Planning Ahead For Meals Away From Home

If you get nervous about sticking to your healthy eating plan when you go to a restaurant, you are not alone. Eating out can be a lot of fun, but you have to have a strategy for staying away from the foods that are loaded with extra calories and fat. Here are some things you can try:

• Have a friend order for you. Tell them ahead of time what you want and let them place the order.
• Agree ahead of time to split a meal. If you are going with a friend, see if you can agree to split a meal before you get there.
• Take your mind off the menu. Decide what you should order, then put the menu away. Chat with your friends or family until it is time to order.
• Look for healthy options. Many menus these days have a system for marking their healthy items. See if the place you are at is one of them and if so, stick to those choices.
• Call ahead of time and ask for some healthy menu suggestions. That way you don’t even have to open the menu once you arrive.

Don’t limit yourself to these ideas–there are plenty of creative options for making sure you stay on target with your eating plan if you go out. If you experiment, you will find what works best for you!