Americans eat more than 20 percent of meals outside of their homes and spend more than 40 percent of their food budgets in restaurants. Long work days and fast-paced lifestyles have driven many families toward the convenience of restaurant dining rooms, drive-through windows, home delivery, and carry-out meals.

Unfortunately, large portions, high-calorie food preparation techniques, and add-ons such as rolls and desserts have made restaurant meals a contributing factor to overweight and obesity. However, with some planning and thought, it is possible to eat a healthy meal away from home.

The type of restaurant you choose can help determine how healthy your food will be. If you are health conscious, visit restaurants that offer selections that fit with your dietary needs. Restaurants that offer a variety of foods prepared with a variety of cooking methods such as baking, steaming, and grilling in additional to deep frying.

Ask your server about substitutions, such as a salad instead of French fries or fruit instead of chips. Restaurants that offer buffets or “all you can eat” deals can often be a place to overeat.

No matter what you chose for dining, delivery, or take out, you can always control your own calorie and fat intake. To control your hunger and prevent overeating at mealtime, try eating a small snack such as an apple before your meal.

If you order an appetizer, consider a broth or tomato-based soup, which may be relatively low in calories and may give you a feeling of fullness. If you are with other people, suggest sharing appetizers.

If bread is served as an appetizer, skip the butter or spread and eat only one piece. Better bread choices include whole-wheat rolls, French bread, or unbuttered bread sticks.

Salad can be one of the healthiest selections on the menu but may be a poor choice if it is laden with high-fat toppings. Skip the cheese, olives, and bacon bits and go for lots of fresh vegetables like green peppers, broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes. Make your salad is a rainbow of colorful veggies and request that low-fat or fat-free dressing be served on the side.

Beverages can add unnoticed calories to your meal. Lower calorie choices include water, unsweetened tea or tea with a low-cal sweetener, coffee (minus cream and sugar), and diet soda. Sweet tea, juice, regular sodas, milkshakes, and fruit drinks often have high calorie content. Alcohol is high in calories; so if you drink, do so sparingly.

When ordering an entree, consider how the food is prepared. If the food is described as fried, sauteed, breaded, battered, tempura, creamed, scalloped, crispy, au gratin, or basted, avoid it. These words indicate the dish is high-calorie, either because it has absorbed butter or oil through frying or because of the addition of ingredients like cream, butter, or cheese.

Look for healthier alternatives that have been poached, steamed, roasted, broiled, stir-fried, or grilled. If ordering meat, ask for a lean cut and trim away any visible fat.

Some restaurants offer low-sugar and reduced-calorie desserts for people on special diets. If you really want to eat a dessert, plan ahead and reduce what you eat for the rest of the day to accommodate the extra calories.

Another idea is to look for fruit salad in the menu’s salad section. Fruit is a healthier alternative to traditional desserts and still gives a sweet taste.

In Mexican restaurants, avoid foods that are fried, like chimichangas and nacho chips. Black beans and pinto beans are lower-fat than refried beans. Chicken, seafood and beans are generally better choices than beef or pork. Many Mexican dishes are covered in high-calorie cheese, guacamole, and sour cream; so request salsa as a topping instead.

When eating pizza, reduce calories by choosing a thin crust and replacing bacon, sausage, and pepperoni with leaner meats, such as chicken and ham. Add vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms and ask if low-fat cheese or cheese-less pizza is an option.

You can eat lighter in an Italian restaurant by avoiding cream sauces, pestos, and meat sauces; opt for tomato-based sauces such a marinara instead. Ask about whole wheat pastas, which are healthier than traditional pasta. In dishes like eggplant parmesan, ask if the eggplant can be baked, not fried.

In Asian restaurants, look for foods that are steamed rather than fried. For example, steamed rice would be a healthier choice than fried rice. If your table has only regular soy sauce, request a lighter version. Look for dishes where the vegetables are stir-fried, grilled or steamed and avoid the tempura vegetables.

Delis typically offer a wide variety of sandwich fillings. Lean meats like ham, turkey, or chicken are healthier options than bologna, salami, or pepperoni. Choose whole grain breads if they are available, and substitute mustard for mayonnaise or oil on your sandwiches.

Eating out is an enjoyable experience and by making good choices, a dinner on the town can be a healthy dining experience.

Marna Holland, Parent Educator
Asheville, NC, City Schools Preschool, and Instructor, Western Carolina University

ABC’s Of Eating Out, www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/nutrition/348-951/348-951.html

Dining Out, www.lowfatlifestyle.com/diningout.htm

Eating Well, www.aarp.org/health/staying_healthy/eating/

Fast Food Report Card, ww1.heartandstroke.ca/images/english/EatingOut.pdf

Tips for Healthy Eating Out, www.uhs.wisc.edu/docs/uwhealth_eating_out_203.pdf