Eating out? Here’s some helpful advice

Eating in a restaurant may provide an enjoyable alternative to cooking in your home and an opportunity, in some cases, to have a social event with friends. However, restaurant meals, while tasty, might have concealed health effects.

The next time you eat out, these hints can allow you to do this without damaging your wellbeing or gaining excess weight due to the foods you choose.

There are many options, and you have choices when dining out. You could even opt for the child’s or senior’s menu if you have no self-control or cannot take leftovers back with you.

Sometimes it may be best to opt for a salad instead of an entree. If you go this route, make sure that you choose a healthy salad, preferably with a vinaigrette dressing and plenty of vegetables.

Without further adieu, here are 3 top tips for focussing on health while dining out.

Eat smaller portions

Most, if not all, restaurants provide unnecessarily massive entrees. Because it may be tempting to eat everything on your plate, then split the meals in half before you begin eating and either push one half on the side or request the waiter to box it up instantly as takeout. This way, you are not tempted to overeat.

Related: The ultimate best way to start detoxing your body fast – Start today

Savor your meals. Eat small snacks and look closely at the flavor and feel. Chew thoroughly and slowly.

Say no to excess amounts of breads

It’s simple to scarf down several helpings of bread without so much as noticing as you are waiting for your dinner. Unfortunately, some restaurants have unlimited helpings of slices of bread, and if you pair this with a giant entree, you will surely eat far too many calories.

The slices of bread they usually bring are the white variety loaded with carbs and typically unhealthy to consume in excess.

Related: Gluten quick tips – Why EVERYTHING you know about gluten may be wrong 

This may add many calories that you were not likely to eat otherwise. When it’s okay with the folks you’re eating with, request the waiter not to bring bread to the table or bring one serving for each individual. Again, it’s okay to have just one serving, but don’t overdo it.

Fill up on more fruits and veggies and less carbs

Try to pick a menu option that contains many vegetables and fruits, a substantial portion of your daily meal. Vegetables are always a great thought; however, watch out for veggies sautéed in roasted, cooked with oil, or coated with thick sauces. Steamed veggies are yummy.

If you do not need to eat them plain, then request sauce on both sides and use it sparingly.

Treats are fine but only in small portions

Permit yourself a small treat. Even though we typically hold the mantra that “treats” are mostly just empty calories and do not have lots of nutrients. But in case you’ve got a favorite food once in a while, it might help you to enjoy a small treat.

Consider, if you must splitting a small dessert with a friend and that way you are sharing, caring, and only consuming half the calories. The main thing here is not to get carried away.

Request healthier variations of meals

By all means, if you think substituting an ingredient or method of preparation for another is not an unreasonable request to make to your server to have passed along to the chef.

You can sometimes enjoy a larger portion of the meal without the added calories and guilt by simply doing this.

Subway

Subway is a showpiece for healthier fast-food restaurants, but here, too, you can fall into the (fat) trap. Sandwiches with extra cheese and the unfortunately delicious cookies are particularly to be avoided here. Instead, it’s better to go for a low-fat sub, such as roasted chicken, ham, or turkey.

All three varieties contain a comparatively high amount of protein with little fat and taste fabulous with delicious whole-grain bread or honey oat bread. It’s better not to go for white bread or wraps, as these only raise blood sugar levels unnecessarily, which counteracts long-lasting satiety. For vegetarians, Subway has the low-calorie Veggie Delite or the Veggie Patty – but beware: the latter contains over 20 g of protein and a lot of fat. The lowest-fat sauces are Honey Mustard, Sweet Onion, BBQ, and Hot Sauce.

