While there’s been an increase of families eating at home during COVID-19 (after all, many bars and restaurants closed temporarily and have reduced their hours since), there’s also been an increase in the consumption of fast food. We’re stressed out. We’re tired. We’re juggling work and kids at home on top of feelings of isolation and anxiety.
If we’re honest, we probably don’t want to spend the time planning what to cook, never mind actually doing it. With services that deliver restaurant meals to our homes and the reopening of many businesses, it’s more tempting than ever to spend that extra cash on eating out.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I know I certainly enjoy dine-in and take-out alike.
That said, we do have to be particularly aware of the choices we make at restaurants if we want to maintain optimal health. After all, restaurants are usually known for their decadent flavor more than their healthy options. While the food industry is more accommodating than ever for different dietary needs and desires, we’re still responsible for the choices we make.
Here are five things to consider when you want to make better choices while eating out or ordering in.
5 Considerations for Healthier Restaurant Picks
1) Don’t make it a cheat meal.
When we go out-to-eat (or order in) we tend to view it as a “special” event — even if we’ve already eaten out throughout the week. Still, it’s access to menu items that we may not regularly enjoy or make for ourselves. That alone can create the temptation to break away from your healthy eating habits.
Don’t make a restaurant order a cheat meal. Instead, do your best to stick to your regular healthy habits or dietary standards. Eating low-carb? Don’t order fries or mashed potatoes. Skip the pasta. While we can see eating out as an opportunity to break away from the expected, choosing foods that are particularly heavy, rich, or outside of your norm can not only sabotage your diet’s progress, but it can cause gastrointestinal distress, too.
2) Make substitutions.
Don’t be afraid to ask for customization and substitutions when ordering your food. Ask for more vegetables rather than a serving of starch. Opt for lower-fat and lower-calorie dressings. Inquire about whole grain alternatives to pasta and rice, such as brown rice, quinoa, and barley. Restaurants may offer whole grain buns and bread for your sandwiches, too.
3) Ask for sauce on the side.
There are a lot of hidden calories in sauces and dressings. For example, there are 78 calories in a single tablespoon of Caesar dressing. A whole cup of the stuff tops out at 1241 calories. While it’s doubtful you’ll be given that much dressing, it will likely add up to several hundred extra calories when it’s all said and done. You can reduce your intake of fatty dressing and sweetened condiments by asking for them on the side and only taking what you need.
4) Think about the drink.
Just as condiments and dressings can hide calories from us, so can our drinks. When eating out, opt for ice water or unsweet tea. Tea sweetened with sugar, soda, lemonade, and alcohol are all caloric, particularly if you get refills. If you do want a specialty drink, limit yourself to one and get a refill of water.
Drinking calories is never advisable because they offer no real nutritional benefit — just extra sugar. Just the act of choosing water or unsweet tea can cut your caloric intake by hundreds of empty calories.
5) Make unconventional choices.
Restaurants usually have a portion problem. Resisting the urge to size up to a medium or large at the drive-thru is one thing. Hacking a restaurant menu to reduce your portions is another challenge!
Perhaps the easiest thing you can do to limit and control your portions is to ask for a take-out box or bag from the beginning. Split your meal down the middle and set aside half for later. Not only is it more bang for your buck, but you can better mind how much you consume. Alternatively, split a meal with a friend or with your spouse. Saves money and saves your waistline!
Similarly, choose items that come in small portions. Appetizers, tapas, and a la carte orders are all useful for managing portion sizes. Choosing side salads over whole, a cup of soup versus the bowl, and side or appetizer orders over full meals can reduce how much you receive.
How do you stay on-track when ordering out? Share your tips in the comments.