One of the great pleasures of life can be a lunch with a friend or a family dinner at a restaurant. It’s fun to spend time socializing over a great plate of pasta or a yummy burrito, and everybody needs those “don’t have to cook” nights. But when you’re dieting, you may think the temptation is too much, and force yourself to forego those special occasions for the sake of saving calories. There’s no need! If you make wise choices, you can still enjoy going out to eat and not feel guilty about it.

Don’t “super-size” it.

Portion control is key when you’re dieting, so don’t give in to pressure to make your order extra-large. Get the smallest available size of each item you order, or replace certain items – order a burger, for example, and replace the side of fries with a small salad.

Watch for hidden fats.

There may be things adding extra calories to your diet that you don’t even realize. You might order a big salad for lunch, which is great – but if it’s loaded down with cheese, eggs, high-fat dressing, bacon bits, and the like, it becomes a not-so-healthy choice. Your roll might be whole-wheat, but is it glazed with butter? Muffins that sound wholesome and nutritious could be laden with sugar and fat. Often, spotting hidden fats is just a matter of paying more attention to what you’re eating.

Don’t be shy about special orders.

Your health, and feeling good about your food choices, is more important than not feeling like a nuisance – so don’t feel bad about personalizing your order. If you’re ordering an egg dish, ask that it be made with only whites. Substitute greasy bacon for lower-fat lean ham. If your meal comes and it’s not prepared the way you specified, send it back. You’re paying for it, after all, so you should have it exactly the way you want!

Learn the lingo.

If a dish is steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached, or roasted, you’re good to go; if the menu says basted, braised, fried, fricasseed, escalloped, sautéed, or stewed … steer clear. If a dish doesn’t specify how it’s made or go into details about the ingredients involved, it never hurts to ask.

Share your food.

Often, restaurant portions are so huge that they’d easily feed several people, but instead of sharing, we gobble it all down ourselves just because it’s in front of us. Next time you order an entrée that’s on the larger side, divvy it up between yourself and your friends. This can also help you save money by splitting the cost – who can argue with that?

Boycott buffets … or at least use good judgment while you’re there.

If there ever were the human equivalent of a feeding trough, it’s a buffet. At buffet restaurants you’re expected to heap your plate time and time again. You may even go back for food refills just because you feel it’s a waste of money if you don’t – not because you’re still hungry, by any means. And you can’t share plates! If you’re going out to eat, try stick to restaurants that deliver one-plate portions. There will be times, however, when you have to listen to your dining companions and go with the popular vote … and buffets certainly are popular.

If you have any say at all, try to convince your group to go to an American buffet, which is more likely to have things like baked potatoes and steamed vegetable choices than, for example, a Chinese buffet where dishes that look deceivingly healthy can be loaded with oils, sodium, and MSG. The good thing about buffets is that you can actually see the serving dish and know whether what you’re eating has been swimming in oil.

Use your eyes and stick to things that appear to be relatively greaseless and cooked via low-fat methods. Load up on salad and fresh fruit – most buffets have plenty. To trick yourself into feeling like you’ve had more food, use a small saucer rather than a regular-sized dinner plate. That way you can heap it up and still not get as many calories.

Pass the bread basket - to another table!

Many restaurants offer complimentary bread baskets, chips and salsa, or other types of pre-meal goodies to nosh on. Politely refuse them when they’re brought to you – or at the very least, keep them out of reach at the other end of the table.

Carry your own condiments.

Stock your purse, pockets or briefcase with single-serving packets of fat free or reduced calorie salad dressings, mayonnaise, croutons, or any other “extra” that you normally use. Ask the wait staff to bring you a plain salad or entrée and add your own touches. That way, you can be sure of your calorie intake.

Water, water everywhere!

Take advantage of free refills and icy pitchers and down as much water as you possibly can: it will help fill you up so that you aren’t tempted to eat as much, and keep you hydrated at the same time.

Snack beforehand.

Have a small, healthy snack before you go to eat: carrot sticks or half a plain whole-grain bagel, for example. Since you won’t be starving to death, you’ll be less likely to succumb to temptations. Stop eating when you’re full.

If you eat slowly and chew thoroughly, you may be full well before you finish your meal. Learn to recognize when you’re satisfied, and resist the temptation to eat the rest just “because it’s there.” When you’re full, there are several options: one, you can ask for a to-go box and eat the rest at the next mealtime or for tomorrow’s lunch; two, you can flag down the waiter and simply ask him to take it away; or three, you can use an old dieter’s trick – dump so much salt or pepper on the remaining food that you couldn’t possibly eat the rest. Wasteful, yes, but you won’t be finishing your food.

Don’t drink and dine.

Skip the alcoholic beverages when you’re eating. A glass of wine is nice with dinner sometimes, but it also adds unwanted calories and has no nutritional value.

Balance your meals.

If you know you’ll be eating out for one meal, and think that will mean taking in a few more calories than usual, take in fewer calories at your other meals or decline snacks for the day. If you’re eating fast food for lunch, keep your breakfast and dinner choices light and healthy.

Make smarter choices.

Choose chicken or fish over beef. Skip the alfredo sauce and go with marinara. Top your pizza with veggies or plain cheese instead of pepperoni and sausage, and order thin crust. Have sorbet or frozen yogurt rather than ice cream.

Scan the menu. Many restaurants now have sections on their menus devoted to lean or “heart healthy” dishes. These dishes are directed at the health-conscious and the dieters, detail how the entrée is prepared and usually even have the fat and calorie content listed. Know which restaurants in your town offer such specialized dishes, and frequent those.

Remember why you’re out to eat in the first place.

Chances are, you’re in a restaurant eating with friends or family, not alone. Your pleasure should come primarily from their company and not from the food. Focus on your dining companions. A lot of talking and laughing will slow down your eating, giving your brain plenty of time to send the signal to your stomach that you’re full.

You don’t have to sacrifice dining out just because you’re dieting. Eating at a restaurant with friends and family can be one of life’s great pleasures, and you shouldn’t have to feel guilty about partaking. It’s just a matter of making better choices about what you’re eating, and consciously enjoying your food rather than mindlessly shoveling it in while you’re talking to fellow diners. Bon appetit!

External Links:

• Nutrition.com - This is actually a Singaporean site, but written in English; has lots of great nutrition information, plus a dining out guide.