Why You Need a Dining Out Strategy
Don’t assume anything! What you think you order from the menu is not necessarily what you’re going to get. Let’s say, you decide on a meat entrée. It may be called “lean” or “extra lean,” but your beef steak or burger can still contain a lot of fat. Believe it or not, not all salads are healthy choices. Fatty dressings can offset the benefits you would expect from a vegetarian dish.
Beverages can be dangerously fattening too. Wine and champagne have lots of calories. So do hard liquor cocktails. Many soft drinks have excessively high levels of sugar. Pass on creams and chocolates and choose fruit or fat-free yogurt instead. If your last bit of resistance breaks down in view of the dessert menu, all efforts you have made throughout the meal are for naught.
Understanding some basic facts about restaurant food and restaurant cooking can help you escape disaster wherever you eat. First, consider your appetite before you get to the restaurant. If this is not your first visit, you are already better prepared. Stick to your preferences. Be careful with “Specials of the Day.” They often include items the kitchen needs to get rid of soon. Read the menu carefully and examine all ingredients and cooking methods. Inquire about the possibilities of healthful modifications. Patronize restaurants that are willing to cooperate with you and request wait staff that is responsive.
Eat and drink slowly. It takes your brain approximately 20 minutes to receive a signal from your stomach that it is “full.” Unfortunately, by then it may already be too late. Know your limits with regard to alcohol consumption. Your dinner is not a happy experience if you end up too stuffed or too drunk to get up from the table.
Get the Lay of the Land
• Can you call the restaurant ahead of time for special orders?
• Are other foods available that are not listed on the standard menu?
• Can ingredients be modified?
• How are they cooked and prepared?
• Can you ask the chef to eliminate or reduce fat or salt?
• May one share an entrée? Do they serve half-portions?
Most Restaurants Accept Special Requests
• “Hold” (I don’t want the sauce, cream, dressing, etc.)
• “On the side” (I will add salad dressings, sauces, toppings, etc.)
• “Remove the skin” (from chicken, before it is cooked)
• “Substitute” (baked potato for fries, lettuce for coleslaw, etc.)
• “Nonfat” or “low fat” (milk, mayonnaise, dressings, dips, etc.)
• “Low-cal” (ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, etc.)
• “Split one” (appetizers, salads, desserts, etc.)
Beware
• Don’t allow yourself to get too hungry before you go out.
• You don’t have to eat everything on your plate just because you paid for it.
• Don’t order a dish just because it is advertised as “the specialty of the house.”
• Learn about the local culinary customs when you travel. Your stomach may not be as adventurous as your spirit.
