Tips for eating out?

Hi Sara ! My husband and I eat out a lot and I have found that most chain restaurants do post their nutritional information online now. What I usually do is look at their menu online and then look at the nutritional data and log my food here before I even go to the restaurant. If the food is all high calorie then I will only eat half and take the rest home to eat later. That works for me..

My advice would be to bring some healthy snacks with you, if you can. If not, buy them once you hit Portland. It is less expensive and can help mitigate the stress of eating out.

Portland has numerous vegan and vegetarian restaurants and health food stores, many of which have delis or small dining areas attached. The staff at many of these places are very helpful and can point to good choices if there isn't posted nutritional information. Just be careful, vegan and vegetarian does not always mean low fat or calorie by any means. However, even if you are not vegetarian, you might check some out, there are some surprising and delicious options that don't leave you feeling deprived at all.

In general, stick to baked, grilled or steamed fish or chicken if you are not vegetarian. If an entree comes with an unhealthy side, just ask for a different one. If you are watching carbs, ask for a larger portion of veggies instead of pasta, rice or potato. If the veggies come with cheese, butter or a heavy sauce, ask for them plain or with the sauce on the side. Portland can be a health conscious and ingredient sensitive place to dine, you will be able to find quite a few restaurants with posted information that are also willing to accommodate substitutions.

Here's a quick link to check out

http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/oregon/portland/

Have fun! I love that town.