Eating Out? Stay Healthy With These 4 Nutrition Tips

At some point, we all find ourselves eating out for a variety of reasons, including the highly sought-after convenience. Whatever the case, it is common knowledge that we have very little control over the food preparation in restaurants, therefore eating out can wreak serious havoc on your dietary endeavours and lifestyle in general. But there's some good news; it is possible to beat any challenges hurled your way, and that's where the four nutrition tips discussed here will come in handy the next time you go grab a meal at your favourite restaurant.

The Meaty Calorie-Bomb

This one is for the lovers of anything meat. It's good to know that most restaurants, if not all, load meat with "hidden" butter, oil and salt. The downside; even the most seemingly "healthy" food alternatives are transformed into total calorie-bombs!

Suggested Solution: Make it a habit to order your meat grilled, steamed or baked, with no butter and very light oil if any is used. Also order all sauces on the side.

The Demon Bread

You're trying to lay off refined carbohydrates, but most restaurants will bring you that damn, tempting bread basket like clockwork to pacify you as you await your order. Rejecting that enticing basket of bread can prove to be next to impossible, especially if you show up to the restaurant famished.

Suggested Solution: Be sure to tell your server that you don't need any bread. As an alternative, you can order a pre-dinner salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing, and you'll have dodged a bullet.

The Flashy Veggies

Many a times, you will notice the "glistening" of vegetables you order at restaurants. Another perfect example of a "healthy" food option gone horribly wrong. This is because the vegetables are, more often than not, saturated in butter and oil.

Suggested Solution: Order your vegetables steamed or grilled, with ZERO salt, oil or butter.

The Exaggerated Salad

You've probably heard that too many cooks spoil the broth, right? In this case,; too many ingredients spoil the salad! Most restaurant will add ingredients that are high in fats and calories into salads, making the beloved salad yet another healthy food gone wrong.

Suggested Solution: Be sure to order your salad with ZERO tortilla strips, croutons, dried or fresh fruit, and avoid dressings like Ranch and Thousand Island (ask for a low-sugar vinaigrette option; if unavailable, ask for olive oil and balsamic vinegar). Additionally, ask for all carbs to be put on the side (once they're mixed into the salad, overeating is easy peasy; you can't gauge how much is being used).

With these four tips, you should be well-equipped to make the healthiest and most informed food decisions the next time you go out to a restaurant for a meal with friends, family, or coworkers.