Eating out Without the Guilt

By Morea Donahue, 2017 Napa State Hospital Dietetic Intern

​Let’s face it; eating out is a part of life. It has become a convenient way to catch up with friends and family, and eat a wonderful meal while not having to think about any dirty dishes. What’s not to love? With many mouth-watering restaurants all over Solano County, it’s pretty easy to find a restaurant you enjoy that doesn’t even have to break the bank. Unfortunately, our taste buds can sometimes override our judgment to make healthy choices as soon as we sit down in that comfy booth with fun music playing and the smell of potato skins and garlic fries passing every two minutes.

With the amount of health-conscious restaurants on the rise, there are certainly places to go that won’t hinder your health goals. However, many of these places that offer fresher, organic ingredients can often be pricey. Luckily, there are many things that you can do to eat healthfully while out at just about any kind of restaurant. Keep reading to learn five easy tips for eating out without sacrificing the flavor and enjoyment that comes with it.

1. Stick with WATER: Seems simple, but this is one of the easiest ways to keep your calories at a reasonable amount while out. If you want to be a little fancier, ask for sparkling water, water with lemon or infused with any fruit, or even an unsweetened iced tea. I’m all for treating yourself in moderation, so if you are really craving that soda that you’re used to getting, try your best to order a diet version to reduce the carbs and sugar that easily add up. Large chain restaurants often offer fun drinks to sip on while you wait for your meal, like flavored lemonades and fruity daiquiris, but don’t be tempted-the amount of sugar in these drinks is over-the-top!
2. Before you go, eat a snack: This may sound odd, as it’s easy to have the mind set of saving your calories for the big meal that night or building up an appetite, but eating a small snack roughly an hour before heading out can make a huge difference. It doesn’t have to be big or overly-filling. Try a handful of unsalted nuts, string cheese or a small piece of fruit to reduce your risk of going into a meal starving. Don’t worry, this won’t squash your appetite, but it will save you when that fresh loaf of complimentary sourdough and butter is staring at you. Studies show that when blood glucose levels drop, so does our self-control when it comes to food choices. Think about it, have you ever been so hungry that you would eat anything in front of you? Like those donuts in the break room? We’re much more susceptible to say “why not?” to a sugary treat when we’re hungry, as opposed to if we had just eaten a satiating, well-rounded meal.
3. Watch the portion size: It’s no secret that portions in restaurants are often enormous. They rarely are a true single serving, but rather two or three. When it is placed in front of us, the temptation to finish the plate can be high, all while totally ignoring our fullness cues. One of the best tips I can suggest is when you order, ask for a to-go box with it. When your food comes, immediately split your meal in half (if you feel that it is clearly more than one serving) and place half of it in the box, close it and set it aside. This way, our eyes will see the serving left on our plate and we will be able to truly experience when we are full. When we eat in large groups, sitting for longer periods of time and picking mindlessly at our meals can lead to it vanishing right before our eyes! You can also order a side salad and fill up on that along with half of your meal, instead of eating the whole thing. This is especially important for carb-heavy meals like large pasta dishes or delicious deep-dish pizza.
4. Planning & deciphering the menu: Having a guilt-free meal out can often be credited to planning before you even get to the restaurant. Research menus of the places that you are thinking of going ahead of time, that way you go into the meal with a game plan as far as picking a health option. Doing your research can also help you discover that maybe there’s no healthy options at that particular restaurant, and in that case you may want to pick somewhere else. Also, many restaurant chains now list the nutrition facts of their items online, which can make you as informed as possible and you may even change your mind when you see just how many calories are in that white chocolate macadamia nut pizookie you’ve had your eyes on. Along the lines of deciphering the menu, it’s good to know what food verbs to pick out as well as the ones to avoid. If you can, try your best to stay away from buffets and all-you-can eat specials. Sure, you usually get a good ‘bang for your buck’ but these are easy traps to over-eat. Say yes to: “Oven-baked, steamed, grilled, broiled and poached”. Save for special occasions: “Deep-fried, breaded, battered, crispy, bisque”
5. Make exercise a part of the dining-out experience: This is a really easy way to get your steps in either before or after your meal. If you are eating at a restaurant in a downtown area, make the point of parking farther away and exploring some of the shops along the way. Doing this afterwards is also a great way to walk off some of your meal instead of getting straight in the car and going to bed if it’s a dinner date. This could also mean walking to lunch with a coworker during your lunch break instead of getting in the car. You may want to call the restaurant ahead of time to order your meal, as a brisk walk can lengthen your travel time. There’s nothing worse than feeling overly-stuffed after a big meal, but that can easily be relieved by a nice stroll.

 
As nice as eating out can be, I also encourage you to realize the benefits of eating at home. Cooking together is a great way to bring people together and spending time in the kitchen often leads to many wonderful memories. When you make your own meals, you save money and know exactly what is going into them, from the amount of oil used to the dashes of salt. I truly believe that all foods have a place in our diet, both for our stomachs and also for our soul. Food is meant to be enjoyed, but it does not mean ignoring your long-term health goals.
 
I hope that you find yourself using some of these tips at your next night on the town, and saying goodbye to that post-feast guilt that some of us may know all too well.

References:

• https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-science-willpower/201111/stress-sugar-and-self-control
• https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/DiningOut/Dining-Out_UCM_304183_SubHomePage.jsp
• http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/eating-out/tips-for-eating-out