Top tips for eating healthy when dining out

Don’t go starving

Often we make the mistake to let ourselves get too hungry before going to the restaurant. And before long, the pieces of buttered bread the waiter so kindly brought is demolished before the main meal even arrives, or when the main meal arrives, it is eaten so rapidly, and you end up eating more than we would have if you just had a small snack before we went. Snacking on something small like a piece of fruit with nuts before going is very helpful in order to make healthier choices before going to a restaurant.

Plan ahead and be intentional

If possible, plan to go to a restaurant that has healthy options, or if you have special preferences like an allergy, intolerance or are vegan, find out which restaurants cater to your needs. Most restaurants nowadays publish their menus online. It is easier to make healthy choices if they are already available.

A lot of the times, we are not intentional and don’t really think about our food choices before we arrive at the restaurant and just end up ordering what everyone else is ordering. Have a strong “why” for wanting to eat healthy at the restaurant; are you working towards a performance of physical goal? Do you want to support your health? Keeping your nutritional goals in the back of your mind is very helpful to help you make healthy choices, not just when eating out, but in life in general as well. Don’t be afraid to be vocal about your goals either; if you explain to the people you are with why you are eating in a certain way, most of the time they will actually be inspired by your choices and support you in doing that.

Be the first to order

Have you ever gone to a restaurant with a couple of people and in the end everyone just ends up ordering the same thing? By being the first to order, you might just inspire others to make a healthier choice as well, and you will reduce the chances of changing your healthy order to the super-sized double-cheese-and-bacon burger your neighbour Dave is ordering.

Healthy-up your meals – even if it is not on the menu

As a customer, it is your right to ask the server to make healthier adjustments to your meal. Aim to have a balanced, colourful plate containing some kind of fruit/veg, a healthy starch like a whole grain, a lean protein source (like chicken, fish or plant-based sources of protein like lentils, beans and chickpeas) and a healthy fat (like avocado or nuts). For example:

• Ask for a side salad instead of fries with a meal
• Request salad dressings or sauces to be served on the side (then you can decide how much you want to add to your meal)
• Ask for meats or vegetables to be grilled, not fried
• Ask for whole-grain or rye versions of grains and breads
• Choose leaner cuts of meat like sirloin steak instead chicken breasts of higher fat meat like sausages, T-bone steak, bacon, or porterhouse steak, and cut off visible pieces of fat before eating it.

You can even order things that are not necessarily on the menu – for example, ask the waiter if the chef can prepare a vegetarian dish for you or if it is possible to order grilled chicken and steamed vegetables. Most restaurants will be happy to do that – and there are no harm in asking.

Words to look for

The description used to describe a dish is a good indication of how it was prepared. Words indicating healthier cooking methods include “grilled”, “broiled”, “steamed” while words like “fried”, “battered”, “breaded”, “smothered”, “rich” and “creamy” points to dishes that was prepared with greater amounts of saturated fats.

Share a meal or ask for a takeaway box

Sharing a meal is not only a good option money-wise, some restaurants offer servings that are much larger than the portion sizes that we would normally eat, but once a plate of food is placed in front of us (especially after waiting forever for our order to arrive), we tend to clear the plate regardless of our fullness levels. You can even ask the waiter to bring a takeaway box with your food and package half of it before you start your meal.

Rethink your drink

It is so easy to overconsume sugar and calories by drinking them without even thinking about it. Rather choose water as a beverage, and add a slice of lemon to flavour it.

Eat the rainbow

Look for dishes that have different colours and nutrients. If there is not an option containing vegetables or fruits with the dish you want, you can always ask the waiter to add some as a side dish.

Be mindful

Really take the time to chew and enjoy your food. Notice the smell, the texture and how it makes you feel. Enjoying your meal is why you are there, right? Listen to your hunger and satiety cues by eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full.

And most importantly… Enjoy the experience!

When we go to a restaurant, we go with the intention to have a good time, enjoy the company of others and to enjoy good food. Don’t get so caught up in “having to make the perfect choice” that you forget to have a good time. Remember, elevating your health is a lifestyle. It is okay to indulge in a treat every once in a while. A healthy is more than just physical health; is also social and psychological well-being. So when you go out to a restaurant with friends, know that you can make healthy choices, but really be present and enjoy the time you have with the ones around you.