Weekly Meal Plan - Dining Out

We are big fans of eating out - no cooking or cleaning is the way to go! Since I have been staying home and trying to stay healthy, we have limited our eating out to one day a week. And every month, we try to do a date night to a new restaurant we haven't tried before. My favorite way to find a restaurant is through Open Table. I have the app on my phone, and I can set up our reservation quickly and easily. In fact, I use it so much that I just received a gift certificate. We plan to use it soon during Houston Restaurant Weeks. 

Eating out can be tricky if you are trying to stay healthy. I do sometimes use our dinners out as my cheat meal, but when I don't, I need to plan ahead to be mindful of my choices.

Here are my tips on eating healthy when eating out -

Plan Ahead

Use your Open Table app to see the restaurant's menu options. Some restaurants do share the nutritional information as well to help with your choice. We recently ate at Seasons 52 where the information was available for their food options. The drinks too! 

Share a Plate

Maybe you and your dining friends can share a meal to cut down the portion size. The sharing also prevents you from gorging yourself full of a portion that is too large (#guilty). When this happens, I don't always feel so great right after or even the next day. Think of also getting a kids meal to eat smaller portions of food as well. 

Avoid the Grease

Stay away from any fried options - instead look for broiled or grilled. You may also ask what they use to grill their meats and perhaps ask for a different cooking method. This option may also be considered by calling ahead and staying on track of your order. 

Skip the Treats

Oh this one is SO hard for me. I love my chips and dips. And bread. At a restaurant where these treats are given complimentary as you wait for your food. avoid them. Or ask them to not bring them to your table - temptation station! But, if this meal is your cheat time. get those chips and queso, my friend. 

Beware of the Salad

Salads may seem like great options for the healthy diner. However, the portions are usually huge. Not to mention the fatty dressings and add-ons such as cheese, tortilla strips, and the like. I also highly recommend asking for dressing on the side so your meal does not come drenched. When your salad arrives, ask for a different plate to separate it into a smaller portion. Or ask for the to-go box early and separate it then - take it for leftovers! Recently, I used my Open Table app to eat at Mi Cocina in the Woodlands area. I had the Rico Salad and asked for cheese and tortilla strips to be removed. I also asked for salsa for my dressing to lighten the calories. 

I can't wait for our next meal out - preferably without the rowdy little ones - and I will use my Open Table app to make our plans. Be it a healthy night out or our time to splurge, I like that I can set it all up quickly and easily. That gift card makes it extra fun, too. 

See where I am linking up HERE :)

With Love,
Kim