Eating with foodies tonight... HELP!

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zarozinia
zarozinia Posts: 67 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone, I just joined MFP this week after tracking (and getting basically nowhere) with another online program. I'm hoping for the best now!

Anyway, I have a question about making healthy food choices while eating out with friends who are more taste-conscious than health-conscious... How do I do it? LOL!

Tonight, I'm going out to a new restaurant in SF with a bunch of foodie friends and I feel the odds are stacked against me and my diet. I'm going to eat small and healthy meals throughout today so I don't show up to dinner hungry and end up pigging out, so I've got that down. Also, I'm going to insist on sharing with a friend, so I don't eat the entire portion of food (it's a German restaurant, and I've been told they give HEALTHY servings). But other than that, I know I'm going to blow through a ton of calories in one sitting because the food most definitely not diet friendly. Are there any other considerations I might keep in mind to help me avoid gorging myself? Menu suggestions that could be more diet-friendly than others? They have a wide selection of foods from sausages to pastas to salads to fish... Any tricks to asking for special preparations?

Thanks for any advice you all can give me!

Replies

  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
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    Just plan ahead what you're going to order, and ask for a box ASAP if you can. Put a decent portion of food in there to take home so you're not tempted.

    I'd say, look for a baked/grilled fish dish immediately, ask for veggies instead of rice or potatoes for a side, and request them steamed, no butter.

    Good luck! Most importantly, enjoy and have fun!
  • Javajunkie67
    Javajunkie67 Posts: 167 Member
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    One of the easiest things to is have the wiatstaff bring you a take out/away box before you even start your meal. Put at least half of the meal in the box, two thirds if the portions are huge. Ta da! Lunch for you and a friend.

    If that isn't an option, i would try to stay away from dumplings (usually fried first) and most sausages.


    I hope it's a fabulous meal!
  • sarahlong09
    sarahlong09 Posts: 55
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    if they have a website you can possibly get a nutritional menu. it always helps me to look at that before i go so i am in the mind frame that my favorite dishes arent worth the calories. Also to see what i have room for. if no website you may can call the restaurant and ask if they have one. you may have to go it it, or have them fax it to you.
  • tuscaroragal
    tuscaroragal Posts: 78 Member
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    If you know the restaurant you are going to, check out their menu online, if possible. You won't believe how incredibly helpful is it to view the nutritional information prior to making a choice! I find that I do so much better when I have 2-3 options even before going out and then I decide based on what sounds good! Best of luck!
  • PaulaAnn143
    PaulaAnn143 Posts: 23
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    When I go out with friends for lunch or dinner. I check the website to the resturant and they often will have calorie info online. If they dont you can often see the menu and figure out what is healthy before even showing but at the resturant. If you plan ahead it is easier to make a choice, and the foodies dont have to know about it. good luck!
  • Biffybeans1
    Biffybeans1 Posts: 81 Member
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    Request:
    Grilled or broiled, NOT fried and using minimal fats during preparation
    Veggies, "naked" (no fats or sauces added during or after cooking/steaming)
    Side salad, dressing on the side with vinegar and oil type dressing, NOT creamy dressing
    Soup, preferrably clear broth type, NOT creamy
    A large glass of water with lemon that you make sure you are drinking throughout meal
    If you order a glass of wine, ask for club soda added to make a wine spritzer so you cut calories
    If you order dessert, ask others you're with to share and enjoy a couple bites ONLY

    Drink a large glass of water or unsweetened ice tea before leaving home.

    I am also going out with other foodies for dinner tonight. Like others who have suggested it already, I went to the restaurant web site and picked menu selections that I have already looked up on MFP. No guessing what to pick when it comes time to order.
  • zarozinia
    zarozinia Posts: 67 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I did check out the website (btw, it's Leopold's in SF. Getting insanely good reviews! I am really excited about getting to try it out!) but of course the menu did not list nutritional info. Also, it was kinda slim on ingredient info as well... But at least I have an idea what I'm up against!

    Also, does anyone have suggestions about beers? Since it is a gasthaus, it has a huge selection of beers on tap... Could anyone recommend a lower-than-average-in-calories beer type? Or are most beers just between 150-200 cals? (And I do plan on ordering the 1/2 pints because I am a total lightweight to begin with!)
  • BeverageTreats
    BeverageTreats Posts: 149 Member
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    The Spaten is going to be the lowest calorie beer. That being said, most of the others are probably within 50-70 calories of it in a pint, so for that margin it's worth it to get a different one if you will enjoy it much more.

    This is a tough food menu. The only fish entree is wrapped in pancetta and fried. Perhaps the pappardelle or roasted chicken, and a big to go box.
  • zarozinia
    zarozinia Posts: 67 Member
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    I was eying the papparedelle, too. It was just about the only thing on the menu that didn't look fried and/or slathered in fat (though, I imagine it probably is to a good degree). I figure if I split the portion up (share it with a friend and/or box half of it), and then have a beer, I'll probably squeak by. Maybe even a bite or two of a desert... But yeah, my friends know how to pick the best restaurants, but they really don't believe in watching what they eat, so long as it's gourmet. I love gourmet food, too, don't get me wrong... But so many of the really great restaurants in the Bay Area are all about the fat content in the food!

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