Handy tips for eating out

By Susie Black - get free updates of new articles here

(No 4 in a series of 6)

Healthy Weight Series

We're speeding on through an article series on eating well. The posts will focus on a different aspect of diet each week. So far we've we looked at small and achievable changes we can make to our eating habits and habits or feelings that lead us to eating more than we need. This time it's just a handy guide on how to dine out without pigging out.

We're snowballing towards party season now with invites pouring in so what's your healthy eating plan for survival? Here's how to enjoy every meal in every way. Check out the image below, it's a list of general good advice. Split the check points into the following three categories of sensible 'best practice':

I do this anyway so I'll definitely be able to achieve it
If I don't do this I pay for it later with bloating/hangover/heartburn/stomach upset so it makes sense to attempt it
I've no incentive other than weight management to do this so I'll check the menu in advance and make allowances depending on the quality of the restaurant.

Now for the specifics

We're not delving into full on world cuisine here but the advice in the rest of this newsletter can be transferred to a wide variety of restaurants so read through them all for a grounding in tasty choices.

Restaurants, Pub Meals, Carveries & Hotels

Choose boiled or baked potatoes, rice or pasta to make the basis of your meal. Opt for a small portion of chicken, lean meat, fish or beans. Top up with salad or vegetables but watch out for fatty sauces or dressings.

The better choices include:

Starters - choose from: Melon, fruit, fruit juice, clear or vegetable soup, smoked salmon (watch bread & butter).

Main course - choose from: Steamed, baked, poached or char grilled fish, gammon with pineapple, roast or grilled chicken or turkey (no skin), hot pot or casserole, small steak.

Desserts - choose fresh fruit salad, sorbet or jelly.

Try to avoid fried food including chips and creamy sauces

Remember: take care with 'salads' as they may be served with fatty mayonnaise, for example, potato salad or coleslaw.

Cafes, Pubs

Cafés often serve a variety of light snacks and can be a good option.

The better choices are:

Soups home made varieties, clear soups such as French onion or broth-based soup such as Scotch broth, Cock a leekie, vegetable or Lentil soups Have soup with wholemeal bread or roll, no butter.

Jacket potatoes, filled roll or sandwich (see baked potato shops and sandwich bars).

Beans on toast.

Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern Restaurants*

Try to choose plain boiled rice. Resist the egg or special fried rice. Many foods, especially starters may be deep fried and in batter (won tons, prawn toast, spring rolls, sweet and sour balls in batter, pakora, bhajis, samosas and popadoms) so try to avoid these.

The better choices at the Chinese specifically include:

Broth-based soup such as hot & sour soup.

Steamed or boiled rice, or noodles. Stir fried fish, chicken, beef or vegetable dishes

Choose lychees for dessert

The better choices at the Indian specifically include:

Tandoori and tikka dishes (but not tikka masala), vegetable, chicken and prawn madras and jalfrezi, balti or dupiaza dishes. Serve with boiled rice or chapatti or tandoori roti. Try not to have both rice and bread.

Try to avoid creamy, fatty dishes dishes such as pasanda, masala, korma and biryani. Be cautious about chapattis or naan bread - ask if it has been made with fat. Limit bhajis, poppadoms and pickles too.

Ask if they do 'half portions or share a meal. If there is oil floating on the surface, use a folded paper towel to soak it up and throw it away.

*I know - it's a broad church!

Italian Food, Pizza or Pasta

The better choices include:

Lower fat soups such as minestrone

Salads mixed green or tomato with dressing on the side.

Pasta with tomato (napoletona) or Bolognese (meat) based sauce.

Thin crust pizza with vegetable toppings.

Grilled or baked chicken, meat or fish dishes.

Try to avoid creamy sauces, meat with batter, thick-based or 'stuffed crust' pizzas, pepperoni and other cured meats. Avoid garlic bread and use the parmesan sparingly!

'Fast Food' such as McDonald's, Burger King or KFC etc. and the Chippy

'Fast food' outlets are probably best avoided all together if you can.

The better choices include:

Standard size or child size plain burger in a bun with salad and no dressing. Have BBQ or tomato sauce instead of mayonnaise. Grilled chicken burger. Have a diet drink, water or fresh juice avoid milkshakes.

At the Chippy

Most food in the chippy is fried so have this only as a very occasional treat. Choose fish and try to leave most of the batter. Only have a small portion of chips or, even better, mushy peas instead.

Hopefully you can use this as a starting point to help make informed decisions when eating out.

Here are a final few tips:

Check the menu and decide what you'll eat before arriving
Make sure you've drunk plenty of water/fluid so you don't eat just because you're thirsty
Don't deny yourself a special occasion. Consider how you want to remember a special meal out and treat yourself accordingly.