Thursday, January 2, 2014

Healthy Restaurant Eating

Healthy Restaurant Eating
General Tips:
Ø  Don’t arrive starving (don’t skip meals prior, don’t overdo pre-meal foods or SKIP)
Ø  Skip the fried stuff
Ø  Check out websites for healthiest choices in advance
Ø  Cut your meal in half (save for later or split with a friend)
Ø  Don’t drink your calories
Ø  Personalize it (sauce on side, extra vegetable, substitutions)
Ø  Avoid buffets
Ø  Use the Plate Method
















Mexican Restaurant:
Ø  Portion out 15 chips and send the rest back (or skip entirely)
Ø  “On the rocks” vs. frozen margarita (or just drink WATER)
Ø  Choose a veggie burrito
Ø  Fajitas with chicken and veggies (limit to 2 tortillas, skip the extras)
Ø  Chicken soft tacos or Fish tacos (NOT fried)
Ø  Sub corn or wheat tortillas (fewer calories and a good whole grain source) or NAKED J
Ø  Grilled chicken with vegetables
Ø  Use salsa as dressing and skip the cheese and sour cream
Ø  Don’t eat the bowl if choosing taco salad
Italian Restaurant:
Ø  Skip the breadbasket
Ø  Choose soup and Salad
Ø  Stick to plain pastas with red sauce and skip the added cheese
Ø  Grilled chicken or fish and vegetables (Chicken Cacciatore)
Ø  Box at least half your entrée before eating
Pizza:
Ø  Order  thin and crispy crust
Ø  Vegetarian pizza
Ø  Half the cheese
Ø  Stick to 2 slices and a big salad
Asian Restaurant:
Ø  Start with soup instead of egg roll (skip the crunchy noodles)
Ø  Chicken, shrimp or tofu with vegetables in light sauce (NOT fried)
Ø  Choose brown rice when available
Ø  Limit to one cup of rice (NOT fried!)
American Restaurant:
Ø  Start with a broth-based soup or salad with vinaigrette dressing (on side and use lightly)
Ø  Skip the breadbasket
Ø  Choose whole grain bread for sandwiches, or open-faced
Ø  Grilled fish, pork tenderloin or chicken and vegetables
Ø  Make a meal at the salad bar (limit toppings like cheese, bacon, croutons, dressing)
Ø  Top baked potatoes with salsa or steak sauce instead of butter and sour cream
Ø  Watch portion size on steak and choose leanest cuts (sirloin, flank, tenderloin)

Fast Food:
Ø  6” Subway sub with carrots or fruit for side item (skip mayo, ½ cheese)
Ø  Grilled chicken sandwich (skip the mayo)
Ø  Small or Junior hamburger (Happy Meal)
Ø  Turkey or veggie burger with non-fried vegetable side dish
Ø  Salad with low fat salad dressing (skip cheese and croutons)
Ø  Don’t assume something is healthy/low cal—look it up

My Favorite “Best Bites” Restaurant Meals… These meals have 500 calories or less:
·       Chick Fil A – Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich, Fruit Cup and Diet Lemonade (370)
·       Taco Bell - Two Fresco Soft Beef Tacos with Mexican Rice and a bottle of water (470)
·       Subway - 6-inch Roast Beef Sub on 9-Grain (no cheese, oil or mayo) with Veggie Delite Salad with Fat-Free Italian Dressing and Medium Unsweetened Iced Tea (400)
·       Panera – Spinach Power Salad and Unsweetened Tropical Hibiscus Herbal Iced Tea (460)
·       Pizza Hut - Two Slices Thin ‘N Crispy Pizza (12") with Quartered Ham & Pineapple, and Medium Diet Coke (360)
·       McDonalds - Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich with a Side Salad with Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, and a Medium Unsweetened Iced Tea (480)
·       KFC - 3 Crispy Strips with Green Beans and 3" Corn on the Cob, and a Medium Diet Pepsi (475)
·       Mooyah – Turkey Iceburger with pickles and tomato, Small Fries and water (495)
·       Ruby Tuesday’s  – Top Sirloin steak with Steamed Broccoli (471)
·       Applebee’s – Weight Watchers Jalapeño Lime Shrimp (300)
·       Olive Garden – Herb Grilled Salmon (480)
·       Red Lobster – Oven Broiled Fish, Steamed Broccoli and Side Salad w/ Red Wine Vinaigrette (480)
·       Chilis – Chicken Fajitas w/o tortillas and condiments (330) (or “naked” Fajita Trio for 510)
·       Outback – Outback Special 6 oz. with Grilled Asparagus and Mixed Seasonal Veggies (403)

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