While my children were growing up, I insisted on cooking most nights. Ever the health-conscious mother, I knew that my meals would be more nutritious than takeout, even though during the busy sports and after-school activity season, the convenience of pulling into a parking lot and ordering through a microphone would have made my life so much easier (and probably would have made my boys much happier, too). Of course, we did go to the occasional restaurant Roanoke offered, but that was a luxury treat, not a common occurrence.
And now, as the need to cook for a family fades over time, I’m experiencing – along with a too-often stab of nostalgia for those hectic, crazy, family times, – a fading interest in cooking. When I think about it, it’s really no surprise. I cooked dinner an average of five nights a week for many years. Let’s say, with shopping, prepping and cleaning up, that takes up two hours each day. That’s 600 minutes each week spent on one meal! 260 meals a year…a grand total of 5,200 meals over 20 years, save for the occasional meal made of leftovers, the occasional meal where you just serve sandwiches or pancakes or those stomach-churning nights when you send your kids to bed without dinner. because they’ve become just too unbearable. unpleasantly naughty.
Yeah, I’ll admit that I’m plenty cook-weary (I’m weary just thinking about all this!) Chances are you are, too. The thing about empty-nesting and not having to be tethered to the stove is that there are so many more opportunities to go out with your significant other and go to places like this Francisca Restaurant, or have a girl’s night out – both worth embracing!
But eating out comes with its set of challenges, problems and enticements. For example, you might think it’s a lot more expensive but as long as you’re smart with where and how you eat then it doesn’t have to be. You can even get the AMEX Gold Card because it’s recommended by a lot of people if you’re going to be eating out more. With financial issues out of the way, there are other things you need to take into account when it comes to keeping it healthy. There’s a certain lack of control – no, not while you’re eating the meal (there might be that), but also in the kitchen. You’re not there to control ingredients like salt, butter and other things that can push a so-called healthy-sounding dish into the unhealthy category.
And even if you’re eating at a restaurant chain – who, as required by the Affordable Care Act, must list calorie counts on their menus – consumer behavior hasn’t changed all that much. A review of 31 studies found that the overall impact was negligible (but the groups who did pay the most attention were women, dieters and upper-income diners; thankfully someone is listening.) So, how can you modify your eating behavior when you’re out at a restaurant?
1. Do some advance sleuthing. Almost all menus are available online – or if not, the restaurants can fax you a copy. Check it out. You may be surprised to find that the restaurant you’ve been dying to try doesn’t actually offer things you’d consider eating (or for that matter, things you’d consider to be particularly healthy). Conversely, you may be able to decide what you’re ordering ahead of time, so when you get there you’re not tempted by the (wrong) choices. You’ve got to admit that the descriptions of some of the dishes on the menu are worded to make you drool in advance.
2. Start with a salad. The clams casino might very well seem like a good start, but you can bet that all the breadcrumbs and butter and bacon – the reason why it tastes so good – tips it way off the health meter. Salad has lots of volume with little calories (unless you drown it in dressing), and will fill you up much better, too.
3. Ask for dressing on the side (see above). Most restaurants serve salads with way too much dressing anyway. And salad dressing is a hidden source of added fat, salt and sugar. Ask for dressing on the side and avoid the creamy-types; if you do like your salad already tossed, asked for “light on the dressing. ” What I like to do: use the “fork method:” dip my fork into the dressing, then spear a piece of lettuce or other veggie. One more important thing to know: balsamic dressing, though it might sound healthy, still contains a lot of calories. If you’re looking to cut way down, ask for balsamic vinegar – made from grape pressings and boiled down to a thick syrup, and then aged. It’s so flavorful and rich, that a little goes a long way.
4. Instead of a main entree, order two appetizers. Most restaurant portions are way larger than you really need, and it’s too easy to eat everything on the plate before you realize you really didn’t need to eat that much. Unless you are really hungry – or disciplined enough to leave over half and bring it home – you are probably better off with two appetizers. The portions are more reasonable, yet filling. On a similar note, when ordering pasta, ask for a half-portion: most places, even though they don’t advertise it, will do it for you. And you’ll find it’s absolutely satisfying and plenty.
5. Don’t be afraid to speak up. I used to be hesitant to ask for things like, “hold the salt,” “sauce on the side,” “no oil,” “broiled, not fried.” And sometimes I can sense the waitperson rolling their eyes when I do ask. But no matter. You are paying and you have a right to eat the way you want to eat, not the way the chef deems necessary. (My apologies to the creative, hard-working chefs out there who have their special “vision” for a dish.) There’s nothing worse than not speaking up and eating something you would never order, or something that you really don’t want.
Lisa Froman says
Ha, and tonight I’m eating out at a local Mexican restaurant. I wonder what the chances are of me not eating chips and salsa or drinking a Margarita? LOL. Slim to none. (But I’ll be more vigilent the rest of the week, and maybe I will eat half of the amount of chips I would normally eat.) Thanks for a good reminder.
Irene S. Levine says
All great reminders—It is hard to continually cook for two (must even be worse for one) without getting tired of it.
Roslba Gordon says
I have a trick, when I’m having lunch with my son I ask him don’t allow me to touch the bread… always work, he has it for both of us. The idea to have the half to go is a good one too.
Cathy Chester says
I know most of these tips but I am (very) thankful for the reminder. My Jenny Craig consultant also tells me many of these tips (you could work there!)
I try to eat a little before going out to dinner, and ask for items on the side (dressing, no cheese, etc) It’s not always easy, because I can always talk myself into “treating myself”. That’s so easy to do! I think the fact that I get weighed in every week helps. I HATE seeing the scale go up, even 1/2 pound!
Great advice as always, Sheryl.
Carol Cassara says
This is all good advice. But you know, we find ourselves enjoying the freedom of eating at home more often than not in these years. We get just what we want and control all aspects.
Kim Tackett says
I always order two appetizers. It’s my favorite way to eat out. Tapas for all!
Ruth Curran says
My husband and I have started sharing-portions are more manageable and if we both get salads or a soup, we are always just fine. At least until the desert menu arrives :)!
Great suggestions (as always) Sheryl!
Lois Alter Mark says
We eat out all the time and these are great tips. Sometimes it’s easier for us to follow them than other times. We do try to share more now, which definitely helps – except when we decide that means sharing 2 different desserts.
Kerry Dexter says
practical points, Sheryl — and I’d add, how about an after dinner walk (or a walk to the place you’ll be eating)? something to think about when planning a meal out as well…
mary s. says
It has been over 90 in the past few months very unusal for our area of the country, we get a big XL pizza with veggies and cheese, we can have it for 3 days, with lots of salads included with no dressing..We do oky doky, when we go out I always order a soup no matter what time of the year and then if I am hungry a tiny appetizer that is always a salad type of item.. It is turning fall now in the evenings, I got a countertop oven and I put in some fish or chicken and bake it and we have good protein with salads for our meals, yes even in the mornings too..I cannot cook when my kitchen in our 36 year old house gets over 98 degrees at all, I make up chicken salad sammies and egg salad sammies for snacks, plenty of water and we go to a big mall and walk until we drop escape home and turn on our many fans and nibble on the sammies, we are good to go, I dry everything on racks in our garage never use the dryer until about October thank you Jesus and save tons of money..when it turns inclement which is many days here I just hang the clothes in a bathroom we seldom use and they dry just fine..Food is just food, we travel in the summer and fall months and eat well at good places we are choosy and usually only order the clam chowder or fish soups and some good artisan breads, we live near the pacific ocean and love seafood..we do fine!