Use caution to prevent these healthful greens from turning into a diet disaster.

Tomato-based sauces are a better choice than cheese or cream varieties.

 

 

 

 

DINING OUT HAS ITS MANY REWARDS. It can be fun or romantic or sometimes simply convenient. It may be a heavenly answer to a craving or perhaps a devilishly delicious indulgence. But it can also bedevil your waistline—especially if you are a frequent out-of-home diner and if frequently you make not-so-healthful choices. Restaurant fare is 20% fatter than homemade. Sometimes it’s easy to spot the heavier dishes, but other times extra fat is hidden from view. The following four tips will help you more healthfully navigate the menu and the plates of food delivered to your table the next time you dine out. Bon appétit!

START SMART. “Choose your restaurant carefully, so you will have healthful options,” says Clifford Pleau, executive chef for Seasons 52 in Orlando, where menu items feature fresh grilled vegetables, fruits, and lean protein, with no more than 475 calories. Select a place that offers lighter fare along with the usual temptations.

Also check online for fast-food calorie and fat information. “Many people may be surprised to learn that small lean roast beef (144 calories) is a better choice than tuna salad (383 calories),” says Hope Warshaw, RD, author of Eat Out, Eat Right! You can check out family restaurants on healthydiningfinder.com.

ENLIST YOUR SERVER. “Offer bigger tips for slimmer hips,” says Carolyn O’Neil, RD, coauthor of The Dish…On Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous! Let your server know he or she will get a bigger tip on a smaller bill if they help you navigate the menu.

Tell your server you’re going to share a meal or that you’d like half of your meal put in a doggie bag before it’s brought out to the table. And make specific requests regarding how your meal is prepared: Ask for fish to be grilled lightly brushed with oil (not dry, not greasy), or chicken broiled with less salt and more lemon. Changing made-ahead items like lasagna won’t be an option, so if you order it, just decide to eat less of it.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS. Dining Lean author “Dr. Jo” Lichten, PhD, offers a plate full of tips for knocking off calories you’ll never miss: Order fajitas without the sizzling 100 calories of butter poured on at the end. Ask for half the pasta and one fourth of the fettuccine Alfredo sauce and save almost 1,000 calories. Have your bacon and chorizo omelet made with six egg whites instead of three eggs, and save 175 calories. Drop 100 calories by asking that your burger buns be grilled dry. Request that meat and veggie dishes be sautéed in wine or broth instead of the usual 240 calories worth of oil. Craving dessert? Order one of the minis that are the growing rage, or if that’s not an option, share a dessert with your dining companions.

ADDRESS THAT SALAD. Lettuce might be light in calories but add the dressing and a healthful dish can turn into a diet disaster. Try one of these calorie-cutting tips: Ask your server to toss your salad with half the usual amount of dressing; dilute a few teaspoons of your favorite dressing with several spoonfuls of calorie- free balsamic vinegar; or dip your fork in your dressing, then spear a little salad to get the taste you crave with every bite.

FAT BY ANY OTHER NAME…. would pack as many calories. In plain English, these menu terms mean dripping with fat and calories:

Fried, deep fried, frizzled, silky, crusted, encrusted, béchamel, béarnaise, pan-fried, creamed, butter, drawn butter, garlic or herb butter, sour cream, whipped cream, crème fraîche, pastry shell, cheese, guacamole, bacon, mayonnaise, special sauce, bisque, Newburg or Thermidor.