When faced with a menu it can be difficult to know if you are making a healthy decision, or if the food you order will head straight for your waistline!
Read the following tips on how to eat healthy while dining out, and dine out guilt free!

Steer Clear of Buffet Style Restaurants: Since
buffet style restaurants offer you an unlimited
amount of food, the result is often major
overeating. You feel the need to not only get your
money’s worth, but also to sample everything that
catches your eye. Buffets often have high fat foods
such as cream-based salads and fried foods, which
are quite tempting and appealing to the palate.
Avoid putting yourself in a buffet line, and stick
with ordering a portioned meal instead.

Pay Attention to How things are Cooked: You can
learn a lot about what a dish will do to your
waistline by knowing how it was cooked. Food items
that are fried are always going to be higher in fat
and calories, and should be avoided. Order foods
that have been baked, steamed, broiled or roasted,
and your waist will thank you.

Watch Out For Creamy Dressings: When you are
ordering watch out for cream based dressings.
Alfredo, ranch, and thousand island are all culprits
when it comes to fat and calorie saturation. If the
dish that you wish to order contains a creamy
dressing, ask your waiter for another option, or
order the dressing on the side and eat a small
portion of it.

Control Portion Size: Most restaurant meals are two
or more times larger than a typical meal we would
eat at home. This means that you end up eating
calories that you really don’t need. Ask your waiter
for a to-go box when you order your food and fill it
with half of your meal as soon as you get it. This
will keep you from eating more than you should, and
you have lunch ready for tomorrow!

Eat Vegetables: Order meals that contain fresh
vegetables or salad rather than carbohydrate filled
rice or pasta. Vegetables are healthier for you and
will fill you up with fiber and vitamins rather than
carbohydrates or fat.

Share Dessert: Nothing tops off a great meal quite
like a sweet dessert. Instead of throwing caution to
the wind and downing the New York cheesecake
yourself, share it with your significant other! This
cuts out half of the calories, but leaves you with
just as much enjoyment.

You are now ready to brave the world of daily
specials and white tablecloths with ease as you
order healthy meals without guilt! Have a great
dinner!