According to Business Insider, Americans eat out 5.9 times a week on average. That’s an astounding 28% of meals, and we spend a lot of money doing it. Business Insider broke the cost per person down by state, and on the high end, in states like Massachusetts and New York, a person can spend more than $3,500 each year eating out.
There are many reasons that we spend so much eating out. It is often social, entertaining, delicious, and convenient. Unfortunately, restaurants, fast food establishments, and convenience stores don’t always have the most healthful choices. Much of what people eat outside their home (or inside if you get takeout) does not come close to meeting the dietary guidelines for minimally processed foods that are low in sodium, saturated fat, sugar, and salt. Looking at the nutrition facts from popular American restaurant chains, it’s not hard to understand the growing obesity pandemic in our country.
For example, the Cajun Shrimp and Chicken Pasta at a well-known, casual, sit-down chain, contains over 80 percent of one’s daily recommended calorie intake in a single dish.
Occasionally, there is nothing wrong with excess, but if eating out six times a week, every week, the average person’s health will suffer.
The good news is that with careful thought, eating out can fit into a healthful overall diet plan. Helping our patients navigate the rocky shores of eating out is one way we can assist them to eat more healthfully. We can do that by giving patients guidance in four ways: 1) What to choose; 2) How much to choose; 3) How often to dine out; 4) How to advocate for their rights.
- What to eat. The guidelines remain the same in terms of what to eat: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, vegetarian, and lean animal proteins. However, in restaurants, it is not always easy to know what a dish contains. It is important to teach patients how to read menus. Words such as aioli, cheesy, creamy, fried, crispy, crunchy, battered, bisque, fritters, en croute, loaded, smothered, among many others, typically mean that the menu item is likely to be high in calories and saturated fat. This does not mean that patients should never order these, but they should not be their go-to choices. A good start to making better restaurant choices is ordering sauces or gravies on the side, allowing patients to appreciate the rich flavors of the food without overindulging. Since it can be overwhelming and time-consuming when already seated at the table to dissect a menu, encourage patients to review menus online before going out to help them determine if the restaurant’s options are compatible with their preferences.
- How much to choose. When it comes to portions, most restaurant meals are too large. Everyone appreciates a deal, but although that may satisfy our wallets, it is often not the best choice for our waistlines. There are several solutions to oversized portions. First, remind patients they can take part of their meals home, and encourage them to ask the server if it is possible to have half the portion packaged to go even before the meal arrives at the table. Once we get started on that mouth-watering dish, it is more difficult to surrender the fork, so having a portion wrapped ahead can ensure it makes it home. Patients can also share a meal with others at the table to try a variety of entrees while still limiting portions, or they can see if the appetizer menu offers something that seems appealing and healthful.
- How often to dine out. How often it is appropriate to go out to eat is largely a function of where the patient is eating, what they are choosing, and how much they are eating when they go out. All of these decisions impact their progress toward meeting their personal health goals. Discuss with patients whether it makes sense to reserve dining out for special occasions or for times when they are travelling.
- How to advocate. Finally, patients need to know that they are in charge when they enter a restaurant. They are paying for the food, and reasonable accommodations can and should be made by the restaurant. Most restaurants offer simple side dish substitutions, and they will often allow the removal of certain ingredients if the recipe allows. They may also permit substitutions for starches with vegetables, sometimes at an additional cost. And for dessert, patients can request items frequently used in the kitchen for garnishes (i.e., fresh fruit), in lieu of the more decadent menu options. Part of taking control of one’s health is feeling empowered to ask questions and advocate for one’s needs. Most eating establishments would rather accommodate a customer than lose them altogether, and the more people request healthy options, the more likely the restaurant will be to add healthful options to the menu permanently!
Dining out is a major part of the American culture and economy. It is important to remember that eating out has positive social benefits to individuals and their families and friends. The more we can stress adapting healthy dining behaviors rather than eliminating them altogether, the more likely patients will follow our recommendations. Dining out can still be a regular part of patients’ diets if approached in the right way.
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Nora Saul is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. Nora has more than 25 years of experience in the field of diabetes education, consulting for the Joslin Diabetes Center and other industry partners. Nora leads content development for Silver Fern’s diabetes products and training.