Watching the Waistline when Eating Out

Americans love to eat out. Almost 46 cents of every food dollar is spent on food that is commercially prepared. Increases in the number of working women, two-family incomes, and fast food restaurants are just some of the factors behind this trend. Unfortunately, eating out may come at the cost to our nutritional health.

 A recent report from the United States Department of Agriculture found that foods prepared outside the home were higher in calories and fat than foods prepared at home. Some restaurants serve meals that contain 2,000 calories each. That is enough energy to fuel some adults for a full day. It’s okay to treat yourself to a special meal every once in awhile but eating high calorie, high fat meals on a regular basis can lead to unwanted weight gain, especially when physical activity is not increased.

What can a waist-watching consumer do?  Many restaurants already offer tasty entrees that are low in fat and calories. These foods are often noted with a special mark on the restaurant’s menu.

Jenna Anding, Extension nutrition specialist with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has some helpful nutrition advice for individuals who frequently eat out:

1.         Remember, complimentary chips and bread are not really “free.” A basket of these foods can add as many as 1,000 extra calories to the table. If you need a little snack to tide you over until our main meal comes, ask for plain corn tortillas instead of chips or bread without added butter. Another alternative is a lettuce and tomato salad with dressing on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing, then stab your salad. You will still taste the dressing but only get a fraction of the calories.

2.         Just say NO to value-sized portions. For a few cents more, consumers can get a larger portion of fries but that also means more fat and calories. Is that really a value?

3.         Many restaurants offer portions that could easily feed two or three people. Consider splitting the entree with a friend and ordering extra vegetables or salad. You can also ask for a doggy bag and take part of the entree home for another meal. Some restaurants will even let you order off of a child’s menu, even if it is not advertised on the menu. Just ask.

4.         Read the menu carefully and don’t be timid about requesting substitutions. Choose pasta with marinara sauce over fettuccini Alfredo and you can save as many as 800 calories and 80 grams of fat. For hamburgers, ask for mustard or ketchup instead of mayonnaise.

What about dessert?  We can still have our favorite desserts. The key is to plan for them. For example, if you know that you want cheesecake for dessert, choose lower fat, lower calorie foods for the main entree. Also, some restaurants serve dessert portions that feed more than one person.  If you have a choice between a cake that is named “Death by Chocolate” and plain ice cream, the ice cream is probably the healthier choice. Other healthful choices for satisfying that sweet tooth include fresh fruit and sherbet.

By making healthful food choices and exercising control with portion sizes, consumers can continue to dine out without risking an expansion of the waistline. To learn more about selecting nutritious foods when eating out, contact the Wise County Extension office at 940/627-3341.