Dine
out and stay slim - How to make healthy choices when eating out
One of the
biggest challenges to the health conscious dieter is eating out.
Whereas most
people see the restaurant as a time to relax and indulge, the
health-conscious
eater sees the restaurant as the ultimate temptation. Planning ahead,
being
selective, and making smart substitutions when eating out will make for
an
enjoyable, stress-free evening out.
This
guide
will help you so that your hard work doesn’t go out the
window you eat away
from home.
Before
eating out
Offer to
make the reservations when eating out with others. Select a restaurant
that you
know has healthy options available. This will help you prevent feeling
overwhelmed
when faced with a new menu.
Have a
healthy snack before you go out for a meal. This will prevent you from
being
overly hungry when you arrive at a restaurant, and less tempted to
over-order
or make poor choices.
Portion
sizes
The
‘portion
distortion’ of modern times is nowhere more evident than when
eating out. Portions
offered at restaurants are always much larger than what we eat at home,
making it
easy to overeat, so ask for your meal served in half a portion instead
(be aware
though that most restaurants discourage ordering half portions by
charging 75%
of a full portion).
The good
old-fashioned doggy bag is the dieter’s friend. Another
option is to order the
full portion and immediately separate the meal into two portions. Ask
the
waiter to take the other half home.
Offer to
share meals with your eating companions.
Most people
suffer from the “clean plate syndrome”. It is not
necessary to always eat the
entire contents on your plate. Listen to your body. Eat slowly, and
chew thoroughly.
Put down your fork between bites, or sip some water between mouthfuls.
This
will slow you down when eating and help prevent overeating.
Food
preparation methods
Remember
that the restaurant is there to serve you and that you have the option
of the
food preparation method. Instead of eating the
deep-fried
fish, ask the waiter for a grilled, steamed or baked fish instead.
Leave
condiments and toppings off starters, salads and
side dishes. Skip condiments and cheeses on salads and sandwiches.
Substitute
for flavour with lower
fat condiments such as lemon juice, pepper, mustard, salsa and Tabasco.
Fish,
chicken and lean cuts of meat do not have to be eaten with a sauce.
Select
barbeque basting and grilled foods to still ensure
flavour. Ask for no
sauces or for a sauce
to be served separately so you can control your intake.
Starters
Restaurants
are more than willing to serve starters, which are generally smaller
portions,
as main meals. Order two starters instead of a main meal if there are
healthy
starter options.
Share a
starter so you can taste it, but don’t fill up on it.
Some
restaurants
provide complementary bread baskets. Limit yourself to one bread roll,
with 1t
margarine or butter if desired. If the temptation is too great, ask the
waiter
to remove the bread from the table to prevent mindless eating while
waiting for
your food.
If eating a
starter from a central dish shared amongst several guests, use utensils
to
portion your serving on to a side plate. This allows you to visualize
the
amount you are eating.
Salads and
side options
Surprisingly,
even salads at a restaurant can be laden with unnecessary calories by
the
addition of croutons, bacon bits, cheeses and salad dressings. Look
for garden-type salads with more vegetables than high fat ingredients.
Request for
your salad to be undressed. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and olive
oil, and
some black pepper instead of a pre-prepared salad dressing.
Most meals
come with a side option of your choice. Instead of fried onion rings,
rice,
chips and potatoes, asked for vegetables and/or a side salad. However,
cooked
vegetables may be prepared with butter, sugar or creamy sauces, so
always
enquire about this.
If you
choose a starch instead of fried chips choose a baked potato or rice.
If you
choose a baked potato, avoid the addition of butter or sour cream.
Drinks
Most people
underestimate the amount of calories consumed in the form of liquids.
Order bottled
water for the table, and add some lemon if desire.
Chose low
calorie
options such as Coke Zero, Tab, Coke Light and Sprite Zero. If desired,
add a
single passion fruit cordial or a slice of lemon to the drink.
Alcohol is
very energy dense: it contains as much calories as the same volume of
fat. Chose
a white wine spritzer and alternate with lime and soda or sparkling
water.
Dessert
A sweet
treat at dessert is always enjoyed when eating out. Choose fruit-based
options
such as fruit salad, or ask for sorbet instead of ice cream. Leave out
energy-dense
cream and ice-cream.
Have a
skinny cappuccino made with fat free milk instead of dessert.
Enquire if
the restaurant has ‘miniature’
dessert options.
Ask
to order from the kids' dessert menu, or ask for a
child-sized portion. Ask for one scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt
instead of
two.
Share
a dessert with one of your guests.
Birthdays,
Cocktail Parties and Braais
Eat a
small, nutritious snack before the event, such as fruit, yoghurt, and
whole-grain bread with peanut butter or hummus. This way you will not
feel overly
hungry when you get to the party, and are less likely to overeat.
A good idea
at cocktail parties is to keep your hands occupied: one hand with a
beverage,
the other with a plate. This will slow you down when eating.
Use side
plates, napkins or small bowls. The smaller the dish the less likely
you are to
overfull.
At braais
skinless
chicken breasts, chicken kebabs and grilled fish are better options
then high
in saturated fats chops, boerewors and sausages.
Be aware of
salads made with mayonnaise and salad dressings. Ask the hostess if you
can
take a portion of salad aside for yourself before she adds dressings.
Phone ahead
and offer to bring a healthy green salad or dessert. This way
you’re sure to
have at least one healthy option even if the hostess caters poorly.
Article
written by Monique
dos Santos (RD)SA
on behalf of
Lynne van Zyl Dieticians - the
network of dieticians
