Finding Healthy Foods In A Restaurant

A good post from http://VeryWell.com will answer some questions about restaurant food. We all eat out, so how do you do that without blowing your diet?

Choosing nutritious foods at most restaurants feels like a daunting task. Especially when menus have mouth-watering descriptions or tempting photos -- and you're hungry. If you don't dine out too often, you might be able to splurge on foods that taste good but aren't so good for you. But if you eat in restaurants frequently, you need to know how to find the healthiest foods.

Most restaurants have at least a few healthy options, and these may be noted on the menu. Try not to be fooled, you can ask your server questions about food preparation. In your better restaurants it not the quality of the food they serve, it more about how they prepare the food. To avoid calories, it's best to avoid any meats that have been tenderized in a liquid or foods that are served with a sauce, dressing, or gravy. Anything that's added to enhance the taste. Dry seasoning doesn't have the same number of calories as liquids.

The restaurant may also keep separate menus depending upon what diet is trendy. For example, you may find low-fat, gluten-free, or low-carb options are available. The last couple of sentences was important. Just because your server brings you a menu that doesn't mean you have to order from that menu. Most likely you will have more options if you ask. Sometimes you have to explain your diet requirements.

Let's face it, most people are taking some type of medication and have a restricted diet of some kind.

You still have to examine the selections. Simply being low or free from something doesn't guarantee the special diet fare is any healthier than the regular menu items. The first rule for a dieter, low-fat does not mean low-calorie.

I've been to lots of restaurants. Here are my tips for finding the healthier foods on the menu.

Look for the healthiest entree items:

Fish or seafood such as crab, clams or scallops
Lean meat, like a filet mignon
Poultry, like chicken or turkey
Legumes such as beans or lentils
Vegetarian Entrees  (These can be the healthiest)
Then make sure the cooking method is suitable. You don't want to add too many calories from excess fat or pile on the sodium:

Steamed
Broiled
Baked
Poached
Grilled
These menu items are usually lower in fat and calories as long as they're not drenched in heavy sauces.

Cooking methods to avoid:

Fried
Deep fried
Au gratin
Creamed
Batter fried
Food prepared by these methods are high in fat and calories, and they may be high in sodium, as well.

Speaking of sodium, these foods are very high in sodium:

Pickled anything
Soy sauce
Cocktail sauce
Teriyaki sauce
Soups or broth
Ask to have your meal prepared without these items or have them served on the side.

Choose a salad instead of the soup.

Are all salads good? A lot of them are, especially if they feature lots of greens, vegetables, and fruits, but you can still get too much fat and calories when they're laden with thick creamy dressings and cheese. Order a light vinaigrette instead, or use lemon or lime juice. Stay away from taco salads or salads topped with chicken strips because they're high in fat, calories and sodium.

If you want dessert, choose something that features fresh fruit or berries instead of high-calorie sweets like pies, cakes or ice cream treats.

Don't see any healthy-looking items on the menu? Don't be afraid to ask your server for help. Usually, you can leave out many of the ingredients you don't want or order substitutes. You may be able to purchase a half portion of your meal, or if you have a refrigerator and microwave available, you can take part of your meal to go.

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