When we need a break from cooking and want to eat something exotic and need change, restaurants are our options. Eating out with friends and family once a while is a good idea. However, most restaurant foods even though taste good could have extra fats and calorie filled items. Many restaurants give choices to swap ingredients or might be flexible to serve you something you wanted. When you are planning to eat out try these tips to keep it healthy and enjoyable.

1.       Select restaurant: Go to restaurant that is clean, good selection of menu items and restaurant that has ambient environment. Look at review about the service.

2.       Read menu online: Get familiar with the menu, chose items ahead – it will help you to get answers about ingredients while waiter waiting to take order.

3.       Check ingredients before ordering food: Ask waiter ingredients. If you are not familiar with an item and in case you are allergic to certain ingredients, you can replace ingredient with alternate ingredient.

4.       Don’t go to eat our overly hungry: Have a small snack before stepping out of house. If you step out of the house feeling ravenous the time you reach restaurant your sugar might go down or you may experience dizziness.

5.       Order your meal before others: Don’t get influenced by others. No harm in trying what others are ordering. Sometimes you might end up with heavy foods that does not suit you and you could waste it by not eating the food.

6.       Eat your meal mindfully, chew thoroughly: Eat slowly and enjoy the meal. Don’t gulp. Eating mindfully makes your tummy full steadily. Gulping will keep you hungry and one will tend to eat more.

7.       Order salad or soup first: Start with green salad or soup bowl so that your stomach is half filled and then main course consumption will be less.

8.       Ask for healthy swap with item you order: Eating healthfully and selecting items that suits your body is good. You can swap regular bread with whole grain, pasta with salad, consider healthy fats, ask for cut fruits instead of dessert. Don’t hesitate to ask for something off the menu. Customer friendly restaurant will try to fulfill your request, or they might suggest something alternate.

9.       Consider ordering two or three appetizers instead of main course: Appetizers are often less calorie items and fill stomach fast.

10.   Say no to dessert, have hot water or hot herbal tea: To avoid heavy calories, consider herbal tea or hot water instead of dessert.

11.   Avoid buffets – All you can eat buffets look attractive and one will tend to eat more because for less money you get dozen items to eat! Control and avoid buffet.

12.   Share (by two) with other person or your partner: If you are craving for foods that are high in calories, consider sharing the plate with others. This will fulfill your desire to eat something you wanted as well as keeps calorie intake under control

13.   Avoid creamy sauces, instead consider tomato-based sauces: In Asian restaurants cream and cashew-based sauces are common. Request for tomato-based sauces which is lighter on stomach.

14.   Eat foods with less sodium: Added salt is not good for health anyway.  Ask no salt added to your meal.

15.   Consider healthy drinks: Drink filtered water, 100% fruit juice, unsweetened tea, fat free milk or consider milkshake

Bon appetite, Enjoy your meal!

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