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One of Ithaca’s most famous and successful
restauranteurs urged every family to eat out at least
once a week. Sound excessive? Not according to current
data which shows that American adults now eat out an
average of four times a week. Good news for restaruants,
but for customers eating out typically means meals
with more fat and calories, and fewer fruits and vegetables,
reports the May 2001 issue of Environmental
Nutrition (EN) newsletter.
Fast paced lives and jam packed schedules
make it hard to break the eating-out cycle. So EN
suggests a number of strategies to consider while pouring
over the menu. Among these are:
- watch out for signs of high fat cooking (keywords
such as crispy, fried, golden, creamy, and smothered
with cheese)
- forgo the super-size, or jumbo selections
- ask for a take-out container before you eat, so
you can package up left-overs before you eat the whole
plate-full
- share entrees with a dining partner
- ask for foods to be prepared to your specifications
(steamed vegetables, mustard instead of mayo, dressing
on the side, baked potato instead of fried)
Sometimes it is hard to know how a dish
is prepared, especially at ethnic restaurants. So EN
suggests more healthful choices from 5 ethnic
cuisines.
- Chinese
- Moo Goo Gai Pan
- Moo Shi veg, chicken or shrimp
- Yu Hsiang chicken or shrimp
- Szechuan style bean curd with vegetables, steamed
or broiled
- Lo-Mein vegetables, chicken or shrimp
- Pasta suaces
- Bolognese
- marinara
- primavera
- red or white clam sauce
- Pizza toppings
- black olives
- broccoli
- garlic
- green peppers
- onions
- mushrooms
- spinach
- fresh tomato slices
- grilled chicken
- Mexican
- black beans instead of refried beans
- soft tortillas
- rice
- hold the sour cream, please
- extra salsa, please
- Indian
- masala, bhuna, vindaloo (chicken, shrimp fish)
- saag or saag paneer (with spinach)
- chicken tandoori or tikka (baked in a clay oven)
- Biryani (a rice dish with bits of vegetables, fruit,
nuts, or meats)
- vegetable curry
- aloo chole (chick peas, tomatoes and potatoes)
- lentil or mulligatawny soup
- note that many breads are fried or soaked in fat
- Thai
- broth-based soups
- sauteed, stir-fried, steamed or grilled foods
- easy on the coconut milk
- steamed rice, not fried
- basil, ginger or chili dishes
*Environmental Nutrition
(ISSN: 0893-4452) is published monthly by Environmental
Nutrition, Inc., 52 Riverside Dr., New York, NY 10024-6599.
Subscription info, call 1-800-829-5384.
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