My Survival Tips for Eating Out – Right

June 10, 2013

I hope you had a nice weekend. Mine was busy with writing, home improvements and preparing for a TV segment this morning.

I’m also coping with the fact that my kitchen is in disarray as we await some exciting upgrades. With that and a busy schedule over the next three weeks, I will be eating out more than usual. So, I thought I’d share some of my survival tips for eating out.

Pick the right restaurant. If wings, burgers and fries dominate the menu… guess what you’ll order? Yep. Of course it’s fine to splurge every now and then but save that for the really good stuff. More often than not, choose a restaurant with plenty of tasty and healthy options.

Order first. We tend to mirror what our friends eat when out. Place your (healthful) order first to set the tone for the table.

Start with a soup or salad. Research shows that enjoying a veggie salad or soup as an appetizer helps you eat fewer calories for the entire meal.

Keep portions in check. Restaurant portions are usually 2-3 times what you actually need. I’m not kidding. And it’s hard to know when to stop. Avoid the tendency to overeat by boxing half of your food before you start eating. Save it for lunch the next day.

Get more of my dining out survival tips in my interview on CNN Health. Or check out the video.

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