How to Eat Healthy at Restaurants

 

• Order fish and seafood as often as you can – restaurants cook them well, and it saves you having to cook them at home if you find fish difficult to handle.

 

• Avoid high-fat starters such as pate or anything deep-fried – opt for soup, salad, prawns, scallops or smoked salmon.

 

• When you order at a restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask for vegetables served without butter, or meat and fish with sauce on the side.

 

• Avoid creamy sauces, pastry and fried foods.

 

• Vegetarian options are not always lower in saturated fat – avoid vegetable dishes with lots of cheese.

 

• You don’t have to miss out on dessert if you choose wisely. Fruit-based puddings, sorbets and meringues are delicious, heart-healthy choices. Or, if you want a richer offering, share the dessert with a friend.

 

• Eat small. Order two entrees or share an entree and then enjoy your main. Ask for a ‘doggie bag’ if you can’t finish everything at one sitting.

 

• Eat slowly and enjoy the conversation with others. This will help you to not overeat.

 

• Watch your alcohol intake. Enjoy a drink or two but sip slowly and intersperse with a mineral water or diet soft drink.

 

• Stir-frying is a healthy cooking method as the ingredients cook quickly while being stirred rapidly in a hot wok or nonstick pan, thereby needing only a spray of oil.