wasn't actually on the menu. So I went with something else that was listed as "below xxx" calories. Sometimes, there is no nutritional information. In that case, I get what I want, but I get salad instead of soup, and I almost always bring half of whatever it was home and eat it for lunch the next day.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    Chipotle- salad without the gross vinaigrette, or a burrito bol.
    Jimmy John's- unwich, hold the mayo
    Any Indian restaurant- all kinds of choices there
    My favorite Chinese place- steamed tofu and veggies with white sauce on the side and brown rice
    Most sub places will put your sandwich stuff over lettuce instead of on the bread
  • tj1376
    tj1376 Posts: 1,402 Member
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    Anywhere. There are healthy options at every restaurant, you just have to look or be creative. Want a hamburger - dont eat the bun!! Want a steak - get veggies to go with it instead of potatoes. Healthy is what you make of it.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    Korean or Vietnamese restaurants and I get vegetarian options
    Cheddar's and order salmon, steamed veggie & rice
    Mexican restaurant and order an item al a carte
    Japanese restaurant and get a small sushi roll or bento box with healthier options contained
    Moe's or Chipotle and get a junior size with veggies, or naked burrito
    Subway and get breakfast 6" or a veggie flatbread (although I'm not a big fan of Subway so this is very rare)

    Many times I go out with friends to restaurants that aren't healthy at all and I'll splurge with something small, like an order of sweet potato fries and rich dipping sauce. Making that my meal, and eating a small salad or honeydew when I get home, makes me happy too.
  • sherrybaby81
    sherrybaby81 Posts: 257 Member
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    My husband and I always go to Subway for lunch in the park.

    I always get a 6 inch veggie delite (not the patties) and load up on veggies. I do get cheese, but I see that as a swap for the meat really. And I do splurge and get lite mayo, honey mustard and sweet onion sauce (I am a sauce girl!). I can eat there for around 350 calories. Not too shabby.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,472 Member
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    we never eat out,
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
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    I don't think it is very realistic to never eat out so I am ALL for pre-planninng! As lots of other folks have said, check the menu before going. You can find something reasonable or create reasonable modifications just about anywhere.

    Where I live we have Moe's - in addition to being able to control exactly what goes on your burrito/salad/taco/etc they also serve grass-fed beef, hormone-free chicken, organic, etc. The salsa bar allows you to get as much as you like and you can use for dressing. You can also get carbonated water and add lemon wedges for a very refreshing drink.

    ^this :smile: LOVE me some Moe's! I'm especially proud of them for the high quality ingredients that they use. :flowerforyou: In fact, I'm stopping to pick up some Moe's on my way home from work tonight! :tongue:

    I'm TRYING to break my fiance of the "spur of the moment" eating out....but in the instances that I can't, I make sure *I* choose the place - specifically one that has an online menu with nutritional info that I can look up and choose what I'm going to order before we even leave the house.

    I honestly can't tell you the last time we ate at McD's or BK or the like (even though we have a McD's literally 2 miles from our house). I'll do Subway or Moe's every now and again (much prefer Moe's over Subway though) - but most of our eating out is in actual restaurants.

    Sadly, our favorite places are small family owned, mom-and-pop type places...so those outings are planned, and I restrict my calories earlier in the day, to allow for the "unknown" calories in their dishes. I'm a pretty picky eater, so even though I do try to pick the healthier options, it can be difficult. Especially our favorite place up in the Adirondacks that we eat at EVERY Friday in the winter (we snowmobile and rent a cabin for the season up there...we go up every Friday when I get out of work...turn the heat on the in cabin, go to Billy's for dinner, go to a movie, and then arrive back to a toasty warm cabin). We're friends with the owner, so I'm actually considering asking him about adding a healthier dish to his menu (since many of the dishes are carb-based (pastas) and either have cream-based sauces, or are covered in cheese), or seeing if he wouldn't mind figuring up some rough calorie figures for me - I always get a half order, and usually then take half of that back to the cabin...but it would still be nice to know how many calories I'm eating....
  • NatureChik1985
    NatureChik1985 Posts: 79
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    I just go to any restuarant I want and use a little common sense while ordering. Sometimes I just order whaterever I want and sometimes I will choose a healthier choice. Easy as pie for me.
  • DavidHusky
    DavidHusky Posts: 112 Member
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    Anywhere and everywhere. Portion control is the main thing I've changed when eating out now. I also almost always skip potatoes (because it has to be some really tasty spuds for me to spend calories/carbs on it instead of craft beer).

    Of course sometimes I go out of control and then I try burn the calories with exercise (last week I was on the road for work and ate about 2000 calories worth of hardees for lunch, but I exercised an extra hour to help get to my goal for the day and be able to eat some dinner).
  • swpguy
    swpguy Posts: 15
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    This was definitely the wrong post to read on the day I forgot my lunch and wallet. #IhateMondays

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