EATING OUT: HOW TO HANDLE IT THE HEALTHIEST WAY Guide Enjoy food wherever you go www.anyaperry.com
1. Introduction to Eating Out MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT IDEAS IN MIND AND PLAN First of all, none of us are perfect. Even if you are the healthiest eater, you are most likely are a social person! How do people socialize? Well here, in America, people go to eat out. Or get together to eat. Or order a take out. Imagine, you have just started eating healthier. You ve eliminated all the poisonous items from your daily meals, you forgot what sweets taste like, and pizza smells like. You even lost 10 lbs in a month, and your entire family cheered on you. Then your significant other insists on going out. And you can t say no. Or you go on a road trip and have to stop for breakfast at a diner. You panic. You get anxious. You either deprive yourself of a pleasant meal, or eat whatever in sight, and then experience some deep regrets. What to do when you need or want to eat out or order a take out? Here is some simple rules I put together for you. Treat them as guidelines, though, and go enjoy your meal out. Make sure to socialize!
2. Before going out/at a restaurant THINK AHEAD Check out the menu beforehand. Planning is a half of your success. Read about the sources of food on the restaurant website. You will want to focus on sustainably raised meats and locally grown vegetables. Pick 3 meals you can get away with and they are good to great on your healthiest scale. Don t be too picky, though! Ask for substitutions. Ask your server for butter or olive oil instead of canola oil. Have things grilled instead of deep-fried. Steamed veggies are always the safest bet! Don t be a perfectionist. After all, the goal of eating out is to spend time with friends and family. Your meal might not meet all the healthiest standards, but it does not mean you should not go. Go fancy. The more expensive the restaurants are, the more options and tailoring to your requests they will be willing to do.they will also care more about the sources of their food and cooking methods. Splurge. That s right - go ahead and have that cheat meal. If you can, keep it gluten-free and sugar-free to minimize the damage. 3. Guidelines WHAT TO CHOOSE AND AVOID: ANY MEAL, ANY CUISINE Focus on lean meats, green and colorful vegetables, healthier fats (butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, avocado, sustainably raised fish, and some nuts). Avoid: processed, deep fried, battered and sauced meals if you don t know what the ingredients are. Avoid soy, corn, high-fructose corn syrup. Salad dressings, prefrozen meals, sugar- and gluten-containing foods, industrial oils for cooking (most restaurants use canola and soybean oil heavily) cause inflammation.
4. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner IDEAS FOR ANY PLACE Breakfast ideas: Eggs in any shape and form (make sure your omelet does not have batter). Add bacon, steak, burger, taco meat, steamed veggies, butter. Avoid breakfast sausage unless you know what the ingredients are. Some fruit is okay. Coffee and some heavy cream are great too! Lunch and Dinner: Your best bet is a huge salad, steak, or fish. Bunless burgers or sandwiches (skip the fries, or indulge with better quality fries) are a fantastic option as well as a simple grilled piece of meat with a side of steamed vegetables, or salad. Butter is your friend here. Bring your own salad dressing or ask for olive oil with some lemon juice or balsamic. Eat meats: chicken, lamb, turkey, pork, beef, shellfish, fish (avoid imported and farm-raised fish) and vegetables: green, some of the colorful veggies, and the least of starchy ones. Avoid croutons, and cheese (if you have a dairy intolerance). Go to: Mongolian grill, Barbeque (avoid the sauce), salad bars, steak houses, Mexican (skip the chips and beans!), Italian and Greek and Spanish restaurants fit nicely for any outings you can find plenty of foods to eat at them. Appetizers: Chicken wings (hold the sauce), jalapeno poppers, charcuterie plates, cheese, pickles, olives and gluten-free items if you wish. Avoid corn chips, bread.
5. Drinks and dessert IDEAS FOR ANY PLACE Alcoholic beverages: Wine or hard liquor, cider. Bourbon, whiskey, vodka, scotch, and tequila. Avoid sugary cocktails, beer, and bottled drinks. Non-alcoholic beverages: Coffee, tea (black, green, white, red, you name it), water, sparkling water, kombucha. Desserts. The hardest part. Make your own or choose: gluten-free options or berries/fruit would be the least harmful here. If you can stick to heavy whipping cream (from scratch, no sugar) and some berries, that would be great! 6. Questions to Ask (politely): ASK YOUR SERVER 1) What are your meals cooked with? 2) Is there gluten or dairy in your food? 3) What is the dressing ingredients? 4) Can you substitute this with that? 5) Where did the meat or vegetables come from? 6) Can we skip the bread? 7) Is this made from a scratch?
7. My Favorite Fast-Food places WHEN 80/20 RULE IS APPLIED 1) In-n-out 2) Chipotle 3) Wingstop (peanut oil, beware) 4) Five guys (peanut oil, again) 5) Jimmy John s 6) Smash burger 7) Which wich 2017 THE PRIMAL FORCE LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED