Remove this to lose weight.

Sometimes when you go out to eat, you can't choose the restaurant. It might be a friend's party, a business meeting, or the only place that's convenient. Whatever the reason, once you're there, you can still make healthier choices no matter what the menu says. Here's how you can avoid some of the calorie minefields spread throughout a typical restaurant meal.

Start Smart with Drinks

Order a diet soda, sparkling water with a twist of lemon or lime, or unsweetened iced tea. Skip the mixed drinks and alcohol because some have over 600 calories in a single serving and they weaken your willpower when ordering food. The good news? Since 2018, chain restaurants must show calories for alcoholic drinks too. Check those wine lists, beer menus, and cocktail calories before you order.

(When will restaurants start offering diet orange, root beer, or any of dozens of other diet sodas? Why is it always diet Coke or Pepsi?)

Handle the Bread Basket

If someone puts a bread basket or chips down in front of you, ask them to take it away. Most chips are fried in oil and covered in salt, while breads are loaded with simple sugars. If you want bread, ask if they have whole or multi-grain varieties. If they do, skip the butter or oil. Take one piece to eat and have the rest removed.

Order Smart

Order your food a la carte (each item separately) and get exactly what you want. You may spend a little more, but you combine the healthiest options into a single meal.

Say no to any appetizers that are battered, breaded, deep-fried, or covered in sauces. Remember, recent analysis shows appetizers average 813 calories. If there are healthier appetizers, consider ordering them instead of an entree. Appetizer portions are usually smaller and typically have fewer calories.

Navigate Salads Carefully

Be cautious about salads. Watch out for what gets dumped on top. Cheese, meat, eggs, croutons, and dressings can change a low-calorie dish into a high-fat disaster. Research shows salads average 496 calories, often from toppings and dressing. Ask for fat-free or light dressings on the side. Then dip your fork into the dressing and spear the food. If they have a salad bar, load up on fresh fruits, vegetables, or boiled eggs with yolks removed. Avoid Caesar, chef, Greek, or taco salads.

Choose Soup Wisely

Soups that are broth or tomato-based like gazpacho, minestrone, and vegetable generally have fewer calories than chowder, creamed, or pureed varieties. A serving size is usually one measured cup, but many restaurants serve two or three cups worth. Cut back by splitting a bowl with someone else at your table. Skip soup entirely if you're trying to cut down on sodium.

Pick Better Sides

When ordering side dishes, look for steamed vegetable plates. Make sure they're not steamed in butter or oil. Baked potatoes without toppings are very low in calories, but they're high in simple carbs. Order sweet potatoes without toppings and you get a filling, low-calorie side with complex carbs. If you're not in the mood for vegetables, ask for sliced tomato, whole grain rice, or fresh fruit. Avoid fries, onion rings, and potato chips.

Ask About Preparation

Don't assume you know what the chef is going to do. Ask how meals are prepared. The menu description might not tell you all the things that are added. Remember this simple rule: "Grilled is good, breaded is bad." Baking, grilling, roasting, and steaming are generally healthier ways food can be prepared. Frying, deep frying, and sautéing all add large amounts of fat to the meal. Ask that the kitchen avoid brushing your food with butter or oil.

Control Portions

Some menus offer seniors, lunch, or children's portions that are typically smaller. Half-orders and small portions are also available at some places. See if any of those are options. Research confirms that smaller portions reduce daily calorie intake by an average of 235 calories compared to larger portions.

Take control of what's on your plate. This isn't your family dinner table where you have to eat everything put in front of you. Order an entree and split it with someone at the table. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, ask for a to-go box before the food is delivered. Cut everything down the middle and bring half home. That way you get two meals for the price of one. Put the extra in your to-go box before you start eating, or you may be tempted to overindulge. Out of sight is out of mind.

Final Touches

When food arrives, trim off any visible fat before you start. Remove skin from chicken, turkey, or other fowl.

