Healthy Choices When Dining Out
Making healthy choices when eating out can be difficult but with
a little thought and planning ahead you can maintain your goals!
Chinese restaurants offer a wide variety of broth-based soups,
stir-fried specialties (with seafood , tofu, vegetables and lean
meat ), steamed fish and vegetable dishes , steamed rice , hot
mustard sauce , chow mein , and other menu items that you are
free to enjoy for low-fat , low-calorie , choices. Dishes to
avoid include anything fried, for example spring rolls and fried
wontons, most dishes that include duck, egg foo yung, and fried
crisp-skin chicken. Fried rice should be replaced by steamed
rice. The all-you-can-eat buffet should always be avoided.
Most Japanese food is healthy and low fat. Sushi and sashimi,
nori rolls, udon noodles in broth, yakitori and all suitable
healthy meals. Just avoid anything fried like tempura.
Thai food is another low-fat and healthy choice. Their hot and
spicy soups are satisfying and extremely low in fat. Thai
stir-fries are another excellent choice. Avoid dishes that are
simmered in coconut - delicious but high in fat.
Indian cuisine offers a number of delicious and healthy, low-fat
choices. Chicken, fish, veggies, steamed rice and dhal are
included in a healthy menu. Bean soups are delicious and
healthy. You can opt for chapatti or roti if you want a bread
substitute although you should avoid fried naan bread.
Generally, Indian and Thai cuisines are a healthy dining option
when you are watching what you eat.
Many of the most fattening dishes are found in Italian
restaurants. Fried mozzarella sticks, lasagna, any pasta dish
with a cream-based sauce like Alfredo or carbonara and many more
have a high fat content and should be avoided. However, you will
also find many healthy dishes that will make your mouth water.
Thin crust pizza with vegetable toppings, pasta with
tomato-based sauces, chicken cacciatore, chicken Marsala, and
biscotti are a few items that will keep you at the Italian table
without having to give up your commitment to cut calories and
watch your fat intake. Salads and soup choices are also
something to consider but order your salad without dressing.
Avoid most desserts in Italian restaurants - many are
cream-based and very rich.
Mexican cuisine need not be avoided just you just because you
are choosing to slim your waistline and count calories. Black
bean soup, grilled chicken or shrimp dishes, chicken soft tacos,
chicken or shrimp fajitas, salsa, and chicken quesadillas are
all good healthy choices. You are probably aware of the foods to
avoid here: nachos, refried beans, enchiladas, and fried choices
such as chimichangas.
Dining out offers many opportunities to try new cuisines and
most menus offer healthy food choices. Put some thought into
what you order and you won't need to limit your dining out
experiences!