According to a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2005, people who dine out less than 2.5 meals per week tend to keep off the pounds they have lost.
Most Filipinos love to eat out with family and friends. So why deprive yourself of good food and good company? It is safe to say that even when trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight range, dining out once in a while is acceptable. However, let me give you some tips on healthy restaurant eating:
PLAN what to order. Most restaurants have menu lists on their websites or at the entrance. Take some time to study the menu description taking into consideration the cooking method before deciding what to order. Choose dishes that are baked, steamed, roasted, boiled, grilled, or pan-seared and avoid deep fried and breaded stuff.
My mom and I love Italian food but she doesn’t want to eat all by herself. One day I asked her why. She said: “I don’t understand Italian and their menu contains words I couldn’t understand.” So I replied: “It’s ok mom! I don’t understand those words either that’s why I always ask!” Which leads me to my second tip for you…
ASK and be informed – Some people would risk ordering stuff which they don’t understand rather than setting aside their shyness and ask the servers or the chef about it. Most of the time they end up dissatisfied and disappointed.
Recently, I went to have dinner with my best friends and while going through the menu, I boldly asked if I could speak to the chef since it wasn’t a busy day for the restaurant. Lo and behold, Chef Martin of Chateau 1771 approached our table and spent a few minutes indulging my curiosity about their menu. He taught me how to tell the difference between a salmon and a trout. I was surprised to know that gravlax means cured salmon and all the while I thought I was eating smoked salmon in my salad.
I don’t go out of my way to annoy chefs and servers with my questions each time I dine out but it’s really a nice experience to ask and learn from the experts occasionally.
Don’t be afraid to request for alternative ways to prepare your food with less fat or sugar. For example, you can ask for your salad dressing to be served on the side instead of eating a salad swimming in too much dressing. If available, ask for brown rice instead of fried or plain to increase your fiber intake.
SHARE or split portions – It is more fun and economical to share entrees and appetizers with your friends. You consume less calories when you share and you get to enjoy a variety of dishes instead of trying to stuff yourself full with a large portion serving of just one dish. Let me illustrate further: I only eat beef once a month. But when I do, I make sure it’s premium steak.
However, I can’t eat the usual 9-ounce serving so I ask for it to be split into two and order a side salad and pasta, both dishes also split for two so I can share it with a friend.
I hope these tips will make you feel less guilty when eating out and I encourage you to PLAN, ASK and SHARE in order to promote healthy restaurant eating.
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