10 Tips for Keeping It Healthy When You Dine Out
We’re much more likely to dine out during sociable gatherings, festivals, holidays, and getaways. But rather than feeling guilt after each mouthful, come to the right resolve prior to the breadbasket even arriving. Permit me to school you on how to consume healthy food while eating out ~
1. Don’t feel like you absolutely have to order an appetiser
I would advise you to get more comfortable with the uncomfortable. It shouldn’t be your concern that the other person at the table is amused you haven’t ordered something to start with. Appetisers more often than not make you overeat, so only order when a dish seems truly tempting, and preferably order just one.
2. Skip the butter & bread
As well as the salsa and potato chips. Instead, order a side salad or vegetable soup. When you consume a leafy green salad with your meal, you consume twelve per cent fewer calories than when you do not have a salad before your main course. The fibre in the salad fills you up, and the acetic acid in the vinaigrette dressing really helps to suppress your appetite {slowing the speed at which your stomach feels empty}. This way you will be content without feeling the need to fill up.
3. Order above the menu
After all, it is a restaurant. Don’t feel limited by what is available on the menu, and ask for what you would like to eat. For example, request for avocado in the salad, for healthy fats or as an alternative to cheese.
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4. Salads can be nutritious
They might be getting a bad reputation lately but when you order properly, salads are still the ideal solution. Focus on greens as your base and put in a protein like seafood or beans. Then add a starchy vegetable or grain-like sweet potato or wild rice, and complete with plenty of vegetables like asparagus, artichokes, and tomato. Obviously, give the croutons and cheese a miss, and stick to a vinaigrette dressing.
5. Watch your portion size
I would advise you to stick to appetiser-size servings for your main course; quite often you will find the portion to be adequate. Your other option would be to split your entrée in half and share with your dining partner, or save for the doggie bag.
6. Choose your vegetables correctly
Every time you order vegetables, have them steamed. Sautéing not only contributes hundreds of calories from the use of oil, but it cooks out almost all of the nutrients and antioxidants that vegetables are known for.
7. Request for olive oil over butter
When you’re able to, ensure the restaurant uses olive oil rather than butter. If olive oil is not an option, request for the dish to be steamed.
8. Makeover your favourites
Theoretically, Mexican cuisine {my husband’s fav.} should not be too unhealthy; ask for lettuce wraps or vegetables with your salsa, and for all dressing and sauces on the side {no cheese or sour cream}. For pizza, select wood-fired, slim crust and wholegrain, when you can.
9. Pass up on alcoholic beverages
Or at least reduce it to just a few glasses weekly. Not only does excessive drinking impact your willpower, but it influences the absorption of natural vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. So, any healthy dish you have ordered ~ just went out the window!
10. Sweet tooth… Ignore it!
Here is some tough love for you. If food cravings or hunger is not the issue, food is not your solution; especially when it comes to dessert. Wait out the craving… it will pass and you will be better for it.
There you have it: 10 tips for keeping it healthy when you dine out. With a little planning, you can make healthier choices when eating out. Do you have any tips you would like to add to the above list? Share with us in the comments below!
I resonate with your way of thinking, and it’s so true that it’s incredibly important to find what sparks a light in us – what a beautiful way of putting it! Thank you again, Tanya, and, have a lovely week! ❤️
Thank you, Jyoti. Have a wonderful week!
I always love ❤️ and respect your perspectives in life. This is simply a fabulous post! Thank you for encouraging us to make healthy choices while dining out.
So lovely to hear from you, Dahlia. Thank you for the kind words 🙂
Eating out doesn’t have to be too difficult when trying to make healthy options. And the truth is that it’s all in your mindset. Thanks for not being a superficial blogger and actually making me think about stuff other than your ootd, Tanya. Have a great week!
Such a lovely compliment. Thank you, Ruby.
I love this article as I always forget to put myself first. Self care is something I never seem to have time for. And on that note, if you start to switch your mindset from “I can’t have that burger and fries, it’s too bad for me.” to “I can have this delicious meal of veggies and chicken, and it will fuel my body and make me feel amazing!” ~ trust me, it makes things a whole lot better. xx
I’m glad this post helped, Shridevi. 🙂
I think we all too often forget to consider how overboard we can go when we dine out, and very rarely pause to think about the after effects! After reading your post, I’m definitely determined to take these pointers more seriously! I choose to look for food that I know would fuel me well!
I’m glad, Gagan.
You’ve done a marvellous job of laying it out for us, Tanya! And, I agree that it’s definitely about consistency and presence of mind. Let’s stop focusing on what we shouldn’t have, and let’s start focusing on what’s going to make us feel amazing and still taste great!
That just about captures it perfectly, Piyu.
You CAN choose healthy when eating out! It bodes well that you would prefer not to live in a bubble and not experience a great restaurant. Just do it intelligently. 🙂
Your perspective on health, maintaining it and what you choose to do in light of it all, is a learning module in itself, Shalyta.
Awesome tips to ease people in, so they can appreciate good food while being vigilant. Eating out shouldn’t only be associated with more indulgent choices especially when you can have them whenever you really want. Thanks for the encouragement!
I am glad that you found this post useful, Suruchi. There’s nothing more likely to upset your health than bad meal choices.
Practical and legitimate advice, Tanya. Practices I have been following for years… yet, should I let my guard down in a nice restaurant… bam! Haha!
I have found making healthy choices refreshing and also positive for my digestive health, Madhavi.
