Eossentials For Dining Out
| • | To the best of your ability limit the frequency with which you eat out. No matter how careful you are when you dine at a restaurant, you do not have the same control over what you are eating as you do at home. |
| • | When ordering appetizers and entrees give preference (in the following order) to items cooked in the following ways – steamed, poached, grilled, broiled, baked, sautéed, fried. |
| • | When ordering appetizers and entrees give preference (in the following order) to items with the following main ingredient: shellfish, fish, lean poultry like chicken or turkey, lean cuts of beef, and lean cuts of pork. Avoid dishes that have as their main ingredient ground meats or fatty cuts of meat, like ribs. |
| • | When there is a choice of side dishes, ask for double vegetables (steamed, if available) or a vegetable and a salad and skip the starch (potatoes, rice, pasta). |
| • | Always ask for dressings, gravies and sauces on the side, so that you can control how much you eat. |
| • | When ordering salads, ask your server to hold the cheese, bacon bits, croutons, or any other high-calorie, high-fat items or ask for them on the side, so that you can control how much you eat. |
| • | When ordering pasta, choose red sauces over white sauces, and use grated cheese sparingly, if at all. |
| • | When choosing a dessert, give preference to desserts without flour or with minimal flour. For instance, always choose a one-crust pie over a two-crust and sorbet over cake. |
| • | Your best picks for appetizers are salads (with low calorie dressing) and shellfish (e.g. shrimp or crab cocktail, clams on the half shell, steamed mussels, etc.) |
| • | Your best picks for desserts are fresh fruits in season (like berries with cream) and sorbets. |
| • | Avoid family style or buffet restaurants. |
Tips for Dining Out
| • | When someone suggests dining out, offer to choose the restaurant and check one of our restaurant guides for the best picks. |
| • | Never skip meals or snacks before dining out. It’s much easier to make good choices, when you’re not overly hungry. |
| • | Don’t be afraid to ask your server how dishes are prepared or for special accommodations. Small differences in preparation can make big differences in how you should order. |
| • | Ask for the dessert menu before you order, so you can decide whether to order an appetizer or a dessert. Or you can share both with a friend! |
| • | Rather than having your server leave a full bread basket at your table, ask if rolls and butter can be served individually. Remember bread sticks are usually a better choice than a roll. |
| • | If portions are too big, ask your server for a separate plate, put your portion on the plate, and ask your server to immediately package up the rest as a “doggie bag”. |
| • | For reference purposes, 4 oz of meat or fish is the size of your palm, a deck of playing cards or an audio cassette, and one cup is the size of your fist or a baseball. |
| • | Don’t be afraid to bring your own “supplies”. You can discreetly carry your favorite low-calorie salad dressing, for instance, in your handbag, so that you don’t have to worry about whether or not the restaurant will have one. |
| • | Eat slowly – Enjoy the atmosphere and your company. |
| • | Suggest a walk, dancing or other activity after dining out. It will be a great way to cap off a wonderful meal. |