Eating Well While Eating Out

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Eating Well While Eating Out
TeensHealth

You know the importance of eating well, but how are you supposed to do so when your schedule is so demanding that you're hardly ever at home? Read this article to find out how people make healthy food choices while eating out.

If I Eat Well at Home, What's Wrong With Splurging When I Eat Out?
A slice of pizza once in a while won't do you any harm, but if pizza (or any fast food) is all you eat, that can lead to problems. The most obvious health threat of eating too much fast food is weight gain - or even obesity. Teens are more at risk than ever of developing type 2 diabetes, a disease that's linked to overweight and used to affect only adults. But weight gain isn't the only problem. Too much fast food can drag a person's body down in other ways. Because the food we eat affects all aspects of how the body functions, eating the right (or wrong) foods can influence any number of things, including:

mental functioning
emotional well-being
energy
strength
weight
future health
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), what's important is a person's average food intake over a few days - not just in a single meal. So if you eat a meal consisting of only junk food, try to balance it with healthier foods the rest of that day and the next.

One thing you may want to watch out for when eating out (or even in!) is your soda consumption. Colas and other sodas not only contain a lot of sugar, which can cause you to gain weight, they can also interfere with a person's calcium absorption. Because even the sugar-free versions can cause this problem, it's best to limit soda intake.

Eating on the Go
Eating at a fast-food restaurant, the mall, or even the cafeteria may not sound healthy. But it's actually easier than you think to make good choices in these kinds of situations. Cafeterias and fast-food places now offer healthy choices that are also tasty, like grilled chicken salads.

There are two pointers to remember that can help you make wise choices when eating out:

Our bodies (and our taste buds) need variety. Look for meals that contain a balance of lean proteins (like fish, chicken, or beans if you're a vegetarian), fruits and vegetables (fries and potato chips don't qualify as veggies!), and complex carbohydrates like whole-grain breads. That's why a turkey sandwich on whole wheat (with fixings) is a better choice than a burger on a white bun.
Watch your portion sizes. The portion sizes of American foods have increased over the past few decades so that we are now eating way more than we need. The average size of a hamburger in the 1950s was just 1.5 ounces, compared to our "supersize" version weighing in at 8 ounces today!
Here are some more suggestions to keep in mind when you're eating away from home.

At a Restaurant
Most restaurant portions are way larger than the average serving of food. Ask for half portions, share an entr»e with a friend, or take half of your dish home. Here are some other restaurant survival tips:

Ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side and use them sparingly.
Use salsa and mustard instead of mayonnaise or oil.
Ask for olive or canola oil instead of butter, margarine, or shortening.
Use nonfat or low-fat milk instead of whole milk or cream.
Order baked, broiled, or grilled (not fried) lean meats including turkey, chicken, seafood, or sirloin steak.
Salads and vegetables make healthier side dishes than french fries. Use a small amount of sour cream instead of butter if you order a baked potato.
Choose fresh fruit instead of sugary, high-fat desserts.
At the Mall or Fast-Food Place
It's tempting to pig out while shopping, but with a little planning, it's easy to eat healthy foods at the mall. Here are some choices:

single slice of veggie pizza
grilled, not fried, sandwiches (for example, a grilled chicken breast sandwich)
small hamburger
bean burrito
baked potato
side salad
frozen yogurt
Resist the temptation to supersize your meals. This can add up to 25% more fat and calories. The American Dietetic Association also recommends that when you have a craving for something unhealthy, try sharing the food you crave with a friend.

In the School Cafeteria
The suggestions for eating in a restaurant and at the mall apply to cafeteria food as well. Add vegetables and fruit whenever possible, and opt for leaner, lighter items. Go easy on the high-fat, low-nutrition items, such as mayonnaise, fried foods, and heavy salad dressings.

You might want to consider packing your own lunch occasionally. Here are some lunch items that pack a healthy punch:

sandwiches with lean meats or fish, like turkey, chicken, tuna (made with low-fat mayo), lean ham, or lean roast beef. For variety, try other sources of protein, like peanut butter, hummus, or meatless chili.
low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt, or cheese
any fruit that's in season
raw baby carrots, green and red pepper strips, tomatoes, or vegetable juice
whole-grain breads, pita, bagels, or crackers
It can be easy to achieve a healthy diet, even on the run. If you develop the skills to make healthy choices now, your body will thank you later. And the good news is you don't have to eat perfectly all the time. It's OK to splurge every once in a while, as long as your diet is generally good.