5 Tips to Eating Well When Out
With the good weather finally here and the mask mandate, so is terrace season — and you know what that means…we are all more likely to find ourselves enjoying a nice meal at a restaurant or a rooftop bar!
According to the latest edition of the Canadian Food Guide, eating in good company can help contribute to living a healthier lifestyle. However, it is also recommended to prioritize eating home-cooked meals most of the time in order to reduce the consumption of foods rich in sodium, saturated fats and (added) sugars — which can increase your risk of developing certain chronic illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes when consumed too often.
Even so, it’s always fun to eat out once in a while!
Want to find a healthy balance? Follow along to find out how you can easily make healthier decisions when eating out.
1. Read the menu beforehand
Planning ahead is always an efficient way to make food decisions that are both healthy and right for you. For one, by choosing your meal before you get too h(a)ngry, you will be able to make smarter decisions and avoid overdoing it (i.e. over-ordering!). Secondly, you’ll also be able to browse the menu for the best options fit for you and to enjoy it to the fullest.
Here are couple of things you should look out for.
Choose more often:
Baked, grilled, broiled or poached items
Tomato-based pasta sauces
Meals with lots of vegetables, fruits and/or whole grains
Avoid/limit
Fried, pan-fried or sautéed items
Cream or cheese-based pasta sauces
Highly processed foods, such as cured meats
2. Start small
When everything on the menu seems delicious, it can be easy to order more food than you can eat. That said, instead of ordering all your items at once, start with one dish per person and if possible, share. That way, you’ll also have a better idea of the food portions, and if you’re still hungry afterwards, you can order accordingly!
3. Don’t force yourself to finish the food on your plate
Remember that taking your leftovers home with you is always an option. If you’re already full, it’s never a good idea to keep eating. Overeating can cause heartburn, bloating and make you feel generally uncomfortable. That being the case, don’t be shy to ask for the doggy bag option to go.
4. Ask for sauces, dips and dressings on the side
Restaurant sauces and dressings are often highly processed and excessive. By ordering your sauces on the side, you can use only the amount you need and avoid eating unnecessarily large amounts of sodium, saturated fats and sugar.
5. Choose water as your first choice of beverage
A simple way to limit your consumption of sugar and alcohol when eating out is to choose water as your first drink of choice. This will benefit not only your health, but your wallet as well! In the same line of thought, be sure to take the bit of drinking lots of water before and during your meal, and ask your waiter for a refill if need be.
Remember, moderation is key!
Eating out can be part of a healthy diet & lifestyle so long as it remains an occasional occurrence. To help reduce or moderate the habit of eating out too often, try:
Cooking with others at home — Attempt to recreate your favorite restaurant meals, or invite your over friends for a potluck!
Planning ahead — Have snacks and water on hand for whenever you leave the house.
Diversifying your social interactions — Find a hobby you like to do with others, like walking, biking or engaging in an outdoor activity!
Investing in a quality cookbook — Keep things interesting and diversify your meal rotations!
What are your favourite ways to make healthy decisions when eating out?
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