15 Rules To Keep You On Track When You Eat Out
1. Skip The Soda 🥤 , Order Water Or Unsweetened Tea ☕️
Most drinks like soda, sweet tea, and alcoholic spirits contain 200+ calories… PER CUP. Opt for water or unsweetened tea to avoid any unnecessary calories. You can add a slice of lemon or lime to jazz it up, or even ask for soda/sparkling water if you are feeling fancy.
2. No Butter 🧈 And Oil
Butter and oil (the quality stuff) can be good for your health, but they can also make the calories add up, especially when eating out (less control over the quantity). You see, at restaurants, more often than not they use vegetable or canola oil, which aren’t exactly top-notch choices. Ask your server to have the cooks omit the butter and oil on your vegetables.
3. Be Cautious Of Dressings
Most salad dressings contain about 75 calories per tablespoon and can contain MSG (often associated with headaches, nausea, and lethargy). Ask your server for vinegar (or a lemon squeeze) and oil, and have your server put it on the side so you can control the portion.
4. Say No To Bread 🍞 & Butter/Chips & Salsa
Who doesn’t love A FREE appetizer?! Ugh… it’s so tempting. Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to stare at it and deny it. Kindly tell your server right away that you don’t want it and ask them not to bring it.
5. Look At The Menu Ahead Of Time 📋
Just as we mentioned in the last lesson, look at the menu online BEFORE you get to the restaurant. Decide what you plan to order ahead of time so you don’t have to look at the menu and see all the drool-worthy photos. This makes it much easier to not be swayed into bad decisions.
6. Order First 🥇
Have you ever ordered last, and in the amount of time it took for everyone else to order, you suddenly changed your mind about what you PLANNED to order and caved? Yeah, me too. When you go out to eat with friends, especially those who you KNOW are probably going to order less-than-healthy options, do yourself a favor and order first!
7. Leftovers – Yay or Nay? 🧐
More often than not, restaurant portions are WAY too big. Plan on taking leftovers home with you for tomorrow’s lunch to avoid overeating in one sitting. But here is the caveat: ONLY take food home if the food you ordered is in line with your goals. The rule for “treat” meals is to NEVER take home leftovers. It’s okay to enjoy a “treat” meal every not and then… but you don’t need to double down by taking leftovers home.
8. Veggies For The Win 🥦🥬🫑
Most entrees come with two sides. Often a vegetable and a starch, but sometimes you get to pick your sides. Rather than doubling up on the starches, opt for one starch and one veggie. Or better yet, double up on the veggies!
9. Order Soup As An Appetizer 🥣
If everyone is ordering appetizers and you are worried you will have to stick your hands in your lap while watching everyone else indulge, order yourself a healthy soup to keep your hands busy! Just make sure when you choose a soup, you steer clear of anything described as “creamy” or “bisque”.
10. Substitute The Bread 🥬
If you order a burger or tacos, ask to have it lettuce wrapped. Most restaurants can now accommodate by replacing the bun or tortillas with lettuce now, as it’s become widely popular. It might be a little messier, but it will save you a lot of calories, and create more room for your veggies on the side!
11. The DIY Fall Back Order 🍗🥦
Ordering a 6 – 8 oz. chicken breast, steak, or fish (cooked without butter or breading) with a side of broccoli, asparagus, or other greens (again, no butter or oil) may not be on the menu, but you can likely order it if they have those ingredients. Don’t be afraid to ask your server and piece a meal together by simply ordering “sides” of each item (side of chicken, side of broccoli, etc.)
12. Avoid Anything With The Following Descriptions 🚫:
- Creamy
- Breaded
- Fried
- Buttery
- Sautéed
- Cheesy
- Smothered
13. Ask The Server For Help 🙋🙋♀️
Your server likely has some inside knowledge about what the healthier options are on the menu (and even possibly some options NOT on the menu)! Don’t be afraid to ask for their expertise.
14. Say No To Fries 🍟 🙅🏾♂️
Fries are cheap to make and come as a side to a majority of dishes in restaurants. Not only are they not healthy, but they are hyper-palatable, which means you can’t have just one! Swap out the fries for a veggie or a side salad.
15. Skip Dessert 🍨
Seems obvious, right? I like to have a rule that I only ever order dessert on a very special occasion or my birthday. If it’s just a random Friday evening and I’m out with my significant other or friends, we always skip dessert. Think of it as only a “special occasion” order.
