STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

blubirde · Chanel

Eating out healthily?

jrhampt · Kenneth Cole

I usually try to stick to seafood options when dining out - seared ahi tuna steaks, grilled salmon, mussels, steamers, crab legs... This is fairly easy for me since I'm on the coast. You can usually find a seafood option or two at most chain restaurants, though, including places like Olive Garden and the Cheesecake Factory, for example. I also like sushi restaurants if I'm trying to eat lighter.

If I'm going for steak, I like Texas Roadhouse for their 6 oz Dallas fillet. Not exaclty light fare, I guess, but it's about the portion size of red meat that you should be getting in a meal, as opposed to a 1/2 lb burger or something.

Starstuff · Kenneth Cole

If you're talking about fast-food, what you could try is ordering off the "dollar menu". I know not all fast food chains have this option, but in my experience, the portions are smaller, so while it may not be healthier, at least you're eating less of it. Specifically, Wendy's has good options -- a small side salad, a baked potato and chili. All cheap, and all (relatively) good for you. HTH

Kelly · Hermes

If you're going to a fast-food restaurant, I usually just order a kid's meal. It's enough food for me and it keeps me from polishing off a large fry just because I have it.

I don't have any suggestions for eating out at anywhere nicer, though, except asking for condiments on the side (so you can only put on what you want) and asking if you can substitute the vegetable of the day in the place of another side dish.

Hermes

I also try to order seafood - it's high in protein and low in calories.

For example, when I go to my favorite burger place now, I instead order a bowl of their Caribbean chowder (lots of shellfish and it's not cream based) and I also order the appetizer of mussels - it's plenty to eat, much lower in calories and fat than the burger (omg, and they have the best onion rings on the planet - but none of those either smile

)

Another option is a potato. A friend of mine goes to outback steakhouse (I think it's outback) and just orders the sweet potato.

I also often order sides or appetizers as my entree...

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

Even though Chinese restaurants are not known for healthy food, many will have a steamers option. I get brown rice, steamed brocoli, and dip it in a little soy rice vinegar sauce (from my steamed dumplings). Fish is an excellent choice, as is grilled chicken and turkey.

Most of the time, it will be difficult to eat out and eat like you should (especially if you want it fast). Restaurants tend to use a lot of butter.

jj · Kate Spade

I like a lot of curbside take-away places. And I have learned a TON from my mom, who just lost 70+ pounds and eats out regularly. Here are my/her recs:

Chili's guiltless chicken with steamed veggies

Outback salmon with plain baked sweet potato or steamed veggies

Outback Victoria's filet (the small size)

Cheesecake Factory chinese chicken salad (one salad is about three servings!!!)

PF Changs's kid-sized portions of steamed veggies and brown rice (I just add a dash of low sodium soy sauce). They are also really good about making some of their meat dishes without oils.

subwolley · Kate Spade

I really like Chili's lettuce wraps. They are very yummy, light, and filling.

NCshopper · Hermes

If I'm going out to eat at a familiar place, I'll generally think through what I'm going to order before I even leave the house. That way I have it set in my mind that that's what I'm going to get and I won't veer off of that too much. It's much easier to make up my mind at home than it is at the bar/restaurant where I'm more likely to make bad decisions.

If I'm going to a place where I'm not as familiar with the menu, I'll see if they have an online menu and/or nutritional information. Again, it's a lot easier to make decisions when you have the nutritional information right there smacking you in the face.

Also, I've started cutting back on the beer when I go out. Even cutting out 1 beer makes a difference and getting water or a diet drink is a much better option.

blubirde · Chanel

You guys have some good tips. I hadn't thought about chain restaurants that much, actually. Which is kind of dumb because they have nutritional info. online. I don't eat fast food at all (does an occasional Jimmy Johns count?), so that's not an issue.

I have a few local, asian places where they'll cook pretty much anything I ask. It's just that I love vermicelli so much (vietnamese) that I hardly ever ask for anything else. I have to stop eating so many noodles! I think I'll start asking questions at those restaurants and putting in specific requests. I think if I can find a handful of dishes that I like, I'm set for eating out since we tend to go to the same places.

Thanks!

NCshopper · Hermes

Since you like asian food so much, swap white rice for brown rice. It won't do much calorie-wise, but brown rice is loads better for you because of the fiber.

I think most of us that want to eat healthy (myself included) know how to do it, it's just a matter of actually making the right choices. I mean, you and I know that fried things are not healthy and that chicken and seafood are better than pork and beef. But choosing the right stuff isn't always easy, even when you know the good from the bad.

My other suggestion (and you're not going to like it), is to cook at home more. I would HIGHLY recommend any of Jamie Oliver's cookbooks--he taught me how to cook. His recipes are always easy and straightforward and he's really good about telling you what can be substituted for what and how to make other variations on the same recipe. Learning how to make a few really easy dishes that are healthy will help you in the long run.

Also, I'd recommend going to Trader Joe's and getting a lot of their prepared foods for dinners. Again, you'll know what's going to be good for you and what's not. Their crab cakes are awesome and put over a bed of salad greens with some feta, carrots, oil and vinegar, and you're set.

blubirde · Chanel

NCshopper wrote:

Since you like asian food so much, swap white rice for brown rice. It won't do much calorie-wise, but brown rice is loads better for you because of the fiber.

I think most of us that want to eat healthy (myself included) know how to do it, it's just a matter of actually making the right choices. I mean, you and I know that fried things are not healthy and that chicken and seafood are better than pork and beef. But choosing the right stuff isn't always easy, even when you know the good from the bad.

My other suggestion (and you're not going to like it), is to cook at home more. I would HIGHLY recommend any of Jamie Oliver's cookbooks--he taught me how to cook. His recipes are always easy and straightforward and he's really good about telling you what can be substituted for what and how to make other variations on the same recipe. Learning how to make a few really easy dishes that are healthy will help you in the long run.

Also, I'd recommend going to Trader Joe's and getting a lot of their prepared foods for dinners. Again, you'll know what's going to be good for you and what's not. Their crab cakes are awesome and put over a bed of salad greens with some feta, carrots, oil and vinegar, and you're set.

Good points, definitely. I obviously know what is good and bad, at least generally speaking. I was just hoping that some girls on here had some favorites from restaurants that were low in calories (or something like that).

That said, I always want to cook more at home but my de facto after a long day at work and a workout at the gym is to make something quick and easy, i.e. pasta. My recipe knowledge is limited so it's hard to want to learn something new/make something new on regular days. And the weekends are meant for fun only, right?

Thanks for the cookbook suggestion. I'm constantly on the lookout for cookbooks that are geared towards novices like me but most of them are either too ridiculous (how to boil water) or too complicated (learn how to flambe!). I'll try and find one this weekend and perhaps get in some grocery shopping as well.

And alas, no Trader Joe's here. There's a Whole Foods and Central Market but their prepared foods may be "whole" but aren't necessary low-fat.