I love restaurants. My husband and I (okay, and our 8-year-old son) consider ourselves “foodies” and we relish in trying new cuisines and indulging in expertly made dishes. However, eating out a lot, if you’re not careful, can have negative effects on your health (not to mention your bank account).
This post is not for those special occasions and celebratory meals where you should enjoy whatever you want without thinking about it–and these types of meals absolutely need to be a part of everyone’s diet occasionally. If you haven’t read my 80/20 post, stop now and read that before continuing!
No, this post is for when a restaurant meal isn’t necessarily part of your 20% “Treat Yourself” time, or when you’re trying to enjoy a meal out while still feeling your best and staying on track with your wellness goals.
Steer the Group
Sometimes we have no choice in the restaurant we are going to–it’s someone else’s birthday, convenient location, etc. But if you have any say at all, let your voice be heard and suggest a few restaurants that you know have healthy choices on the menu. There’s nothing wrong with turning down your friend’s suggestion by letting them know: “I have wellness goals that I’m really trying to stick to, and I’d prefer X, Y, or Z restaurant.” Who knows, you may just inspire your dining companion!
A few of my favorites with healthy options:
Table Service Restaurants: True Food, Beatrix, LYFE Kitchen, any sushi or vegan restaurant, any restaurant with salads
Fast Food: Poke Bros/Poke Burrito, Protein Bar, Currito, Panera, Sweetgreen, Chipotle, Potbelly, Freshii, Noodles & Co
Note that I mention these establishments have healthy options. They also have plenty of unhealthy options so do not order with abandon.
Plan Ahead
Raise your hand if you’ve ever been out to eat, and though you weren’t planning on drinking/getting dessert/that big greasy cheeseburger, you ended up ordering it because others at the table ordered it, too. Yep, guilty. It’s VERY easy to be persuaded by other’s choices (ahem, it’s called peer pressure for a reason). Even harder are the dining companions who actively urge you to “live a little,” probably to ease their own guilt about ordering nutrient-poor options (by the way, please don’t be that dining companion).
I am very glad the internet is a thing and most restaurants now post their menus online. This gives me the opportunity to peruse the menu ahead of time and select what I’m going to order. Going in with a game plan makes it a lot easier to stay resolute regardless of what other people order. If I know I might waffle, I don’t even look at the menu at the restaurant.
Plan ahead what you are going to order, as well as what you are definitely NOT going to order.
Be Sally
When Harry Met Sally is one of my favorite movies. Remember the scene where Sally orders her lunch? “I’ll have the chef’s salad with oil and vinegar on the side and the apple pie a la mode…I’d like the pie heated, and I don’t want the ice cream on top, I want it on the side, and I’d like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it. If not, then no ice cream, just whipped cream but only if it’s real. If it’s out of a can, then nothing.”
Sometimes when I’m ordering my food I get a little self-conscious asking for substitutions or specifics. But then I remind myself to embrace my inner Sally. Don’t be afraid to order exactly what you want in order to get the healthy and tasty meal you envision. If it’s something they have on the menu elsewhere, chances are they can substitute. Sauces and dressings can almost always be served on the side. A little trick I learned: asking for olive oil and lemon slices in place of salad dressing is available at most restaurants, tastes delicious, and saves you from unwanted added sugars and unhealthy oils in dressings. I am considering ordering single serve olive oil packets to carry in my purse for just this reason.
One or Two of Four, No More
The Foodtrainers Podcast, although not currently releasing new episodes, is a fantastic source of practical nutrition advice. I’ve heard every single episode. One of my favorite tricks they taught me that I always pass on to clients is a catchy little ditty called “One or two of four, no more.” The idea is that at any restaurant meal, there are four categories that can sabotage your meal, nutritionally speaking: the breadbasket, alcohol, carby entrees, and dessert.
The advice is to choose (again, ahead of time) one or two of these categories in which to indulge, while skipping the others. Personally I always pass on the bread basket so that’s a no-brainer for me, which leaves me to decide on a cocktail or wine with dinner, pasta, or dessert. I love this plan because it allows for choice without deprivation, and it works very well if you know you’re going to be eating out a lot, such as while travelling.
With a little planning ahead, your restaurant meals can be delicious and fun while allowing you to stay on track with your health goals! Enjoy!
~Nicole
