Order Smart When Eating Out

Quick Win

Restaurant meals are often loaded with calories, fat and sodium. Here’s how to enjoy them while staying aligned with your health goals.

Try This Today

• Be sensible about starters. Just say no to the bread basket, chips and salsa, and other appetizers that are short on nutrients and long on calories.
• Ask for sauces, dressings and condiments on the side. This lets you control the quantity you eat versus overdoing these sources of fat and calories.
• Be beverage-smart. Sticking with water — tap or sparkling — can save you a lot of calories (and cash!). Brush up on the calories in alcoholic beverages — and keep in mind that drinking alcohol can lead to overeating.
• Make healthy choices. When picking a side, opt for a salad or side of vegetables instead of french fries. Choose tomato sauces over cream-based sauces, and baked over fried fish or chicken.
  
• Stay mindful. The bustle, noise and sensory overload can make it hard to stay present. Aim to slow down and savor each bite, and tune in to your body’s signals as you’re eating. And don’t fall into all-or-nothing thinking: Consider sharing that decadent dessert that’s calling your name. There’s a big difference between three bites and 20!

Why

Compared with meals prepared at home, meals from full-service and fast-food restaurants tend to contain fewer vegetables and fruit and are higher in calories, fat and sodium, according to a 2018 report from the USDA. Not surprisingly, eating out frequently is linked to an increased risk of being overweight, as reported in 2022 in Nutrients. Obesity was named the top modifiable risk factor for dementia in the United States in 2022. Based on data from more than 35,000 adults 20 and older, eating out is also linked to a risk of an early death, from heart disease and cancer in particular, according to a 2021 report in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.