Tips for Staying Healthy While Eating Out After 50
Eating Out After 50
Our nutritional needs change as we age, of course. After the age of 50 or so, many of us fine tune our diets to be higher in fiber, lower in sodium, and easy on the sugar. Managing these dietary changes is relatively simple in your own home because you control the ingredients and cooking methods. But what about eating out?
Eating at your favorite restaurant is almost as easy as eating at home - you regularly order the healthiest items on the menu. Things get more complicated when you dine out, especially when you have dinner at a new establishment or have to grab a bag of fast food for lunch. There’s usually no way to tell if the cook uses processed or fresh ingredients, for example, or how much salt is in the final product.
What is clear is that food away from home can increase your calorie intake and reduce the quality of your diet. In fact, the USDA looked at a number of studies and found that eating dinners away from home reduces the number of vegetables a person consumes, and eating breakfast or lunch away from home increases calories from saturated fat, solid fat, alcohol, and added sugar.
Fortunately, you can eat healthy at your favorite restaurant down the street, while traveling, or even at your local fast food joint.
Tips for Making Healthy Choices While Eating Out
Eating out does not necessarily have to ruin your healthy diet. With a little planning, you can eat out, maintain your health, and enjoy life.
Let the Server Know About Any Dietary Needs
Restaurants want you to be happy with their food and service, so most eating establishments will be glad to personalize your meal to win your business.
Avoid the Buffet
Research shows that people will eat more when more food is available, even when that food is unappetizing. Ordering off the menu rather than hitting the buffet line can keep your healthy diet on track.
Opt for Extra Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables should take up about half your plate. Many restaurants are glad to add an extra portion of vegetables as a side dish or as substitution for fries or rice. Look for steamed vegetables that are free from heavy sauces.
You may be able to substitute in healthier, vegetabled- based options, such as zucchini noodles (zoodles), or a cauliflower crust pizza.
Cut the Portion Size
Restaurants want their customers to walk away feeling full, so they often supersize their meals to satisfy even the biggest appetite. In fact, fast food portion sizes more than doubled between 1986 and 2016. Today, portions served at restaurants are two to three times larger than the recommended serving size.
Oversized portions can have gigantic consequences on your health. Overeating can lead to weight gain and even being overweight or obese, of course, and it can also increase the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems, and other health issues.
Avoid overeating by sharing a meal with one or more people or by taking home a doggy bag.
Order Salad dressings and Sauces On the Side
Many restaurants go heavy on the dressings and sauces, which can be high in calories, oil, sugar and salt. Having your sauces and dressings on the side puts you in control.
Be sure to pour only a small amount of dressing or sauce from the container onto your food, as they may actually put more in the little cup than they would have put on your food.
Don’t Drink Your Calories
Fancy coffees, soda pop, and libations all contain empty calories, so they add inches to your waistline and blood sugar levels without contributing any beneficial nutrients. Even fruit smoothies can have fruit juices that are high in hidden calories.
Give your body what it wants - good ol’ H2O. If you crave a little more flavor, ask for a slice of lemon, lime, or cucumber in your glass.
Need a little caffeine to jumpstart your day? Opt for black coffee, no sugar.
Be Intentional with Your Appetizers
Usually deep fried and of accompanied by a decadent sauce, appetizers can derail your healthy meal before it starts. Take the Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion, for example, which takes an otherwise benign onion and turns it into a breaded, deep fried invitation to consume 1620 calories. Instead of cheese fries, spinach dip, or Buffalo wings with ranch dip, opt for baked pita chips with a healthy guacamole dip or hummus.
How to Pick a Main Course
Your main course should be high protein, low carb, and easy on the salt and sugar. Choose grilled, rotisserie-style or baked entrees rather than fried ones, order plain rather than deluxe burgers, and leave off all butter, gravies, and sauces.
Adding a side salad and extra vegetables can help fill you up and provide the fiber you need to keep your digestive tract happy.
More Health Tips from Mighty Health
Mighty Health is your home for healthy living! Match with your own health coach for personalized nutrition guidance, workout plans, live events, and more for those over 50! Download the app to get started today.