Don't let enjoying a lunch or dinner out at a restaurant ruin your healthy eating goals. Follow my easy tips for how to eat healthy at restaurants!
Eating out at restaurants is one of the most difficult things I've found when trying to follow a healthy lifestyle. When you work so hard at home to follow healthy eating guidelines, eating at a restaurant can feel like a step backwards. At restaurants, you can say goodbye to knowing everything that goes into your food and, most likely, to avoiding unhealthy ingredients, like butter, salt, and lots of saturated fats.
You could say, "Well, I just wont eat out, then." But, realistically, that's just not gonna happen. Eating at restaurants is fun and social and new.
The good news is that it's still totally possible to eat at restaurants AND be healthy - you just need a few tricks up your sleeve so you can be prepared to make good, healthy choices.
Here are my best tips for how to eat healthy at restaurants. Trust me, it's possible - let me show you how!
11 Tips For Healthy Eating At Restaurants
1. Scan the menu.
Look for keywords on the menu that are giveaways for what to avoid. Here are some examples of the most common culprits:
- pan-fried
- crispy
- dipped
- scalloped
- breaded
- cream
- alfredo
Dishes with these words tend to have a lot of hidden fat and salt. Instead, look for menu items with words from the following list:
- grilled
- steamed
- baked
- roasted
- braised
- broiled
- seared
2. Eat some meat.
Meat has a ton of protein and, when lean, is a great idea to order. When ordering meat, pick leaner cuts of beef (great options include flank steak, skirt steak, tenderloin, sirloin, or filet mignon).
When in doubt, chicken breast is another great high protein, low fat option.
Eating protein will help you to feel full and satisfied without having to fill up on empty carbs, like pasta or bread.
3. Ask to double or triple the vegetables.
Let's be real. Often, a side of vegetables in a restaurant is really more of a garnish, not a real serving. When ordering, ask for double or triple the normal serving of veggies, and offer to pay extra (more often than not, you won't even be charged). You could also look to the Sides portion of the menu to see what options the restaurant has available.
A big problem with veggies is that they get cooked in a ton of butter so make sure to ask that the vegetables NOT be cooked in butter when you order them. This is an easy way to escape unneeded fat and calories.
4. Go ethnic.
When it comes to ethnic food, some options (like Japanese, Thai, Greek, and Indian restaurants) are easier to eat healthier than others (like Mexican, Chinese, or Italian restaurants). While you can successfully eat healthy in any restaurant, the main reason why it's easier for the first options is because they feature grilled meats, less pastas and/or noodles, and other non-fried options.
This doesn't mean you should totally avoid the other types of restaurants. Just know it may be a little trickier to find what you're looking for which means your options will be limited.
5. Ask about preparation.
Truth: Chefs are trained to use lots of butter and salt to heighten flavors. Duh, right? It tastes good. They do this because, if you add butter or salt on most anything, it tastes better which makes the customer happy which means more business in the future. They're not usually there for your health. They're there to feed you tasty food.
If you're concerned about the butter or salt in your food, don't be afraid to ask your server how the food is prepared. If you find out what you want is actually loaded with oil or butter, either ask for it to be prepared differently or choose something else.
6. Don't be afraid to ask.
Along the same lines as the previous tip, I highly recommend that you ask the waiter/waitress questions about how the food is prepared if you’re not clear. You'll only know for sure what's in your food if you ask. This can literally mean a difference of hundreds of calories and tons of unnecessary fat.
Is it uncomfortable? A little at first, but it's your responsibility to know what you're putting into your body and your waiter's responsibility to know what goes into the food they're serving. The more you ask, the easier it gets, I promise!
7. Look for these desserts.
Desserts are a fun part of eating out at restaurants and can be a huge bummer if you're trying to eat healthy. If you want to splurge on a dessert, you do have some options. My favorite thing to do is to order one dessert for the table. That way, you don't eat the entire dessert and feel totally awful. Instead, you enjoy a few bites and satisfy your sweet tooth. If you'd rather not share, another great idea is to ask your waiter for a simple dish of berries or a fruit sorbet.
8. Box it early.
Did you know restaurants often serve two to three times what you actually need for a normal serving? Next time, ask to box half your entrée BEFORE it ever even gets to the table. This will save you money and calories. It may sound weird, but it makes tons of sense. You can also split an entrée with another person, which I like to do.