McDonald’s
Truffle cream and pumpkin seed oil from Styria – McDonald’s focuses on gourmet, and a specific portion of health should not be missing. But beware: exclusive and fancy does not mean that the soft wheat rolls are healthier. Those who are eager not to harm their figure too much, even at Mcdonald’s, fall back on salads. The current range includes the Big Salad, for example, which sounds very tasty with its crunchy salad mix, fruity tomato, and cucumber – but probably doesn’t fill you up appropriately as a main course. Better take the Big Salad with Quinoa Bratling or the Big Salad Chicken. The latter would be even healthier if the lean chicken breast meat was not coated with a greasy breading, but in contrast to burgers and the like, the choice is still acceptable. For the dressing, it’s best to choose the balsamic dressing. Although this contains a lot of sugar, it is very figure-friendly, with only 25 cal per serving.

Burger King
Burger King also has a delicious salad in its range, the Delight Salad. However, this is probably more suitable as a side dish due to the lack of a protein source. While looking for a healthy burger in the vast assortment, we came across the Little Grilled Chicken. The lean chicken meat is not breaded or deep-fried, making the burger a healthier alternative to cheeseburgers and the like, despite the white bread bun. In addition, Burger King has come up with something original for the extra portion of vitamins: The apple fries crispy fresh apple sticks cut to look like French fries.

Pizza Hut
Unfortunately, we can’t give a health warning for Pizza Hut’s delicious pizzas because flour, cheese, and oil turn the American chain’s flat-sided Italian specialties into real figure killers. But Pizza Hut also tempts with equally delicious salads. The Ceasar Chicken Salad contains a lot of protein due to grilled chicken. Only the croutons should be omitted. The Arugula Salad or the Greek Salad is also a figure-friendly dish. But here, too, it’s a case of Be careful with the dressing. It’s better to use the classic vinegar and oil instead of drowning the salad in greasy yogurt dressings, which at best also contain mayonnaise.

Kentucky Fried Chicken
Chicken is lean, rich in protein, the perfect source of protein for athletes, and, unfortunately, also quite unhealthy – at least in the breaded variety. Kentucky Fried Chicken, the chicken palace, has two tasty salads in its range, containing only grilled chicken. Once the Filet Bites Salad and the Grilled Chicken Salad are very health-conscious meals when ordered low-fat balsamic dressing. Unlike other quick-service restaurants, Kentucky Fried Chicken even has reasonably healthy side dishes. Corn on the cob and mashed potatoes without gravy are the most figure-friendly side dishes.

Five fast-food meals that are also okay for low carb.
Paying attention to a low-carb diet on the go is sometimes difficult. In particular, fast food places primarily offer high-carbohydrate foods like hamburger buns, pita bread, and fries that fill you up for little money. However, some fast food dishes fit well with low carb or can be converted quite easily. Here we tell you five fast-food meals that are well suited for low carb:

1. KFC Grilled Chicken
Grilled chicken is not particularly healthy. This is especially true of American chains like Kentucky Fried Chicken, where the breaded skin gets soaked in oil. This turns the chicken into an unhealthy calorie bomb full of carbohydrates. At least KFC offers healthier options like skinless grilled chicken. One-piece has less than one gram of carbohydrates. Side dishes like green beans and the KFC coleslaw are great with this (and no, we’re not being sneaky here, we love low carb food ; )

2. burger in a lettuce leaf
In hamburgers and cheeseburgers, the bun accounts for most carbohydrates, while the patty and sides contain hardly any carbohydrates. Some fast-food chains offer the option to omit the bun and wrap the burger in a large lettuce leaf instead. It can be well worth asking about this at the independent chip shop in the neighborhood. In some cases, there is already the low carb burger – fast food exemplary, we would say!

3 McDonald’s breakfast without bread
America’s most famous burger roaster serves high-carb breakfasts in the morning. Hot meals like the Egg McMuffin and the Sausage McMuffin are top-rated. An Egg McMuffin consists of an English muffin (bun) with a fried egg, a slice of cheese, and some ham. Upon request, a McMuffin can be prepared without the bun. Then, the carbohydrate content drops from about 29 grams to less than 2 grams. This makes fast food low in carbohydrates!

I use the Alkaline Cooking plan. This plan has helped me to hold back no longer when eating out. I can indulge as often as I so choose too, it’s a great feeling!

>>Click here to learn more about the Alkaline Cookbook<<