Q. My friends and I enjoy going out to dinner on the weekends. However, I always feel like I am overeating on fatty and unhealthy restaurant food. What are some ways that I can avoid the trap of overeating?
A. There are several things you can do to avoid the common trap of overeating at restaurants.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture website, mypyramid.gov, offers some great tips for healthy restaurant eating.
They suggest picking items on the menu that are small to medium in portion size. Sometimes that could mean ordering off the appetizer section of the menu or even sharing an entrAce with a friend.
If you do order a larger size entrAce, you can ask for the ""to-go"" box right away when you get your food so you can put half of your meal away and not be tempted to eat all of it.
In addition, try to order a side salad or vegetable to go along with your meal. The vegetable will help curb your hunger and also fill you up so you are less likely to overeat or order a dessert. Make sure to ask for the salad dressing on the side because most restaurants add more than one serving of dressing if it is not asked for separately.
Also, try to avoid drinking high-caloric beverages like soda or sweetened drinks. Instead, try drinking water or other non-sweetened beverages.
Remember that eating out should be fun and you can eat the foods you like without feeling guilty after the meal.