9. Skip the fancy pants drinks.
If you must order an alcoholic drink, try to avoid margaritas, piña coladas, and other exotic mixed drinks. They include sugary add-ins that add tons of calories and processed sugars and flavors.
Instead, order a glass of wine, a light beer, a vodka and tonic, or a simple martini. These options will be lower in added sugars.
10. Order fish.
Fish is a great option, as long as it’s not fried. You can order seafood in tons of different ways—steamed, blackened, baked, broiled, sautéed, or grilled. My favorite is grilled.
Just like with meat, fish allows you to enjoy protein, fill up on real food, and avoid foods loaded in carbs and unhealthy fats. While it may be a bit pricier, it's often a great option on the menu, especially if it's fresh fish.
11. Drink water throughout the meal.
Try your best to get used to drinking water as your main beverage. Drinking water will slow you down from eating your food too fast, which will help you enjoy the food more, and it will allow your brain to get the message form your stomach that you’re full so you don't overeat before your plate is already empty.
You can ask for a slice of lemon, if plain water is too boring. To ease into just having water, you can also wait to order a different beverage until after you've finsihed your first glass of water.
How To Eat Healthy At Restaurants
What To Order To Eat Healthy At Restaurants
Eating out and wanting to pick something healthy off the menu? Here are my favorite go-to menu items for specific types of restaurants so you know you're making a healthy choice.
- Healthy Minestrone
- pasta fagioli
- house salad
- Caesar Salad
- fresh fish or seafood that is cooked in olive oil
- choose red sauces, like Healthy Chicken Cacciatore or Healthy Chicken Marsala
- tom yum soup
- curry with tofu, veggies, or chicken
- fish with veggies
- summer rolls
- Healthy Beef and Broccoli
- satay
How to Eat Healthy at Mexican Restaurants
- ceviche
- The Perfect Guacamole (without many tortilla chips)
- black beans
- grilled fish
- Homemade Chicken Fajitas (without many tortillas)
- choose homemade corn tortillas over flour tortillas
- Chicken Burrito Bowl
- taco salad (without the taco shell)
How to Eat Healthy at Japanese Restaurants
- sushi and sashimi
- edamame
- miso soup
- grilled seafood
- ginger salad
- teriyaki chicken or salmon (with sauce on the side)
How to Eat Healthy at Chinese Restaurants
- beef and broccoli (or chicken and broccoli)
- brown rice instead of white rice
- mixed vegetables
- moo goo gai pan
- schezuan eggplant
- kung pao chicken (not fried)
- Buddha's delight
Now, all you need to do is use these tips the next time you go out to eat. The more you use them, the better you'll get at spotting healthy versus unhealthy options and it will feel more and more natural. The bottom line is it's possible to make good choices and have control over your food - even at eat healthy at fast food chains or drink healthy at starbucks.
Did I miss anything? What's your best tip for how to eat healthy at restaurants? Share in the comments below!
Jeremy Thompson
I do like how you mentioned that it may seem harder to eat healthy at some restaurants, but you can get some fresh fish cooked in olive oil, red sauces, salads, Pasta Fagioli, and minestrone from Italian restaurants to quench your health needs. That is perfect as my family is pleading me to go out for an Italian style dinner later. Trying to be healthy is quite a hard work so I'm glad they have some options for me. Thanks!
Persephone de Vito
Surely, your suggestion of getting used drinking water as the main beverage will help me out a lot. Like you said, water will help me by slowing down my eating pace and allowing me to enjoy the food more. I will take note of that because my brother and I were planning to eat at a pizza restaurant next week on his birthday. I'm following a strict diet, but I don't want to let him down either. So on that day, I'll take it easy, but I'll still eat pizza with him. Thanks for the tips. I could really use them.
Persephone de Vito
It was really nice how you said that one way to eat healthy at a restaurant was by asking the server to box half of the entree before it even gets to the table. That's a really nice thing to be aware of, especially since we're planning to eat out next week. We've been eating a lot in Chinese restaurants and Italian restaurants, now I have this craving for Meditteranean cuisine, but I want to remain fit while giving in to my cravings. Thanks.
Lacey Baier
I'm so glad you liked that tip! Best of luck on your dining adventures!
