Healthy Choices When Eating Out

Here are some tips for when eating out.

Fast Food:

Order a plain hamburger or a junior roast beef sandwich. Order a grilled chicken sandwich, not fried chicken sandwiches, or chicken nuggets/strips. Order fresh, baked, broiled, or grilled, not fried, deep-fried, or batter-dipped.

Order with limited toppings and no cheese, not with special sauce, mayonnaise, or cheese. Order small or child-sized, not mega-sized, extra-large, or value packed. Order items singly such as fruit/yogurt, salads with fat-free dressings, or carrot sticks, not large servings of French fries. Avoid fried seafood and fried fish sandwiches.

American/Deli:

Order a sandwich on whole-wheat bread, not a croissant. Order fruit, not cole slaw. Order salads with dressings on the side or broth soups, not cream soups. Order stir-fry vegetable dishes, not French fries. Order broiled fresh fish, not fish topped with heavy dressings and mayonnaise. Order fajitas, not food served in a crispy tortilla shell. Order blackened chicken or fish, not burgers, cheesesteaks, clubs, and melts. Order spicy chicken, not meat dishes in creamy, garlic butter, or Alfredo sauces. Order sides of lettuce and tomato, not sides with cheese.

To help fill you up, order sides of green peppers or onions, not large, jumbo, piled high or stacked main courses. Order blackened, mesquite-grilled, and charbroiled, not fried appetizers. Order marinated and broiled, not golden, crispy, or deep fried. Order appetizers, not entrees.

Seafood:

Order mahi, mahi; monkfish, or mussels, not creamy/white chowder or bisque. Order poached salmon or steamed halibut and vegetables, not fish and chips. Order mesquite grilled tuna or swordfish kabobs, not baked, stuffed, or rolled fish. Order blackened bluefish, not Thermidor. Order broiled, blackened, and Cajun style, not prepared high fat with oil and butter. Order with herbs, spices and cilantro, or in mustard dill sauce, not served with cream/cheese sauce. Order barbecued or kabobs, not fried clams/fish. Order poached and freshly cooked, not breaded and fried, or batter-dipped. Order dinner salad, not cole slaw. Order broiled, not pan fried. Order extra lemon wedges to squeeze over food, not toppings of butter and sour cream.

Italian:

Order pastas, meats, seafood, or poultry, not manicotti, cannelloni, tortellini, and lasagna. Order marinara, primavera, white or red clam sauces, mushroom and wine sauces, not pesto sauces. Order fish, scallops, and chicken, not prosciutto ham and pancetta. Order tomato-based sauces, red or white wine sauce, and light mushroom sauce, not Alfredo, carbonara, and parmigiana. Order primavera, Florentine (spinach) style, not stuffed with cheese. Order appetizer sizes, not entree servings. Order appetizers like squid, mussels, clams, marinated vegetables, and soup, not bread. Order a full dinner but only eat half of it (pack it to go).

Mexican:

Order gazpacho, chili con carne, or black bean soup, not chili con queso, guacamole, or refried beans. Order extra salsa, not a layer of refried beans. Order chicken or beef enchiladas, burritos, soft tacos or fajitas, not nachos, fried items, melted cheese and refried beans. Order black beans, not tortilla chips. Order shredded, spicy chicken or beef, not chorizo (Mexican sausage).

Order salsa topping,not sour cream, guacamole, or black olive toppings. Order dishes covered with enchilada sauce, not covered with shredded cheese. Order grilled, marinated, or simmered, not fried. Order wrapped in a corn tortilla, not served in a fried tortilla shell. Order salad with soft tortillas on the side, not salad in a fried tortilla shell.

Chinese:

Order chicken, not duck. Order brown rice, not white rice. Order simmered, steamed, roasted, or sizzling, not fried, breaded, or crispy. Avoid sweet-and-sour dishes, egg rolls, shrimp, and wontons that are fried, egg foo yung and "in bird's nest".

Source: Nutrisystem Meal Planner

By Vivian P.