Do You Constantly Eat Out? Here Are The Tips For Eating Healthy When Outside

Following these tips while eating out will help you make a healthier choice of foods. Read to know how to eat healthy outside.

By Sravia Sivaram

Friday, September 1, 2017, 16:57

You needn't be a pro to know how to eat healthy when outside. Eating at a restaurant and healthy eating are two contrary things is what a few of them think.

Eating out is mostly considered as the main reason for an unhealthy lifestyle.

With some preparation and knowledge, you can actually turn your restaurant meal into a healthy choice.

Whether you're on a diet or you don't want to pack on those extra pounds or you don't have a choice but to eat out, eating healthy at a restaurant is more about common sense.

There are some less obvious ways to make your restaurant meals healthy and this is all that you need to adopt to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Some simple and smart tactics will help you make the right choice and also help you avoid on the unhealthy binging and calorie or portion overload.

According to Dr. Manjari Chandra, Senior Consultant Nutritionist, Max Healthcare, if you're eating your foods out, avoid added dressings, butter and oil-based foods. Even in the case of breakfast, order an idli and upma instead of a dosa that is prepared using unhealthy oil.

She adds, "In India, there are a lot of unhealthy refined oils that go into the making of these foods. If you're going to the same place, you could speak with them to arrange for foods without the extra-added oil. You can go for plain dal, rice with vegetables, etc."

She further adds, "You can eat outside all the time, but if it's unavoidable, then you can snack on healthy foods like fruits, nuts or raw veggies instead".

With the advent of National Nutrition Week , we have listed more on how to eat healthy outside and the best tips to follow for eating out healthy.

1. Make The Right Choice:

Dr. Manjari also stressed on the importance of making the right choice of foods while eating out. Fancier restaurants will give you double and triple the amount of protein and carbs you need. Your plate must not be an oily slick or a butter-filled goo. Make sure it is occupied with 50% vitamins, 25% protein and 25% carbohydrates.

2. Go Ahead And Be Basic:

The more components a dish has, the more calories it contains. You can get rid of any ingredient overload by sticking to a dish like a salad or fish without any add-ons.

There must be no more than four add-ons like fruits or vegetables, nuts or seeds or beans. This is one of the best tips for eating out healthy.

3. Don't Double Up On Anything:

Make sure that you treat yourself on one thing and not everything. For example, if you know that your restaurant is famous for desserts that are made up of carbs and fat, then you need to stick with something that is low in carbs and fat.

4. Ask The Server For Help:

Your server is always there for help. Instead of mulling over the menu, you can ask him about the kind of ingredients that go into your food. Ask the server, what he would order if he wanted to have the healthiest food from the menu. This is one of the tips that will let you know how to eat healthy outside,

5. Request No Butter And Sauces On The Side:

Certain words on the menu will give you clues about the added fat and calories in the food. But they don't always indicate if they use extra butter or sauces to the vegetables or meat. You can avoid these unwanted calories by requesting them not to add these dressings to your food. This is how you make some healthy choices when eating out.

With Inputs From Dr. Manjari Chandra