Dining out? 8 ways to make healthier decisions

If you often dine out due to time constraints or hectic schedules, you are not alone. A USDA research survey found that 55% of adults in the U.S. consume food from a restaurant on a given day.

Your environment can have huge effects on your behavior, and a restaurant environment is no exception. Big portions, sights and smells of food, and the variety of high calorie foods available can all tempt you to eat more.

To stay in control of your health while enjoying a meal out, follow these eight tips:

1. Order ahead of time. Before dining out or ordering takeout – and preferably when you’re not hungry – look up the online menu. Decide your selections beforehand to keep over-indulging impulses in check when actually ordering.
2. Be choosy when dining out. Choose restaurants that offer lighter options, such as lean proteins, salads and non-starchy vegetables.
3. Eat a small snack beforehand. Particularly if it has been a long time since you last ate, try having a snack, such as fruit with a handful of nuts, to avoid getting too hungry and over-indulging at the restaurant.
4. Stick to one starch. Fries, bread and chips! Oh my! Choose one to enjoy.
5. Load up on vegetables. Choose vegetable-based side dishes, pile vegetables onto your burrito bowl and don’t be afraid to try a vegetarian meal. Vegetables contain fiber and nutrients that nourish the body.
6. Make water your beverage of choice. Not only does this save money, but it’s also easy to forget about the sneaky calories in sugar-sweetened or alcoholic beverages.
7. Share your meal with a loved one or order an appetizer instead of a full meal. Today’s “medium” is often yesterday’s “extra-large.”
8. Eat half (or less) of your meal. Before you begin eating, set aside half of your entrée to take home for another meal.

You may also find that some meals are just as easy to cook at home and can be modified to be healthier. This does not need to be time-consuming or costly. For example, a healthy balanced meal at home could be turkey burgers cooked in a skillet, whole grain buns, and microwaved frozen vegetables, or scrambled eggs with whole grain toast and fruit.

Jessica Schrage is a registered dietitian at Aurora Health Care.

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