Guide
Eating Out the Healthy Way
You don’t have to give up restaurants to eat well. Almost every menu has healthier choices. You just need to know what to look for, and what to skip.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
Before you go
- Look at the menu online first. Decide what you’ll order before you’re hungry and the table smells like fries.
- Check the calories. Chain restaurants with 20 or more locations must post calories on menus and drive-thru boards, and must give you written nutrition information (like sodium and saturated fat) if you ask (FDA).
- Don’t arrive starving. A piece of fruit or a handful of nuts beforehand makes it easier to choose well.
Words to look for, and words to watch
Usually better
- Grilled
- Baked or roasted
- Steamed
- Broiled
- Fresh, garden, seasonal
- “Dressing on the side”
Usually heavier
- Fried, crispy, battered, breaded (usually cooked in seed oils)
- Creamy, alfredo, cheesy, smothered
- Loaded, stuffed, double, triple
- Bottomless, unlimited, jumbo
- Glazed, candied, sweet and sour
Watch the cooking oil
We encourage avoiding seed oils (canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower and safflower) as much as possible. Most restaurant fryers and many kitchens use them, so:
- Choose grilled, roasted, broiled or steamed dishes over fried ones.
- Ask what the kitchen cooks with. Many restaurants can cook your food in olive oil or butter if you ask.
- Look for places that fry in beef tallow or cook with olive oil. More restaurants now advertise it.
- Use olive oil and vinegar or lemon on salads instead of bottled dressings.
Where seed oils hide
- Fried foods: fries, fried chicken, onion rings, fried fish and anything from a deep fryer
- Most potato chips and other bagged snacks
- Corn tortilla chips and taco shells, and many store-bought tortillas (check the label)
- Bottled salad dressings and mayonnaise
- Crackers, cookies, granola bars and packaged baked goods
- Store-bought hummus, dips and spreads (look for ones made with olive oil)
- Microwave popcorn (pop your own in olive oil or tallow)
Read ingredient lists for canola, soybean, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, grapeseed, rice bran or “vegetable” oil.
Seven simple habits
- Drink water. Skip soda, sweet tea, lemonade, milkshakes and alcohol. Drinks can add hundreds of calories and a lot of sugar before the food even arrives.
- Swap the side. Ask for a side salad, steamed vegetables, fruit or a baked potato instead of fries or chips. Most places do this for little or no charge. Fries and chips are usually cooked in seed oils.
- Get sauces and dressings on the side. Dip your fork, don’t pour. Ask for olive oil and vinegar instead of bottled dressings, which are usually made with seed oils.
- Box half right away. Restaurant portions are often two meals. Ask for a to-go box when the food arrives, or split an entrée.
- Skip or share the extras. Bread baskets, chips and salsa refills, and appetizers add up fast.
- Fill half your plate with vegetables. The same rule as at home.
- Share dessert, or skip it. Four forks on one dessert is still a celebration.
What to order where
| Restaurant | Better choices | Go easy on |
|---|---|---|
| Fast food burgers | Grilled chicken sandwich, single-patty burger, side salad, apple slices, water | Double and triple burgers, fries (fried in seed oils at most chains), milkshakes, combo upsizing |
| Chicken places | Grilled nuggets or grilled sandwich, fruit cup, side salad | Fried tenders and fries (usually seed oils), biscuits and gravy, sweet tea |
| Mexican | Fajitas (skip the sour cream and cheese), burrito bowl with beans and vegetables, grilled chicken or fish (ask for it cooked in olive oil or butter), black beans, salsa and guacamole | Chimichangas, tortilla chips and fried taco shells (fried in seed oil), queso refills, large margaritas |
| Italian | Grilled chicken or fish with vegetables, marinara (tomato) sauces, minestrone, a lunch-size pasta portion | Alfredo and cream sauces, fried calamari, endless breadsticks |
| Pizza | Thin crust, vegetable toppings, one or two slices with a side salad | Stuffed or deep-dish crust, extra cheese, processed meats |
| Asian | Steamed dishes, stir-fries with lots of vegetables, broth-based soups, brown rice, sushi rolls with fish and vegetables | General Tso’s, sweet and sour, fried rice, tempura, heavy sauces (ask for sauce on the side) |
| Sandwich and sub shops | Turkey or chicken on whole-grain bread, loaded with vegetables, mustard | Footlongs with extra cheese and mayo, chips and cookie combos |
| Breakfast places | Veggie omelet, oatmeal with fruit, eggs with whole-wheat toast, fruit | Stacks of pancakes or waffles with syrup, biscuits and gravy, sweet coffee drinks |
| Steakhouses and family dining | Sirloin or grilled fish, baked potato or steamed vegetables, salad with dressing on the side | Fried appetizers, prime rib portions, loaded potatoes, bread basket refills |
| Coffee shops | Black coffee, unsweetened tea, a latte with no added syrup | Frappes, whipped-cream drinks and pastries, which can equal a dessert |
After church on Sunday
Many families eat out after worship. Make it a time of fellowship, not just food: pray together at the table, put the phones away, and ask each other what stood out in the sermon. Choosing well at the restaurant is just one more way to do everything for God’s glory.
Kids’ menus are often mostly fried food. Ask for grilled options, fruit or vegetable sides, and milk or water instead of soda.