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Eat
well while eating out
June 19, 03
Suzanne Havala Hobbs
Like
most people, I love to eat out.
Restaurant meals offer a chance to unwind
and enjoy the simple pleasures of someone
cooking for us and bringing a beautiful
meal to the table. Need I mention washing
the dishes, too?
But it’s also very easy to get
carried away and give in to the
temptation of a meal laden with saturated
fat and calories.
Using some simple strategies, you can
plan a knife and fork defense — and
still savor a night on the town.
Some general advice:
• Eat at better restaurants.
They’re more likely to accommodate
such requests as no added salt, less
cheese, and fruit salad in place of
fries. They’re more likely than
family-style chain restaurants to make
food to order and less likely to use
pre-prepared foods that can’t be
altered.
• Make a meal of appetizers. A cup
of soup, a small salad, and an appetizer
portion of pasta may be all you need to
feel satisfied.
• Order sides. Who says a meal has
to have a main dish? Glance at the menu
to see what side dishes come with the
entrees. Then order three or four.
Steamed seasonal vegetables, rice, beans,
a small salad and a chunk of good bread
make a marvelous meal.
• Substitute when necessary. Swap
chips and fries for a small green salad
or fruit, even if it costs a little more.
It’s worth it.
• Watch portion sizes. Just because
they brought it doesn’t mean you
have it eat it now. Ask for a to-go box
and take half of it home. You’ll
have a heat-and-serve meal ready to go
for eating later or for taking to work.
Another strategy: Split an entrČe with a
companion. Order a cup of soup or a salad
to go along with it. Split dessert, too.
A good bet for lots of healthful choices:
Ethnic restaurants. Entrees often center
on grains and vegetables. Some of the
best:
• Chinese. Vegetable soup, hot and
sour soup, pot stickers (steamed
vegetable dumplings), Buddha’s
Delight (mixed vegetables with bean
curd), broccoli with garlic sauce, and
vegetable lo mein. Ask for steamed rice
and eat it liberally with your entrČe.
Plan to take half of your meal home.
• Indian. Dal (lentil soup) without
ghee (butter), vegetable curries with
steamed rice, breads listed as
"roti" or "nan,"
which are usually baked or roasted.
• Mexican. Beans rule. Go for bean
burritos, tacos, tostadas, and
enchiladas. Add spinach or roasted
vegetables if they have them. Guacamole
is high in fat, but it’s a vegetable
source and not a big deal. Limit the sour
cream and cheese, but you can use the
salsa with abandon.
• Italian. Lentil soup, minestrone
soup, bruschetta, angel hair pasta with
pesto sauce, pasta primavera and any
pasta tossed with olive oil or marinara
in lieu of cream sauce. Just say no to
gobs of mozzarella cheese melted on top
of some pasta dishes. A sprinkling of
grated Parmesan cheese is fine, though.
Other good choices: Pasta e fagioli
(pasta with beans), green salads with
vinaigrette dressing, Italian bread
dipped in olive oil. For dessert, go for
a champagne flute filled with fresh
berries or a scoop of sorbet.
When possible, familiarize yourself with
the menu before you go. That gives you
time to plan and may prevent impulsive
choices. At the restaurant, ask questions
about how food is prepared before you
order. Be as nice as you can be, but be
assertive. Ask for modifications and
substitutions as necessary.
And it bears repeating: When portions are
supersized, you’re buying two meals.
Take half home.
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