Let's Eat at Home Tonight

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Confession: I love eating out.

I love eating in general…but eating out has to be one of my favorite things to do with family and friends. A dietitian once told me that it’s ok to eat out (as long as we’re not doing it all of the time). She specifically recommended twice a week as a healthy goal, which is what I’ve been trying to follow. However, I treat eating out as just that - a treat.

French fries? Yes, please! Bacon? Yes, please.

I recently stumbled upon a survey that opened my eyes to the restaurant world. If you have 5 minutes please, please take this survey: http://cspinet.org/nah/quiz/index.html

So, here’s what I learned:

  • Turkey is a healthier choice than ham

  • Get light cream cheese instead of butter on your bagel (believe it or not jam is actually even better)

  • Order a muffin rather than a scone

  • Don’t buy snacks (even Twizzlers) at the movies

  • Skip the refried beans at Mexican restaurants

What did you learn from the survey? Now that I’ve ruined eating out, lets add some salt to that wound – don’t forget restaurant meals are often high in sodium because it’s an easy and inexpensive way to make food taste good. Here are some helpful tips:

  1. use only a small amount of condiments (esp. ketchup)

  2. watch out for ingredients labeled “pickled” or “cured” as the preservation process includes a whack of sodium

  3. try eating only half your meal

Most restaurant-sized proportions are large enough for two anyways, so it’s an easy way to cut your salt intake in half. For more information on salt check out last week’s post – Much Ado About Salt.

Take away message: eating out every once in awhile is ok, just don’t be a passive eater! Be cognoscente of what you’re eating and share that dessert or appetizer to minimize a whopping 1,000 calorie meal.

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Image Courtesy of TarynElliott