Eating away from home can be a big stumbling block for those watching their weight, or the general health conscious.  Personally, I think it has become a lot easier to dine out. There is such a demand for healthier foods that restaurants, cafes and even fast food establishments have been forced to keep up with the changing desires of their customers and most provide healthier alternatives.  So I find it hard to believe when my clients tell me there was nothing but spring rolls, foccacias, pastas or risottos on a menu.  There is always a healthier alternative, even at McDonalds!  Here is a guide to eating out without consuming a weeks worth of calories in one sitting!

Italian: Traditionally, Italian restaurants only served pasta and pizza dishes.  Not so much these days as you could almost guarantee the availability of salads and a chicken or steak dish on the menu.  Stay away from anything with a creamy sauce and order a protein dish with salad or vegetables (not chips!) rather than a pizza or pasta.

Chinese: Traditionally fried in a lot of oil, and covered in sauce, tread carefully at a Chinese restaurant.  San choy bau and clear soups are good choices for entrees.  For your main dish stick to stir-fried (you can asked for steamed if you wish) chicken, beef or fish with vegetables.  No fried rice, noodles or any of the tiny little fried tempters like spring rolls, curry puffs, dim sims or prawn crackers.

Thai/Vietnamese: Fresh rice paper rolls are great for entrees as they aren’t fried and are full of fresh ingredients.  Choose a meat dish with vegetables, stir-fried if possible. Stay away from coconut milk, noodles and rice dishes.

Japanese: Choose miso soup, tofu, sashimi, omelettes or vegetables when dining Japanese style.  Stay away from the deep fried, battered tempura dishes.

Indian: This is a tough one as Indian food is so high in fat.  Sometimes though we have to make the best of a bad situation so choose carefully.  Chicken Tikka is usually OK as it is a dry dish and doesn’t get served with a lot of heavy sauce like other dishes.  Order vegetable dishes with spinach or cauliflower and stay away from the naan bread, which I know is hard especially if you’ve found your meal a little spicy!

Fast Food: We all know (well I hope you do anyway) that ‘fast foods’ have little or no nutritional value.  They are full of artificial flavours, preservatives and are extremely processed, often being high in fat, sugar, and salt and very low in fibre.  But if something happens (try and avoid it at all costs!) you can actually choose something that is semi OK.  At McDonalds for instance you could order something from their salad bar instead of a burger and fries.  The same could be said for Hungry Jacks, Red Rooster and Subway.  Nandos is a good alternative as you can order chicken that is flamed grilled, and skin free.  

So next time the kids, your friends or your partner want to get take away, don’t use it as an excuse to go off the rails.  You can make an informed choice about the food you are about to order.  If you can, try to subtly coerce everyone to go where you know there is something you want to eat.  Or even better, take a stand!  Lead by example, and show others the healthy alternatives.

© Kylie Pogson 2005

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