Kyle Wayne
I found it extremely interesting that you mentioned how there are usually certain words within the description on an entree that will give away it's unhealthiness. My older brother is looking to find a quality breakfast diner that he can go to before work since he prefers eating out for breakfast. I think I will talk to him about paying attention to works like "pan-fried", "cream", and "baked" to keep a healthy diet.
Lacey Baier
Absolutely -- diners can be tricky that way. If all else fails, order eggs and protein 🙂
Taylor Bishop
Thanks for these tips for eating healthier at restaurants. I actually didn't know that eating seafood could actually be a good option. You went over some different ways that it can be ordered, and I'm interested to learn more about what these are and how they can affect the taste of the fish.
Lacey Baier
Awesome - I'm so glad these tips helped you to learn something new about fish!!
Kylie Dotts
It makes sense that eating slow and drinking a bit of water would help you keep from overeating. Doing some research on the places to eat in your are could give you a good idea or portion sizes as well so you can keep in mind how big the meal will be in general. I don't think that it would make sense to go to a buffet when you only want a salad so knowing where you are going and what they serve will help you make those healthy choices.
Lacey Baier
Absolutely - plus buffets make you feel like you SHOULD eat more, which is not very helpful at all.
Elias
Great tips. I would follow your suggestions and try to do stuffs like you do. You are a life savor for me.
Lacey Baier
xoxo
John
I really liked all the suggestions the article has about eating healthy when going out to restaurants. I especially liked the suggestion to consider splitting a meal or saving extra food for another serving another day instead of trying to eat the entire thing. My wife and I are trying to eat healthier, but going out to eat is an easy and fun way for us to spend time together. We'll be sure to keep these tips in mind going forward!
Lacey Baier
Yay, so glad I can be of help to you and your wife, John!
Tomas Killington
Eating at restaurants is one of my family's favorite activities to do together. We really enjoy experiencing new things together including new food. I didn't occur to me to ask the server to double or triple the amount of vegetables that are in the dish to create a more nutritious meal. I'll have to remember that next time we go out.
Lacey Baier
Perfect - I hope that helps you to eat healthy, Tomas!
Derek Mcdoogle
In your article, you stated that often, a side of vegetables in a restaurant is really like a garnish, not a real serving and when ordering, ask for double or triple the normal serving of veggies, and offer to pay extra. My wife and I have been going on a strict diet lately but we really want to go out to eat for date night. I wonder if there are certain ways that healthy restaurants prepare their food that is different from other places.
Lacey Baier
They'll def focus on lowering the amount of unnecessary fats and salts needed and will allow for more options that are not fried. That makes it much easier to choose fresh, whole options 🙂
Sarah Smith
I'm going on a trip and want to still be able to eat healthy at places. Thanks for the advice about how you can ask for double or triple the vegetables. I'll have to follow your advice and also make sure to get whole wheat bread instead of white.
Lacey Baier
Yay, good luck!!
April Cook
I love eating out and discovering new and exciting restaurants. It can be hard to continue my search for the best when I am trying to eat healthy. These tips are great and I will put them to use. I especially like how you suggest to ask tor more vegetables. I'll do that next time instead of taking the side of fries! Thanks!
Lacey Baier
Woohoo! So glad you liked the ideas - good luck!!
Patricia Anderson
I had no idea that fish was a healthier food to get at restaurants. Fish is so delicious it is a little more expensive typically but if it is healthier I should just get it. Salmon is my favorite kind of fish and most nice places usually provide that. What meat is next healthiest if there is no fish option?
Lacey Baier
So glad to share that info with you 🙂 Next healthiest would likely be a boneless, skinless chicken breast or a lean cut of steak -- but it really is more dependent on how it is prepared than the cut of meat.
Lillian Schaeffer
This is some great information, and I appreciate your point that Indian restaurants are easier to eat healthy at. One of my New Year's resolutions this year involves eating healthier, but my husband and I like to go out to eat a few times a month. I'll definitely look into going to Indian restaurants more frequently so it's easy to pick nutritious dishes. Thanks for the great post!
Lacey Baier
Awesome, I'm so glad you found this post helpful, Lillian. Best of luck eating healthier! 🙂
Nicole
I really like these suggestions. I try to avoid bread too If a waiter says they will bring bread I try to tell them not too before I change my mind, I like these ideas.
Lacey Baier
YES, that's a great idea and one I didn't even think to add to the list but is a super easy way to remove those extra un-needed foods even from reaching your table. Also - no chips is another one 🙂 Thanks for sharing!