Condiments can be your friend. Say no to added salt but use pepper liberally. Don't put anything on your meal until after you've tasted it first. Avoid pouring sugar in drinks. If they need sweetening, try combining different artificial sweeteners. Skip mayonnaise but feel free to use mustard or salsa if available. Both are generally low fat or fat-free.

Eat Strategically

Start eating your meals backward. Begin with the vegetables. Fill up with lower-calorie, higher fiber foods first, before you get to the main part of your dinner.

Slow down and stop eating when you're full. It sounds obvious, but many of us keep eating until we get that "stuffed" feeling. If you're tempted to keep eating, ask the server to remove the plate when you're done.

Handle Dessert

Dessert is an indulgence. Skip it if you can. Order one and split it with everyone at the table if you must. Cups of fresh fruit or flavored coffee with skim milk are also good options.

Make substitutions. Control portions. Ask about preparation methods. And remember, you're paying for the meal, so customize it to fit your needs with confidence.
Next week I'll go over healthier menu items for the most common types of restaurants.

Part 1 2 3

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Your Phone's AI Can Help You Eat Healthier at Restaurants

Making better food choices when dining out just got easier. Your smartphone's AI can be your personal nutrition assistant.

Before You Go: Share a restaurant's website or online menu with your phone's AI assistant. Ask for healthy recommendations based on your goals like low-calorie, high-protein, etc. Then the AI will give you personalized suggestions before you even arrive.

At the Restaurant: Take a photo of the menu with your phone and ask your AI to identify the healthiest options. It can analyze cooking methods, ingredients, and nutritional balance in seconds.

Smart Recommendations: AI doesn't just pick the "healthiest" dish. It explains why certain choices are better, suggests modifications (grilled instead of fried, dressing on the side), and helps you create a balanced meal.

Turn every restaurant visit into a chance to make informed, healthy decisions without the stress of analyzing lengthy menus yourself.

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Reference Links:

Mitigating the Health Risks of Dining Out: The Need for Standardized Portion Sizes in Restaurants

Deborah A. Cohen, MD, MPH, Susan H. Babey, PhD
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Published May 2012

Click Here for the Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4025680/

 

Downsizing Food: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Examining the Effect of Reducing Served Food Portion Sizes on Daily Energy Intake and Body Weight

Eric Robinson, Andrew Jones, Victoria Whitelock, Bethany R. Mead, Ashleigh Haynes
medRxiv, Published September 26, 2021

Click Here for the Study: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.09.22.21263961v1.full

 

Adults Noticing Calorie Counts on Restaurant Menus: Evidence from Nationally Representative Data

Brandon J. Restrepo, PhD
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Published March 2024

Click Here for the Article: https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2024/august/calorie-labels-at-restaurants-half-of-adults-notice-but-some-more-than-others

 

Menu Labeling and Calories Purchased in Restaurants in a US National Fast Food Chain

Joshua Petimar, Marvin Rifas-Shiman, Stephanie Lessard, et al.
JAMA Network Open, Published December 1, 2023

Click Here for the Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2812966

 

Menu Calorie Label Use and Diet Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study

Jia Jia, Victoria Fung, James B. Meigs
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Published July 9, 2023

Click Here for the Study: https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(23)00304-5/fulltext

 

Health and Economic Impacts of the National Menu Calorie Labeling Law in the United States: A Microsimulation Study

Yujin Lee, Parke Wilde, Dariush Mozaffarian, et al.
PLOS Medicine, Published May 2020

Click Here for the Study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32493057/

 

Frequency of Eating Out at Both Fast-Food and Sit-Down Restaurants Was Associated With High Body Mass Index in Non-Large Metropolitan Communities in Midwest

Surabhi Bhutani, PhD, Dale A. Schoeller, PhD, Matthew C. Walsh, PhD, Christine McWilliams, MS
American Journal of Health Promotion, Published January 2018

Click Here for the Study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5453830

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4/1/2007
Updated 9/11/2025