The surveys have spoken: Americans are getting fatter.
At the same time, we are eating out more often than ever before.
Is there a connection? There doesnÕt have to be. Restaurants, including the fast-food variety, are responding to their customersÕ health concerns by offering greater variety and flexibility in their menus.
Anyone who dines out, whether occasionally or on a daily basis, needs only to choose wisely when asked ÒMay I take your order?Ó
Seal of Approval
As a clinical dietitian with Baylor University Medical Center, Debra Hilliard-Jones most often works one-on-one with individuals who need to change their eating habits. But she also has a hand in helping unknown diners make good choices.
ThatÕs because Baylor will perform a nutritional analysis of all meals served at a restaurant, working with chefs to ensure that meals not only taste good, but are good for you.
The result: A Baylor seal next to the menu items that are truly Òheart-healthy.Ó Restaurants that have undergone the Baylor assessment include BagelsteinÕs, El Arroyo, Miami Subs, Neiman-Marcus and PrestonÕs.
Many menus, of course, are decorated with little hearts and other symbols denoting healthier items. But if the assessment hasnÕt been done by Baylor or another reputable source, you might want to look more closely at what ingredients are included and how the dish is prepared. Saying items are heart-healthy may in some cases only indicate that they are ÒlighterÓ in calories or fat than the other fare.
ÒWhen people see Baylor, they know thatÕs a reputable name,Ó Hilliard-Jones says. ÒThatÕs reliable.
ÒItÕs like a third-party stamp of approval.Ó
A Healthy Alternative
That seal of approval is across-the-board at PrestonÕs, at Preston and Beltline Road, which features a full menu of entrees Ð pasta, chicken, sandwiches and others Ð that contain 30 percent or less fat.
General manager Randall Gattenby says the restaurant started with natural or ÒcleanÓ ingredients (containing no artificial colors, preservatives, etc.) and used them to create Òbetter-for-you, low-fat meals.Ó
ÒWe feel that itÕs the trend across the nation to go toward healthy dining,Ó Gattenby says. ÒPeople are watching what they eat at home. People care about what they put in their bodies.Ó
Gattenby emphasizes, however, that Òlow-fatÓ doesnÕt mean Òno taste.Ó The restaurant is trying to play up its Ògreat food and serviceÓ and avoids being billed as a health-food restaurant, which, for many, conjures up images of tofu and bean sprouts .
ÒPeople think to eat healthy means to give up taste and flavor,Ó Gattenby says. ÒYou donÕt have to here. When people try us, they love it.Ó
Reading the Menu
There are some simple strategies to reduce calories and fat in your diet, even when eating out. Begin with an awareness of where the fat is in restaurant foods.
Beware of menu descriptions indicating the food has been prepared with added fat. These include: fried, deep fried, refried, buttered, buttery, golden brown, crispy, marinated (in oil), sautÂŽed, scalloped, Hollandaise sauce, a la mode (with ice cream), au gratin, Bernaise sauce, breaded, battered, gravy, rich, pastry, creamed and cream sauce.
To find foods prepared with little or no fat, look for these terms: roasted, poached, steamed, blackened, Marinara sauce, marinated (in vinegar), boiled, grilled, charbroiled, broiled and baked.
If youÕre still not sure based on the menu description, simply ask your server how the food is prepared and what ingredients are used. While youÕre chatting, go ahead and ask that often-used ÒextrasÓ like salad dressing, margarine, sour cream and guacamole be served on the side Ð then use them sparingly.
Finally, remember that Òsuper-sizingÓ doesnÕt just exist at fast-food restaurants; many restaurants meals feature larger-than-needed portions. Splitting a dish, requesting half-portions, or asking for a to-go container all are easy ways to avoid overeating.
Mind Control
Spotting the healthier choices is one thing; actually choosing them is another. Having the right frame of mind is the only way youÕll do the right thing for your body.
Hilliard-Jones suggests, first, that ÒmoderationÓ rather than ÒdenialÓ be your watchwords. Telling yourself to never eat certain ÒbadÓ foods will only make the forbidden foods more attractive and ensure that when you give in to temptation, you will do so in a big way. Instead of cutting out, start by cutting back on items heavy in components that provide fewer nutrients, such as fat, sugar, alcohol and sodium.
