Other issues of Nutrition Advisor

Delicious meals for half the fat

If you are becoming more aware of your waistline and less impressed by the fatty meals often served at restaurants, don't despair. The days of enjoying a nice meal out with your favorite person are not over, even if you are watching your diet. With just a few adjustments, you can still eat out at your favorite restaurant without compromising your swimming suit's integrity.

Portion size
Most restaurants seem to pride themselves on serving extra large portion sizes. But you don't have to feel bad about bruising the restaurant's ego by not finishing your meal all in one sitting. Remember, that's why they invented “doggie bags.”

Have your server wrap up whatever you have left and take it home for lunch the next day. This will save you calories and money! If you feel compelled to keep picking after you're full, have the server wrap half of it up before you even get the meal, ask for appetizer-sized portions or split the entrée with a friend.

Style of preparation
Vegetables and fish are great choices for healthy dining out. However, these can become traps, or better yet, “fat traps,” because some restaurants may sauté everything in butter or oil. Don't think that your steamed vegetables or fish are safe. Ask what goes on the dishes and don't hesitate to ask for those not-so low calorie condiments to be taken off or put on the side so you can control how much dousing your food will receive.

Other tips for dining out

• Have a light snack in the late afternoon so you don't arrive at the restaurant starving.
• If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation and have it served with your food. Drinking on an empty stomach can stimulate your appetite!
• Choose entrees that have vegetables as one of the main ingredients.
• Choose rice, baked potatoes or steamed vegetables as a side dish.
• Look for main dishes that are roasted, broiled, blackened, poached, grilled or baked since these typically contain less fat and calories.
• Ask for garnishes, like cheese, salad dressings, butter, gravy, sauces, sour cream and guacamole to be served on the side. Use them in moderation.
• Ask what type of fat is used in the preparation of the dish. Remember that you can make special requests and ask that the dish be prepared with wine, broth, lemon juice or a small amount of olive oil, rather than butter.
• Like dessert? Fresh fruit, nonfat yogurt, angel food cake and sorbet are some alternative dessert choices to the typical high fat cakes and pastries available at restaurants. But if you're still craving that chocolate torte, split it with a friend!

How making healthy choices can save you calories and fats

“But I don't want to be a pain”
Worried about inconveniencing the staff at your favorite restaurant? Remember, they are in the hospitality industry. Don't be afraid to ask how things are prepared, or if they can be prepared differently. They know a satisfied customer often means a repeat customer.

The Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor is created by registered dietitians and dietetic interns who staff the Nutrition Clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital. For information, contact the Nutrition InfoLine at (203) 688-2422.

For more information on this topic, you could visit:

• Nutrition for healthy living, Yale-New Haven Hospital
• Dining out tips for a healthy heart, Yale-New Haven Hospital
• Nancy Frawley's HealthyEating.net
• Nutrition and food safety, NUFacts Information Center, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Other issues addressed by Yale-New Haven Nutrition Advisor:

• Obesity—it's not just for grown-ups anymore
• Fruits and vegetables: Always in season
• Calcium: Not just for bones anymore!
• Mercury Rising
• A powerful B vitamin: Folate
• Vegging out
• Manic for organic
• Beta carotene
• Shellfish & cholesterol
• Sorting through nutrition information
• Summer fruit sensations
• Make it fun in the sun (outdoor food safety tips)
• Archive

Last revised:March 10, 2005 (jj)

Home page URL: http://www.ynhh.org

All information is intended for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should seek prompt medical care for any specific health issues and consult your physician before starting a new fitness regimen.