Eating Out Tips
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Going out to eat is a fun family event. With busy working parents, eating out is sometimes a necessity. And restaurants offer another opportunity for parents to teach children about healthy food choices and portion size control.
With a few tips under your belt, you can guide your family to make healthier choices when you go to a restaurant or fast food place.
Here are some eating out tips to help you and your family enjoy a fun but healthy experience with
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helpful substition tips to make your meal healthier
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some strategies on control portion sizes that are often too big for adults let alone children
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have an enjoyable and healthy experience
List of Tips To Help Children and Families Make Healthier Food Choices and Control Portions When Eating Out In A Restaurant
- When you are eating out, agree on at least 1 healthy substitution with your child
- Choose lean meats such as chicken breast, lean ham or roast beef, instead of salami or bacon.
- Avoid foods that are breaded and deep-fried. They are high in fat and calories.
- Talk to your child before ordering a meal and give them a choice of milk, 100% juice or water instead of soda.
- Choose baked chips or pretzels instead of regular potato chips.
- Show your child how to make healthy choices when you are on the run.
- At restaurants, say no to the bread and the chips.
- Most restaurant entrees are enough for two people to eat. Order the regular size and split the order and share it.
- When planning an outing to the zoo or park, pack up washed nectarines, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and water.
- Watch out for these high fat words: battered, bottomless, breaded, buttery, cheesy, creamy, crispy and fried.
- Black beans are a better choice because they have less fat than refried beans
- Choose grilled soft tacos or burritos instead of a crispy shell or gordita-type burritos
- Ask for 100% whole wheat bread for sandwiches. Skip the higher fat, lower fiber croissants
and biscuits
- Choose water, milk or 100% fruit juice instead of soda
- Drink nonfat or low fat milk or water instead of whole milk
- Steamed brown rice has more nutrients and fewer calories than fried rice.
- Be careful of restaurants salads they can contain 1000 calories.
- Steamed brown rice has more nutrients and less calories than fried rice
- Choose a regular, single patty hamburger without cheese and mayonnaise
- Order prepared foods steamed, broiled, grilled, poached, or roasted- not fried
- Sauces such as low sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, wasabi, or ginger are better choices
than sweet and sour sauce or coconut milk
- Avoid foods with the words jumbo, giant, super sized or deluxe in the name.
- Let your child know that they can ask for food items prepared a specific
way to make a meal healthier.
- Use salsa and mustard instead of mayonnaise
- Stir fried, steamed, roasted or broiled dishes are healthier choices than battered or deep fried.
- Minimize the use of gravy, sauces and dressings; have them served on the side
- Ask for fruit instead of fries or chips
- Don’t be shy about making healthy substitutions even in Kids Fun Meals (usually comes
with a toy)
- Avoid ordering extra large portions just because they are a deal
- Ask for child’s size, even for á la Carte items
- Talk to your child before ordering a meal so that substitutions are already agreed upon
- Add low fat salad dressings instead of special sauces or mayonnaise
- Ahhh, the Mexican condiments! Salsa is low in calories and fat and it makes a great
substitute for sour cream, guacamole and cheese
- Order salads with ‘lite’ or non-fat dressing instead of regular dressing
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