They say man is a social animal – he needs to socialize, communicate and interact with other humans to remain sane and in good health and spirits. But has it occurred to you that one of the necessary components which has become part of this compulsory and innate urge of a man as he goes around ‘socializing’ is eating? With the art of cooking and entertaining guests getting more and more personalized, it is not surprising to find one specialty restaurant opening in every corner of the city street nearly every month.
You might think that perhaps this new restaurant would take some time to attract clientele, till you are put in the waiting chamber on the first week of its opening. Let us admit it eating out is more a norm than an occasion any more. While good food and better wine are great social lubricants, random or repeated consumption of such ‘good food’ may jeopardize your health. While we are all aware that ignoring invitations to dine are sometimes not possible, we could follow some tips which can prevent us from over-eating and let us enjoy a good and balanced meal even when we are dining out frequently. Here are some pointers:
If given an option, choose the lunch out venue where you can get deli sandwiches with soup and salad instead of burgers and French fries.
White Bread, baguettes or rolls are avoidable sandwich breads. Choose whole grain bread instead.
Avoid all dishes which are covered with heavy sauces or mayonnaise. Restaurants always use more mayonnaise than you would use at home.
You could eat half or even a quarter of the appetizer and split a meal with your friend. Usually a restaurant portion can serve 3 adults.
Split your dessert or if you do not get anyone to share it with, better to skip this dish.
Avoid extra topping or cheese on any dish that you order.
Select the meat dish amongst chicken, turkey or fish. A roast beef sandwich is 100 calories more than a turkey sandwich.
Avoid all entrees with stuffing. They are usually very rich in fats and calories.
Avoid all ‘combo’ meals. They may be working out more economical, but are usually double in caloric content.
If you are dining out too frequently, eat as much of fish and vegetables as possible instead of red meat, fried foods etc.
Choose dishes from the menu which use least oil for cooking. In restaurants you can not monitor the quantity of oil used.
Hopefully these diet tips would allow you to enjoy dining out experiences as frequently as you wish to ‘socialize’ or even if you are the most sought after self-styled party animal.
Diet & Nutrition 
