10 Tips For Healthy Eating in Restaurants

It’s the New Year and like so many people you’ve made your resolution to eat more healthily which is great. Continue to read this blog to find our 10 Tips for Healthy Eating!

However, it feels like your friends and the entire food industry is trying to derail your efforts to eat healthily.

So, how can you eat more healthily when you are dining out at a restaurant.

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Here are some 10 Tips for Healthy Eating

1) Choose the restaurant carefully if possible
If you have influence over where you are eating, then you can choose a restaurant that has more healthily options from the get-go. Sometimes that’s not possible because you are attending someone else’s event so then you want to move onto idea number 2.

2) Check out the menu online beforehand
This is especially helpful if it’s a restaurant you haven’t been to before. You have time to look at all the options to see which ones work with your healthy eating plan and you are much less likely to make a poor choice than if you are “under pressure to decide” with the waiter hovering over you.

3) Have a reservation
If you turn up to a restaurant and there’s a line of people in front of you, you are more likely to overeat because you will be too hungry by the time you get to your table. Make a reservation so your table is ready for you and you can dive straight into the main course, skipping starter and the ubiquitous breadbasket.

4) Eat a healthy snack before you go
By taking the edge off your hunger before you leave home, you will be less likely to over order and overeat. A healthy snack will also help your mindset to make better choices at the restaurant.

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5) Drink water before you go and during the meal
It’s very easy to confuse thirst for hunger, so drink a large glass of water before the meal. This will help you feel fuller so that you consume fewer calories. Choosing water instead of fizzy drinks, fruit juices or alcohol will also reduce the number of calories in your meal.

6) Find out how your food will be cooked
You can ask for lower-calorie options by checking how the food is prepared and removing high-fat sauces or excess oil wherever possible. Food that is usually fried may be able to be prepared in a different way to make it more healthy.

7) Make healthy swaps
Many restaurants will be happy for you to swap out your chips for a baked potato or a salad. Just ask.

8) Keep control over portion size/quantity
Resolve to only have a starter or a dessert, rather than both. Go for the smaller portion size if more than one is offered or consider having two starters if the restaurant is known for large portions.

9) Ask for sauces on the side
Many dishes come with dressings or sauces which can hugely increase your calorie intake if you aren’t careful. Ask for them to be brought on the side of your meal so you can control how much, or even if, you use it.

10) Skip dessert and opt for coffee instead
The dessert could contain as many calories as a starter and main put together so if you are trying to eat healthily, opt for fruit or have a coffee or tea instead to complete your meal.

There are many other ways you could eat more healthily when dining out – What tips do you have for us?

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Check out some of our previous clients’ projects for more ideas on how your vision can be brought to life.

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