Change is the only thing that never changes in life. So we prefer dining out once in a while. People on strict dieting fear eating out. So here I will be outlining some very simple strategies to eat healthy food even while eating out.
Food is not costly in this country, and as a result the portions of food are often large. If you are smart about what you eat, you can get a healthy meal without interrupting your diet.
Avoid fried foods. Frying adds more fat than any other type of cooking. Restaurants often use cheap oils(hydrogenated oils), a source of trans fats. Choose Grilled or baked or tandoori cooked foods instead.
Avoid dishes cooked with thick gravy and heavy sauces. Most of the gravy dishes are prepared with fatty pan (butter, ghee, drippings from meat, etc.,). It is considerably high in saturated fat. Sauces are made from cream, which is also high in saturated fat. Choose thin gravies with more lentils and veggies.
Ask the waiter for the size of your serving. If they are bigger than your usual meal, consider sharing your meals with someone else. And it is not a compulsion to eat everything on your plate. Take the leftovers to your home for another meal.
Investigate on how the dishes are prepared. Ask the waiter, whether the meal you are interested in is prepared with butter or ghee or animal fat. If it is, consider asking the waiter if the dishes would be prepared with minimum or no oil instead, or that it be steamed or baked with less fat. Stay away from meal prepared with lots of cream and cheese.
Eat a light snack before going out. Munch on a piece of carrot or fruit before going out. That way you won’t be ruthlessly hungry on your dining table in the restaurant.
Share your dessert. If you have a sweet tooth, consider sharing your dessert with others on your table. This way you will get the full taste, but with only a fraction of the calories, sugar and the fats.