Dining out is by far the most convenient choice, whether you’re having a work lunch, having dinner with a special someone, or rushing through the fast food line to make sure the kids eat before night. Unfortunately, anyone wanting to lose weight or lead a healthy lifestyle will find that eating out frequently presents a significant challenge.
When you don’t really have the time to prepare a meal, eating out might be a convenient alternative or a great treat every now and again. However, if you frequently eat out, the fat, calories, sugar, and sodium can mount up rapidly. When you next eat out, use these suggestions to choose healthier options.
Plan Ahead Of Dining Out
Don’t come hungry to a restaurant. Before going out to eat, eat a fiber-rich snack to prevent yourself from plunging right into the bread basket. This also helps you keep a clean palette and allows you to enjoy your meal better.
To prepare your order in advance, you may also look up the restaurant’s menu’s nutritional information online ahead of time. Moreover, if you can, place your order first. By doing this, you’ll be less prone to order extras like fries or other unhealthy things after hearing about such food being ordered by your friend.
Don’t Hesitate To Modify Your Order
Order a healthy side dish or order two servings of nutrient-dense superfoods like broccoli, spinach, and salad greens. You may not feel it then, but spicy food items that you have at the beginning can affect how well you’ll like the rest of the meal. Any entrée can be ordered with extra vegetables. Ask for less oil and salt. Additional to using less oil, request the veggies to be steamed instead. You can also Ask for dressings and sauces on the side. Get mild cheese on your pizza, spaghetti, and salad orders.
Maintain Balance In Your Meal
You don’t have to skip a dish you really enjoy just because it’s a special occasion meal. Balance your food instead: Start off by filling up on a side salad packed with nutrients with some dressing on the side, and then order a side of steamed vegetables, or go with fruit instead of fries. Consume less of your favorite entree. Share it with your dining partner or pack half of it for lunch the next day.
Watch The Size Of Portions
While most fancy restaurants serve very minute portions of the dish you order, others tend to serve excessive portions. Some dishes have more than enough caloric intake for two or even three people to share. Along with picking lighter dishes, set aside a suitable portion and commit not to let your fork across the plate. Even better, request a to-go container ahead of time.
As soon as your dinner is served, pack half of it to take home. Or share an entree with your dinner partner. We pack as much food as possible in the brief window of time we have available for feeding ourselves. The problem is that it takes the brain around 20 minutes to register that your stomach is full. It’s likely that if you learn how to eat slowly, you’ll consume less food.
Explore The Menu Before Visiting The Restaurant
Most restaurants tend to offer dishes that, in reality, are quite different from what you would expect when looking up the place. You should look up reviews. Avoid fried, breaded, or creamy foods when pursuing a new menu. Instead, look for broiled, baked, grilled, or steamed dishes. The way items on the menu are described can tell a lot about how the dish is made. This can help you decide what you want to include in your meal even before you pull up at the restaurant.
Things To Remember
It’s best to do some research before you actually go to dine out. This can help you get an idea about the pricing and the kind of dishes they offer. Here are a few things to remember that are a must before you dine out.
- Nowadays, a lot of restaurants put their nutrition information online. This helps to ensure you are not caught off guard by the number of unhealthy temptations when you actually go there.
- Eat a little snack first to stave off hunger. Before heading to the restaurant, eat an ounce of almonds or an apple to suppress your hunger.
- Set up a reservation. Your appetite will worsen while you wait for a table.
Concluding Thoughts
As more restaurants and takeaways are converting and accepting digital forms of payment, gift cards have become one of the best ways to pay for your meal. You will get attractive discounts and offers on subsequent purchases from the same establishment. You can also buy restaurant gift cards from Coingate in exchange for popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum to make hassle free payments.
