Eating out has so many benefits. It’s so fun go out and visit with friends and family. AND it’s super convenient when you’re on the go and don’t have time to cook, or honestly you just don’t feel like cooking. But it’s not always easy to eat healthy at restaurants.
Did you know the average meal at a restaurant contains 1,205 calories? And that doesn’t even include bread, appetizers, drinks, or desserts! Let’s just say things can get out of control real quick. Been there. ✋ So as fun and convenient as restaurants are, they can be pretty terrible for our waistlines.
But since we are all going to continue going out to eat sometimes, we need to start making better choices. So use these 21 best tips on how to eat healthy at restaurants to start making good choices to help you keep those calories down. Just doing one or two of these tips when you go out can save you hundreds of calories!
1. Always order water or unsweet tea
Most drinks like soda, sweet tea, and alcoholic beverages contain 200+ calories. And that’s per cup. I worked as a server in multiple restaurants for years, I’d say 95% of people don’t just stick with one. So what about diet soda you may ask? I heard there’s no calories so it’s healthier…
Nope! Studies show that drinking just one diet soda per day almost tripled a person’s risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease among so many other terrible issues. But what about weight loss, right? I won’t talk your ear off about diet soda, but if you want to learn more about how it actually does make you gain weight check out this article.
Just opt for water or unsweet tea to make sure you stay low calorie and put some good stuff in your body that will actually help you lose weight and/or maintain a healthy weight. You can add a slice of lemon, lime, orange or bring your own stevia to liven it up a bit.
Grab this motivational water bottle with time markers to hit your water goals even when dining out
2. Hold the butter and oil
Butter and oil aren’t very good for the body and add a bunch of unnecessary calories to our food. So be sure to ask the server to have the cooks hold the butter and oil on your vegetables. While olive oil is good for you and can help you maintain a healthy weight and even lose weight, most restaurants use vegetable or canola oil so it’s healthier to pass on them.
3. Be cautious of dressings
Most salad dressings contain about 75 calories per tablespoon. I remember back when I could care less about calories and staying healthy… I would drench my salad in ranch dressing. So there’s no point in having a salad when you are trying to be healthy if you mess it all up with your dressing choices.
Ask for a low calorie dressing option and have your server put it on the side so you can use it in moderation.
*TIP: Also be cautious of all condiments and use in moderation.
4. Avoid the bread and butter
Who doesn’t love bread and butter? Texas Roadhouse has the best in my opinion. But we must address this beautiful starter… that is also FREE! Ugh… they make it so tempting, but we must be strong. Tell the greeter or server no bread from the get go.
Avoiding temptations early helps so much. One roll contains about 120 calories and there are about 125 calories in just 1.5 tablespoons of butter. Knowledge is power. Remember this when you go out next time!
5. Plan ahead for what you want to order
When you get to the restaurant, tell the greeter you don’t need a menu. This is a great way to eat healthy at restaurants by helping you to not be tempted by the other choices they offer. Know what you are going to order and make up your mind that it’s what you are going to get no matter what. We’ve got to be assertive with ourselves.
We can’t leave room for maybe, that’s a great way for our plans to go right out the window with even the faintest sniff of cheeseburgers and pasta.
Grab my FREE Meal Planner & Grocery List page to make smart dining choices before you go
6. Pass on buffets
The temptation to overeat at a buffet will be extreme. If you have other options, taken them. And if you must go for some reason, limit yourself to one plate. Go for steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes with minimal sauces.
7. Plan to take leftovers home
Portion sizes are crazy at some restaurants. Did you know Americans eat 20-25% more than we did back in the 70’s. Check out this picture from a beach just about 50 years ago. Not one single person was overweight.
So plan on taking your leftovers home with you for tomorrow’s lunch to avoid overeating tonight. I heard this saying before and it was spot on. “Your momma told you to eat everything on your plate so you would be big and strong. Now look at you, just big.” It’s funny, but true. We’ve got to get this idea out of our head that we must finish all of our food.
8. Box it up first
Another way to avoid overeating is to ask the server to box up half of your meal before it even hits your table.
Grab these portion-control meal prep containers for easy leftovers or lunches the next day
9. Be the first to order
Next time you go out, order before everyone else that’s with you. If you’re anything like me, hearing them order will tempt you to change your mind. I used to always ask everyone with me what they were getting so no one ordered something better than me.
That was a very bad habit and now when I feel the urge to ask everyone what they’ll be choosing, I instead just order first.
10. Skip the high calorie sides
A lot of entrees include two sides. Most people order a starch and a vegetable or just double up on the starches. Instead, choose veggies or double up on them to make it a low calorie meal.
11. Order a light soup as an appetizer instead
A great way to avoid the temptation of getting bread or a high calorie appetizer is to order a soup instead. I know I’m more likely to make bad choices when I’m starving, unless I know my options.
But when you go to choose a soup always choose tomato based and broth over creamy.
12. Substitute for the bread
Oh, the bread. So good, yet usually so bad. Try replacing bread with lettuce next time you get a sandwich. This has become so popular that Jimmy John’s now has an “unwich” option. Doing this can easily save you 200+ calories.
13. Ask if there is a low calorie menu
Not all restaurants have them but order from healthy, light, skinny, or low-fat menus when available.
14. Remember low carb doesn’t always mean low calorie
The phrase low carb is a buzzword that catches our attention and makes us think we are making a better choice by choosing it, but that is not always the case. The FDA has not legally defined what “low-carbohydrate” means.
So in other words, restaurants may label something as low carb but how low is it really? Just be careful of buzzwords like fat-free, carb-smart, low-calorie, etc. Not everyone is always truthful in marketing.
15. Stay under 500-600 calories
A good rule of thumb is to stay under 500 or 600 calories per meal. This way you are getting a healthy amount of calories to fuel you periodically throughout your day while making sure you doing go overboard.
Grab the My Fitness Tracker to balance calories and workouts
16. The fail safe order
Ordering a lightly seasoned 6 – 8 oz. chicken breast, filet of fish, or steak (fillet or sirloin) with a side of broccoli, green beans, or asparagus (hold the butter and oil) might not be on the menu, but you can still order it if they have it. Ask your server.
17. Skip the dessert
I’ve had some 1500 calorie desserts and they are amazing, but save those nights for super special occasions. Like your birthday. Not everyone else’s birthday. Plus, you can have a low calorie treat at home if you are still craving sweets later.
18. Read the descriptions
To eat healthy at restaurants, you should avoid anything on the menu with the terms creamy, breaded, fried, buttery, sautéed, and cheese sauce.
19. Try to choose restaurants that have a lot of healthy options
Most restaurants don’t have a lot of healthy options, but some do. And better yet, some have healthy menus that can make things a whole lot easier for you. So set your self up for success by choosing health friendly restaurants.
20. Ask the server for help
Don’t be afraid to ask the server what they recommend as a healthy option. Their job is to serve and help you.
21. Just say no to fries!
They are everywhere and the majority of people absolutely love fries… But they terrible for you. Pretty much any other side is a 10x better option than going for these.
Eat Out Smart—and Stay on Track
These 21 restaurant tips will help you enjoy your meals without the guilt—but long-term success comes from creating healthy habits that stick no matter where you eat.
That’s why I created the FREE Fat Loss Habits Kickstart Guide. Inside, you’ll discover my best strategies for nutrition, movement, and mindset so you can confidently stay on track at home, on the go, and even at restaurants.
Click here to grab your free Fat Loss Habits Kickstart Guide!
What’s your favorite go-to restaurant order when you want to keep it healthy? Share it in the comments—I’d love to know!
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