What To Choose When Eating Out

Posted by tim on June 8th, 2007 at 02:15am

One of the reasons people fail in continuing with their healthy nutrition programs is peer pressure. 9 to 5 employees have to contend with weekend night outs, company seminars and get-togethers while self-employed individuals and businessmen are challenged by family picnics and business lunches.

This does not have to be a major dilemma because in the same manner that you are able to plan your meals at home, you can also easily do so in a restaurant.

When eating out with your friends, family and business associates make sure that you monitor your calories very closely.

Avoid the following dishes or types of food:

- Do not order hamburgers and hotdogs.

- Give up croissants, pastries, biscuits, butter rolls, or regular muffins.

- Avoid foods that are buttered, in butter sauce, prime, stuffed, sautéed, fried, fried, batter-dipped, creamed, in cream sauce, in cheese sauce, au jus, hollandaise, béarnaise, beurre blanc, parmigiana, parmesan, alfredo, au gratin, au lait, a la mode, au fromage or marinated.

- Forego cheese, cream, egg, or onion soups.

- Hold the croutons, bacon bits, ham, creamy dressing and high fat toppings on your salad.

- Sacrifice regular desserts.

In placing your order, make sure they fall into any of the following:

- Limit your beverage choice to low fat or skim milk, diet sodas, fruit juice, tea or coffee.

- If you have to have pasta, make sure it is topped with red pasta sauces (from tomatoes) instead of creamy white sauces (from cheese and milk).

- Anything that is broiled, grilled, poached, roasted, baked or steamed is okay.

- Stick with unbuttered whole grain breads, toast, breadsticks, rolls, or pitas.

- Order broth-based soups with noodles or vegetables.

- Steamed vegetables or plain, baked potatoes are safe.

- Entrees should contain chicken, fish, seafood, potatoes and vegetables.

- Avoid high-fat toppings on your green and tossed salads; stick with low calorie salad dressings.

- Instead of donuts and pastries, order whole wheat pancakes, bagels or muffins.

- Spice up your food with pepper, herbs, mustard, lemon juice and vinegar.

- Avoid toppings or whipped cream on your fresh fruit bowl.

- Limit your dessert options to yogurt, frozen fruit ices, sugar-free Jell-O.

Under Diet Tips