How To Make Sure That You Are Eating Healthily When Visiting A Restaurant

Today for many families dining out can well be a necessity. It may be that the parents are working overtime or that they do not have time to prepare meals between their children going to soccer practice or taking part in the junior high school band concert. In fact dining out is a great way to cope with our hectic schedules. But we also dine out to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. In this article we will look at healthy restaurant eating ways so that you can still go out and not feel that you need to stick to the low fat low calorie items that the restaurant has to offer.

1. Read Restaurant Menus
When looking at the menu look for those hidden fats and calories and avoid buttery, creamy and cheesy sauces which come with many of the meals on a menu. Instead why not choose those that rely on fruit coulis, wine reductions or a mushroom sauce that is made with beef juices. If you are lucky there are some restaurants which include notations on their menus which describe those meals that are either low fat or are a more healthy option for you to choose.

2. Avoid Fried Foods
Although this may sound obvious it can still be quite tricky. Even if you do order a seafood platter to be broiled you will find it has a broiled fish fillet on it but there will be breaded and fried shrimps, scallops and clams as well. When visiting a local restaurant at lunchtime ask if they will replace the chips or fries that come with your sandwich with a small side salad instead.

3. Order from the Children's Menu
It is important that you ask questions first as unfortunately many of the items on a children's menu are not usually made in the restaurants kitchen and instead come ready prepared from a restaurant supplier. Unfortunately a regular diet of individual pizzas, chicken nuggets or fried mozzarella sticks is not the healthiest of choices for children. But the pluses are that children's menus provide you with smaller as well as lower prices and food that children adore. So use them if you can order such dishes as spaghetti with marinara sauce, small hamburger patty or stir fry vegetables as an alternative to what you would usually order.

4. Healthy Portions
Why not share with your child and get an extra plate (the restaurant may charge for this) and give some of your own over sized entree to your child. It is a great way of introducing your favorite foods to your child.

5. Give Ethnic Restaurants a Try
If you are looking for an experience in dining to share with your family that will not harm their health then go ethnic. Take them to either an Indian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean or African restaurant which will provide you with highly seasoned dishes that will be ideal for those who crave flavors in their food. Plus their use of curried lentils, roasted vegetables, cooling yogurt sauces, whilst meats are used sparingly all promise exciting flavors by are a healthy alternative to your normal restaurant choices.

So as you can see healthy restaurant eating no longer has to be boring and no longer do you have to just rely on salads in order to make sure that what you are eating is the healthy option? Never believe healthy eating can enhance skin care. Choosing right and healthy food is very important.

Bob raj is the author of where eating healthy food will give some freshness in our face and body.