ÒYou can have whatever you want, but just not every day,Ó Hilliard-Jones says. ÒThe typical thinking is to have a Big Mac and large fries because youÕll never have them again, youÕre starting the weight-loss program on Monday.
ÒIf you know that you can have fries if you want, youÕll be less likely to order the big size next time.Ó
Instead of making your goal to never eat a fry again, try to eat a variety of foods from each of the basic food groups to help provide all the essential nutrients. The more varied your diet, the easier this is to accomplish. And often, Hilliard-Jones says, her clients will find that when they are getting that varied, balanced diet they no longer have as much of a craving for the higher-calorie dishes, like fried foods.
ÒMost fast-food provides a high-protein meal that is low in veggies and fruits,Ó Hilliard-Jones says. ÒYouÕre missing out on those nutrients.Ó ItÕs up to the diner to seek out the needed items, which are often available if you look at all the menu has to offer.
Planning ahead instead of just scanning the menu also can be helpful. If you have your mind focused on a particular type of dish, thatÕs what you will be in the mood for. Place your order first, with that dish in mind, before you have a chance to be swayed by what others order.
Better Choices
Of course, there will be times when you will simply want to splurge on the fetuccine Alfredo or creme brulee. Remember that it is the total dietary intake that counts and that the occasional extravagant meal will not wipe out previous efforts to follow a healthy diet.
The key word, again, is Òoccasional.Ó Those who eat out often need to be more prudent than those who eat away from home only rarely.
Below, some specific examples of how you can make better choices when dining out Ð leaving room for that occasional splurge.
Fast food
Switch from: hamburger, cheeseburger, french fries, pizza, fried chicken, milkshake, pot pie, beef taco, beef burrito, taco salad.
Switch to: grilled chicken sandwich, salad with light dressing, plain baked potato, bean burrito, ÒlightÓ chicken taco or burrito, fajita pitas or ÒwrapsÓ with low-fat ingredients.
Restaurant sandwiches
Switch from: BLT, chicken salad, corned beef, egg salad, grilled cheese, ham, tuna salad.
Switch to: turkey (sliced), roast beef, grilled vegetables, grilled chicken, hummus.
Dinner houses
Switch from: hamburger, cheeseburger, baby back ribs, chicken fingers, steak fajitas, bacon and cheese grilled chicken sandwich, french fries, loaded potato, onion rings, buffalo wings, fried mozzarella sticks, stuffed potato skins.
Switch to: grilled chicken or seafood, chicken or vegetable fajitas, gardenburger, grilled chicken salad with light dressing, pasta with chicken or shrimp or vegetable in any non-cream sauce, baked potato (with no more than a tablespoon of sour cream), vegetable of the day.
Chinese restaurant
Switch from: moo shu pork, sweet and sour pork, kung pao chicken, General TsoÕs chicken, orange (crispy) beef.
Switch to: stir-fried vegetables, shrimp or chicken with garlic sauce, Human or Szechuan shrimp or chicken or tofu.
Italian restaurant
Switch from: lasagna, manicotti, eggplant or veal ptarmigan, fettucine Alfredo, fried calamari.
Switch to: spaghetti with tomato or meat sauce, linguini with red or white clam sauce.
Mexican restaurant
Switch from: Taco salad, enchilada, beef chimichanga, chili relleno, cheese quesadilla, beef and cheese nachos, beef burrito.
Switch to: chicken or vegetable fajitas, chicken or bean burrito, chicken taco, tortilla soup
Seafood restaurant
Switch from: seafood casserole, any fried seafood, baked stuffed shrimp.
Switch to: Any broiled, grilled, blackened or steamed seafood.
Restaurant breakfasts
Switch from: Belgian waffles, biscuits and gravy, ham and cheese omelette, sausage, egg-pancake-sausage-bacon platter.
Switch to: hot or cold cereal, scrambled egg substitute, hash browns, ham, pancakes (hold the margarine), toast or bagel with preserves or marmalade, fresh fruit or juice.
Condiments
Switch from: butter, margarine, sour cream
Switch to: whipped light butter, lower-fat tub margarine, fat-free or low-fat sour cream.
