When people try to eat health-consciously or are worried about their weight, it can be challenging to make the right choices when eating out in a restaurant. Although many eateries try their best to accomodate the dietary needs of their patrons, it can still be hard to stick to your guns once you’re handed the menu.

Some restaurants offer detailed information about their ingrediences and cooking techniques, others don’t. The restaurant lingo may match the chef’s exciting creations, but it can also be confusing or outright unintelligible. More often than not you are left guessing what to order, what to omit and what to enjoy only in small portions or on the side. The wait staff may or may not be able to assist you with your questions and concerns. And, of course, you also don’t want to spoil your fun.

Making the Right Choices
When Eating Out in a Restaurant

The good news is that a little preparation goes a long way. Having a plan, something I call a “dining out strategy,” can give you the confidence that things won’t get out of hand. There are catch words and phrases commonly used in many restaurant menus. Learn to decipher them and you understand what you are getting yourself into. The menus I discuss in this section represent what you would typically find in the most popular restaurant types. Although, I don’t make any recommendations from a dietary point of view, I have included a restaurant food rating system to help you make more educated choices.

Chinese

Chinese Food Chinese restaurants are extremely popular for their relatively inexpensive but tasty meals. The various dishes and cooking styles are usually named after their places of origin in China (e.g. “Szechwan”). Common ingredients are soybeans, vegetables, rice, and noodles. Read More »

French

French Food The French cuisine is counted among the great classics of culinary achievements. Elaborate meals can be quite seductive with their exquisite hors d’oeuvres and successions of multiple courses. A must for the gourmet in you, but indulge with caution! Read More »

Mediterranean

Greek Food Mediterranean food comes from an entire region, not just one country. Contributors are Southern France, Italy, Greece, Turkey and North Africa. Whole grains, fish, vegetables, olive oil and fruits are at the base of this healthful diet. Portion sizes can be quite generous! Read More »

Indian

Indian Food India has a great variety of culinary traditions and they vary greatly between regions. But everywhere you go, you can expect a sheer endless array of exotic smells and tastes. Some dishes, especially in the south, can be spicy to fiery hot. Read More »

Italian

Italian food is popular around the world. Its major components are pasta, vegetables, dairy products, olive oil and seafood. Many Italian favorites are easy to prepare, but they are always a great treat. Having good wine and good company are as essential as the food. Read More »

Sushi

Japanese Food Sushi bars have undergone an enormous surge in popularity, not only in Japan but everywhere else as well. Traditional Japanese sushi dishes are largely based on raw fish. If that is not your style, there are countless vegetable and rice combos. Read More »

Mexican

Traditional Mexican food is down to earth and easy to love. It includes many fresh ingredients, like vegetables, beans, rice, cornmeal and salsas. Unfortunately, many Mexican restaurants have adopted Westernized cooking styles with high amounts of fat and sodium. Read More »

Thai

Thai food has become as popular as most Asian foods in recent years. Its style is based on intense sweet, sour, salty and spicy flavors using lime, fish, oyster sauce, lemon grass, herbs, and chilis, coconut milk and peanut sauce. Read More »

Southern Cooking

Southern Food Bold, distinctly seasoned and a bounty of meat, poultry, fish and vegetable dishes. But take note that this is dangerous territory! Southern cooking is not for the faint of heart. Bring a serious appetite to the table if you want to experience all its rich flavors. Read More »

Fast Food

Fast food is part of modern life. Conveniently available everywhere, there is no easier way to find food in a hurry. Obviously, it may not be the healthiest fare around. But once in a while, it can feel good to sink your teeth into something so basic and so comforting. Read More »

Delicatessen

Deli food is perfect for everyone who eats on the run. Classic deli items, such as sandwiches, ready-to-eat meats, cheeses, pastas and salads, make for quick meals without any hassle. Wraps are becoming increasingly popular, and for good reasons. Read More »

All-American Diner

All-American Food Once you could find them everywhere along the great highways of the American landscape: The all-American diner. Those times have passed, but the tradition of eating a simple, tasty meal at the counter remains as popular as ever and is often copied in new places. Read More »