Making healthy choices when you eat out can be surprisingly difficult.
One reason for this is because it’s just so easy to eat unhealthy foods when that food is being prepared in a commercial kitchen.
Think about it.
Most commercial meals tend to be prepared by deep frying things, filling things with sugar, covering them with calorie-rich sauces, etc.
It’s also true that the beverages served alongside these meals don’t always tend to be the most calorie efficient.
Therefore, in today’s blog post, you’re going to learn how to make healthy choices when you eat out.
Hopefully, equipped with this information, you’ll be able to make better food choices that will lead to healthier long-term outcomes for your overall levels of health and wellness.
Let’s dive into it.
1. Order The Sweet Potato Instead Of The Regular Potato
First of all, sweet potatoes just tend to be healthier than regular potatoes.
(It’s also true that if you tend to enjoy smoking cannabis, sweet potatoes can actually increase the potency of your high. Hey, we knew there was a reason for why we love sweet potatoes!)
However, the point of this isn’t necessarily to make a case for the sweet potato specifically.
Rather, the point of this tip is just to point out that you can often make healthier substitutes if you order your food with a very intentional, health-conscious mindset.
2. Order ‘Whole Foods’ Instead Of Pastas Or Other Processed Foods
We don’t like to think of pasta, pizza, french fries, breads, and other similar types of foods as being ‘processed’ foods.
However, that’s exactly what they are.
And unfortunately, processed foods generally contain processed flour and processed sugar.
They can also tend to contain unhealthy seed oils and other ingredients that just in general aren’t good for you.
It’s always a better idea to choose whole food options over processed food options.
In other words, ordering a steak, a potato, and a salad is always going to be better than ordering a pizza along with some garlic bread and a side of french fries.
Yes, those things may all be delicious.
But whole foods are really where the better health and wellness outcomes are.
3. Avoid Deep Fried Foods
If you’re a huge fan of fried chicken and other deep-fried delicacies, you’re not alone.
Everybody loves these foods.
In fact, deep-fried foods tend to be some of the most delicious options on the menu, no matter where you’re eating.
But here’s the issue.
Deep-fried foods are filled with seed oils, processed sugar, and all kinds of extra fats that you wouldn’t have gotten if you would have roasted those foods or just pan-seared them in a little bit of butter.
The unfortunate truth is this.
The same things that happen to food when you deep fry it, that make it delicious, also tend to make it less healthy.
Hey, it’s one of those unpleasant facts of life.
So instead of deep-fried foods, opt for foods that are prepared in a healthier fashion.
4. Drink Water Instead Of Soda Or Sweetened Tea
At this point, you’re probably beginning to think that this article is straight-up pure blasphemy.
But hear us out.
Soda and tea are delicious pairings with almost any deep-fried or processed food option.
You can even take this a step further and drink wine or beer with your meal.
With that being said, all of these things have something in common.
They’re all filled with calories that will greatly increase the odds that this meal will put you over a healthy calorie limit.
And to be really honest, the best way to enjoy a healthy meal is to enjoy it with a nice cool glass of iced water.
If you want to feel a bit better about it, and/or you need something a little more ‘exciting,’ consider ordering some sparkling water and putting some lemon in it.
This is a legitimately healthy option, but it also gives you a little bit of extra ‘pizzazz’ to go along with it.
Conclusion
There you have it.
Our 4 top tips for how to make healthier choices when eating out.
Hey, nobody likes to think about this stuff.
We all enjoy splurging and eating some unhealthy food once in a while.
But here’s the important thing.
Taking care of your body should be a high priority.
And whenever you go out to eat, you can make a huge difference in your own health by making healthier choices.
So start with this process today.
You’ve got this!