Going Out to Eat without Being a Bore

1. Easy answer first: Share an entree. It’s easy on your stomach and your wallet. We all know that portion sizes in restaurants have increased and it gives us a false impression of how much we should eat (hint: stop when full). So split an entree, or share two dishes between three people if you’re anxious to try different things. If no one will share, have the server box half your entree before it even hits the table. This is an old trick, but a good one.

2. Do your homework. Most chains have made available menus and nutrition information for the food they serve. Trust me, when you find out ahead of time that the “healthy-sounding” chicken sandwich has 1200 calories, you’re not going to want to order it.

3.Which brings me to my next point: Spend a little more cash to go to a restaurant whose focus is on locally grown food and showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients. To quote Mark Bitten, who writes the New York Times’ Bitten Blog, “many Americans remain unaware that most of us spend a far lower proportion of our incomes on food than almost anyone in the world.” (Learn more here.) Americans want to get quality, good-tasting food for practically nothing (check out Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma for more on this). Well, you know the old adage that you can’t get good, fast, AND cheap? It applies to restaurant fare, too. If it’s good (and good for you), it’s going to be more expensive. Especially if you live in a larger city, I guarantee that you can find a restaurant that emphasizes seasonal, locally grown food. It might be a little more pricey (honestly, Applebee’s and other chains of that ilk are by no means cheap anymore), but it will be so worth it. Another perk to going to one of these places is that the portion sizes are usually smaller by default.

4.Be a menu detective. Menus usually give hints (or straight up tell you) how things are cooked. You want grilled, broiled, baked, steamed, roasted, or braised. Stay away from “crispy” or “creamy.” When in doubt, ask.

5.You can’t have everything on the table. I think most people’s downfall when they go out to eat is believing they can have bread, wine, an appetizer, an entree, AND dessert. Well, you can, if you want that to account for all your required calories for the day. Do you ever eat all that at home? Probably not, so pick 2-3. If you get wine to go with dinner, skip the bread. If you plan to get a dessert, skip the appetizer. Usually bread is another throwaway item in restaurants, so I usually try to pass. If it’s hard for you to sit there not eating while everyone else is munching away, get hot tea or another non-caloric beverage you can sip on to keep your mouth distracted.

6.Try to avoid ordering a starch or grain as your main entree. This means no pasta or rice/risotto entrees. Starch/whole grain on the side of a meal with lean protein and veggies is great, but pasta and rice are calorie-dense and don’t deliver a lot of nutrition. Restaurants also tend not to shy away from whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

7.Your best bet, though, is to only eat out when you’re really excited about a restaurant. That’s why I stay away from chains most of the time. I’m just not excited to try their food. No, it might not be completely inedible, but will it ever be innovative or exciting? Doubtful. Before I visit friends in New York, DC, or Chicago, I spend weeks researching which restaurants I want to try. This makes it about quality and the whole experience, rather than quantity, speed, or value. If I wanted those things, I’d eat at home. I want to eat quality food I can’t make myself.

Photo credit: Robert S. Donovan.