Tips for eating out at restaurants

holly745
holly745 Posts: 13 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys, I think a big problem many of us struggle with is portion control at restaurants, so this is a place to share tips and strategies on how to not blow all your daily calories in one restaurant meal! :# I have cut down on eating out, but a strategy I use when I DO is this:

If the meal is very big, instead of eating half of it as many people suggest, I actually only eat a third to a fourth of it, then when I get home, I immediately transfer my leftovers to individual portion size tupperware containers. This way, I'm dividing a big portion into 3-4 small portions, and the meal will last longer because it's easy to just pop a container in the microwave. If I leave the last bit of my meal in the to-go box, I'm gonna be tempted to just heat up the whole thing instead of limiting myself to half of the remaining portion!

Replies

  • mrsloganlife
    mrsloganlife Posts: 158 Member
    I do the same thing--I actually ask for a salad plate to come with my meal, and I put the portion I am eating then on there. I then push the plate away and even put a spare napkin over it so I don't go back and pick.

    I also look up nutritional information in the fast. A lot of big chains now have nutritional information on there which is great. I log the food that I am eating before I leave for the restaurant. If it is a smaller chain, I break the ingredients down and log each individually so I'm not surprised later :)
  • holly745
    holly745 Posts: 13 Member
    the salad plate thing is genius! I would've never thought of that. And I'm with you, I love looking up the nutritional info, I wish all restaurants gave us access to that!
  • Dayofthebread
    Dayofthebread Posts: 20 Member
    I don't eat out that often, so usually I'll just eat what I want, but if I know I will be eating out a few times in succession I'll check the menu online if possible and work out what I am ordering before hand. Also many places are often happy to put dressings or sauces on the side if you ask.
  • kportwood85
    kportwood85 Posts: 151 Member
    I usually plan what I want before I go, I log it on here. A lot of restaurants have a "skinny" menu. If I am someplace I can go to easily or a place I eat at often, I will order off the skinny menu, saving the food I really like for a special occasion. If it is a place we don't have nearby (Like, i love cheesecake factory, but, before we moved the nearest one was 3 hrs away) then I get what I want, no matter the calories, and just take half of it home.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Ask for substitutes, such as fruit or salad in place of high cal food like fries. Or just leave them off.
  • gracepost123
    gracepost123 Posts: 81 Member
    Like others, before hand, if possible, I look up the nutrition menu. Pick out what I want and log it to make sure everything will be good. I have a hard time with only eating half. Haha my will power is not the best.
  • reddeament
    reddeament Posts: 51 Member
    I usually ask for a takeaway box when my meal comes, then immediately put half/third/whatever (depending how big the meal is) of my meal into the box so I'm not tempted.

    While part of me reminds myself it's about self-control, the other part of me thinks "yay that's lunch sorted for tomorrow"
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