Restaurant Dining

Restaurant dining can be somewhat of a challenge. There are many food choices on the menu that seem to be quite healthy. At a restaurant, grilled seafood, poultry, lean meat, vegetables, and salad can be very healthy choices. Why would you think otherwise? I did some research on the nutritional values of some restaurant menu items and was shocked to find how unhealthy some of them can be.

Nutritional information about items at your favorite restaurant can be found on various websites, and in some instances, larger restaurants post the information on their website. What I am finding is that even at some of the best restaurants, the food choices contain far too much sodium. I found that many restaurant food choices can contain 3,000 - 4,000 milligrams of sodium per entree, some even higher! For everyone on a sodium restricted diet,  your meal could contain enough sodium for 2 - 3 days.

I am not very hung up on carb counting when dining out.  For me, I simply eat only a small portion of the carbs presented on the plate and take the rest home to enjoy at a later time. When I choose a salad, whether it be a side choice, or the main entree, I will always request that the salad dressing be served separately. I dip my salad into the dressing, rather than pouring it directly on the salad.  I find this to be very satisfying and do not miss the extra dressing; in fact, you will be surprised at the amount of dressing that is left at the end of your meal. Of course, vinegar and oil are always a good choice.

Before heading out to your favorite restaurant you might want to search the Internet for nutritional values. In doing so, you will be more informed and armed with the ability to make a healthy meal choice before arriving at the restaurant. Become a wise restaurant diner and you will enjoy your meal without any guilt or concerns.

Some Resources I Find Helpful:
USDA Consumer Corner
Livestrong.com