Dining out is a normal part of our lifestyle and sometimes cannot be avoided. Does the thought of eating a meal out make you so stressed you just want to pack it all in? Do you feel that you have no control at a restaurant?

Being healthy when you go out can be very simple, as long as you know what to be aware of. Here are our tips on how to best manage your meals out without it turning into a blowout.

Choosing a Restaurant

If you are organising a night out at a restaurant, research the options and make an informed choice:

• Look at restaurants’ menus online and choose a restaurant that offers low fat and lower energy dishes such as grilled fish and chicken, salads, vegetables and pasta with tomato-based sauces.
• Choose a restaurant that is willing to support your eating goals. Call ahead and ask if the restaurant has a flexible chef who is willing to reduce the fat content of their dishes.
• Avoid restaurants that feature ‘all you can eat’ specials or buffets. Even with good intentions, it’s hard to resist the variety of foods on offer. Studies show that most people will eat more when offered a variety of appetising foods, often with the intention of maximising their value for money.

Drinks

The first part of most meals involves a drink. Alcohol is extremely energy-dense and nutrient-poor, as each 1 gram of alcohol contains 29kJ (or 7 calories) – which is a lot. We recommend requesting a glass of water with lemon upon being seated instead of consuming a high energy alcoholic drink. It will quench your thirst, and also aid with digestion. However, if you do choose to have a drink or two, ensure you are doing it at a time when you will actually enjoy your alcoholic beverage. This is usually best before or even after a meal while you’re socialising.

Menu Choices

Even if you don’t choose the restaurant you eat at, you can still control what you eat! So, choose a nutritious option. Here are a few really easy steps to help ensure you make the best decision:

• Order first to maintain your resolve. Avoid discussing the menu with other people and if you know what you want before you arrive at the restaurant, don’t even look at the menu!
• Ask your waiter questions about the restaurant’s ingredients and preparation techniques Customise your meal and have it prepared to your liking. Don’t be afraid to assert yourself - you are paying for the meal!
• Watch portion sizes – order an entrée size meal as a main, go for tapas style meals or share a large main with a friend. Keep in mind that you will enjoy the foods you desire more if you eat them in moderation and know that they are not negatively impacting your weight management efforts. Ask yourself is this quality food that I will enjoy eating? Is it worth the extra calories?
• If you are ordering a meal which includes meat, select a leaner cut of meat so that you avoid the overconsumption of saturated fats. Even though these meats might be delicious, you aren’t doing your body any favours. Even if your meat does come with fat, ensure that you are cutting it off
• Look at the way in which your meal is being prepared and the cooking method, as this can often hide a lot of unnecessary saturated fats. Try to stay away from anything that is deep fried and cooked in a lot of oil, and instead opt for a healthier cooking method such as: baking, roasting, steaming or grilling
• Request minimal oil or butter in your meal (even when you are ordering vegetables, as chefs often add oil or butter). Ask to forgo cream, dressings or sauces, or at least ask for them on the side
• Choose potato dishes carefully. If you are having baked potato as a main dish, choose low fat toppings or ask for sour cream on the side. If you are having potato as a side dish, your best choice is boiled potato, followed by mashed

Sides & Accompaniments

Firstly, refuse side orders if you don’t want them: if they appear on your plate you are likely eat them. If you do want a side, here are some simple tips to follow:

• Try to swap that tempting bowl of fries for a salad or a side vegetables. Fries, especially when accompanied with a sauce, contain an exceptionally high amount of saturated fats and sodium. Even if your meal does come with fries, most restaurants will allow you to replace it with some vegetables instead
• If you do choose to have a salad, always ensure that you ask to have your dressing on the side. Dressings often contain a lot of saturated fat and sodium, and by asking to have it on the side, it allows you to control how much you have and prevents you from overindulging.
• Refuse bread altogether; or at least ask for plain bread instead of garlic or herb bread

Desserts

Finally, where most of us tend to struggle when it comes to maintaining our healthy behaviours is when ordering dessert. Even though you may have been disciplined throughout your entire meal, almost all of us crave a little sweet treat at the end, so we often find it difficult to turn down the offering. However, when it comes to ordering dessert, there are healthier options that you can opt for.

• Wait at least 20 minutes after you main course to check if you still want to eat dessert. If you decide you would like to, share it
• A fruit platter is always a wonderful option and is something that is offered by a lot of restaurants. This is a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth, while consuming a wide variety of essential vitamins and minerals to make your body happy
• Try a cup of tea instead of your usual coffee at the end of a meal. Most places offer a wide variety of different teas, with your best options being chia, green and peppermint tea, as they all aid with digestion. However, if you are particularly sensitive to caffeine, it might be best to choose a peppermint or camomile tea at night time
• If you cannot manage to turn down that delicious looking piece of cake, instead of having it to yourself, split the dessert between two or three people. When it comes to sweets cravings, we usually only require a small amount so that these food desires pass

Final tips

• Have a healthy snack before you leave home (e.g. fruit, crackers, yoghurt or a sandwich). That way you won’t arrive at the restaurant feeling hungry, you’ll be more selective about your food choices and feel satisfied with a smaller amount of food. You can save money – and energy!
• Eat slowly to enjoy your meal and the restaurant’s atmosphere. Allow 15-20 minutes to eat your meal and take a break when you begin to feel satisfied
• Focus on non-food related pleasures such as the fact that you do not have to cook or clean up. Concentrate on the conversations you are having with family or friends
• Utilise the hunger scale when eating out – aim for a point of satisfaction not fullness. Often restaurant meals are very large so remember it is more than okay to not finish a meal if you have had enough

Afterwards evaluate how you managed your meal – which strategies worked well, which not so much and whether there were factors you didn’t account for. This will help in your planning for future events. If you have overdone it, how are you going to compensate for this? You may like to add in an extra walk or exercise session for the week ahead.

Overall, dining out should be a pleasurable experience, not one of fear or guilt. Be sure to chat to your LifeShape Dietitian for help with planning your next event.