I do think it’s all a matter of choice like you’ve clearly indicated. If you make wise choices, you have a significantly higher chance of repeat behaviour leading to a healthier you. 🙂
Wow, I like that!
I’m happy to see such practical counsel. It truly comes down to common sense, doesn’t it? Another great piece of advice is not to let your guard down. No matter where you are, the food you fuel your body with, is entirely up to you.
Thanks for the comment and tip, Shalini!
Your tips are a fabulous summary of exactly how to avoid as much of the bad stuff as you can, while still enjoying all the good stuff there is to be had! Also remember, you’re paying for the meal, so you can ask to have something modified to fit your needs!
Thanks a bunch for the thoughtful comment, Eeshita.
Thanks for this post; wonderfully helpful advice when it comes to dining out. The thought is to be aware of your environment, particularly when it changes. #dininghealthy #healthyhabits
You are quite welcome, Aparna. Thanks for checking in.
These are great tips for travellers like me, Tanya! If all else fails, go with your gut. 🙂 Thanks again for the advise and encouragement!
Hoping your experiences dealing with stomach issues while travelling are kept to a minimum, Kamala.
Eating healthy doesn’t mean dieting, elimination, or deprivation. It means educating yourself, balancing your portions and foods groups, and having a positive relationship with food. I have been fortunate that I reliably settle on healthy choices, and I am an adherent believer of eating local!
Glad you enjoyed the post, Mamta. Thanks for bringing this up and sharing your point of view.
Awesome tips and it appears you have learned a lot from experience. We often take our health for granted, and restaurants make us think about what we eat a little differently. Thank you for sharing.
Been laughed at, and then had the last laugh the morning after!
A practical and realistic post, Tanya! Can identify with some of your experiences and agree with your excellent tips. I avoid drinking my calories. I drink water or seltzer with some fruit rather than syrup-filled sodas. xx
It comes with the territory, and it comes from experience. Glad to know that my thoughts resonated, Sucharita.
Very good, hearty and healthy meal featured here. In recent weeks I’ve read four to five articles on your blog, and I truly value the kind of thoughtfulness that you put into each post, Tanya. xx
Appreciate your vote of confidence, Pooja.
Gorgeous start to the day. Very wise words and good to read as a reminder. I can “treat myself”; it’s all about moderation and making sure my body is being fuelled with the right foods. Continue to be that force of nature that I know you are, Tanya! ❤️
It’s wise to remember that food is not the enemy…
Such helpful tips, Tanya. This used to be my number one concern. The one thing I focus on now is to plan before I go. I look up the menu and figure out what I’m going to order. It takes the guesswork out and allows me to enjoy the time with my friends and be more present. 🙂
I’m so glad to hear this, Kashish! And, thank you very much for sharing your views.)
Yup, figuring out what to order after healing my gut was a tough one – now I always request more veggies as most restaurants don’t focus enough on the greens or veggies! Thanks for the tips!
Thank you for your warm appreciation, Taiyeba!
Great rules. Especially the last one! ✨
I have become a word detective – I watch out for words like “fried”, “creamy”, or “breaded”. Those are the biggest culprits when it comes to an unhappy gut. And, if I’m unsure, I just ask for it on the side!
Thanks, Babita! If you apply these rules, you can get yourself a healthy dish just about anywhere.
I always love your posts, Tanya. They inhabit everything – beautiful writing, images, and messages. ❤️ Remember, dining out doesn’t have to be stressful. You got this friend!
I truly treasure your love, Richa!
I love this! ✨✨✨
We all love dining out. We don’t have to cook, we don’t have to clean. All we have to do is place our order, eat & pay. Well, I keep in mind portion sizes of everything beyond veggies, taking away any excess starchy food, proteins or fat. 🙂
Glad to hear this, Radhika.
When you’re working on eating healthier, an innocent restaurant menu can be a minefield of possible diet disasters. Thank you for sharing these tips and tricks for enjoying a meal out, without ditching your healthy nutrition goals!
Means a lot that you like it, Ananya!
This makes my heart swell!! And, this photo set is my absolute favourite. Talent and heart explosion! ❤️❤️❤️
Well, these days I’m exhausted from trying to cook everything from scratch. So, I have decided that it is okay to order take out or dine out occasionally.
Dining out isn’t bad as long as you’re choosing the right foods to eat, Anatika.
Love it!! ❤️ Sometimes when we are out with family and friends we are influenced by what others are ordering. I am not saying you can’t indulge but you want to indulge mindfully so you don’t overdo it and wake up feeling crappy.
It’s going to throw you off and make it that much harder to get back to your routine the next morning. Think about what indulgences are worth it and how you can balance them out.
Thank you for resonating with this and your kind appreciation, Jaimini.
Such a good reminder! ❤️ I remember the days when I would try to not eat all day long and save up for the night out so I could eat and drink whatever I wanted at dinner. It was a total binge-fest and left me feeling pretty bad the next morning.
No more “saving up” for the night out…
Sending you great positive vibes, Priyanka!
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could relax instead of trying so hard to make the right food selection? Well, this helps – choose a protein (meat and cheese board) or veggies (salad and crudités), get the essentials on your dinner plate, hydrate, then have your choice of drinks (I love the clear alcohols and no sugary additives!) and if dessert is your thing then have a few bites. You’ll feel satisfied and wake up feeling good too.
Additionally, save some food for later (most places give insane portions & it can be tough to stop yourself from eating it all!!).
I wholeheartedly agree, Bhavya!
Most importantly enjoy yourself and the company you are with! That’s what it’s all about right?