Eat Right When Eating Out

Americans, on average, eat out about four times a week. People eat out for many reasons including convenience, social or business engagements, and variety. Eating out can be a very enjoyable experience, to be shared with family and friends.

If you eat out occasionally, you may be able to order whatever you desire. However, if you eat out on a regular basis, be aware that choosing foods high in calories, fat, and cholesterol can impact your health.
Many restaurants offer heart healthy entrees or smaller portions for people that are watching their waistlines or their cholesterol levels.

Here are some restaurant options for you to consider when eating out. Please note the serving sizes given here. The recommended serving size for meat is 3 ounces. However, most people eat more than 3 ounces of meat when eating out. If you order a 12 ounce steak, you are eating four times the recommended amount of meat for one meal. This is okay to do occasionally, but, on a regular basis, can increase your risk of high cholesterol and weight gain.

Instead of this...	try this.
Large cheeseburger with double patty and bacon, french fries, milkshake	Regular cheeseburger with mustard and ketchup, green salad with low-cal dressing, vanilla ice milk cone, glass of low fat milk
1100 calories 50 grams of fat 125 milligrams of cholesterol 1400 milligrams of sodium	600 calories 20 grams of fat 70 milligrams of cholesterol 1000 milligrams of sodium
Instead of this...	try this.
Fried chicken breast with skin, potato salad, biscuit	Roasted chicken breast without skin, corn on the cob, baked beans, potatoes with gravy
800 calories 50 grams of fat 150 milligrams of cholesterol 2200 milligrams of sodium	650 calories 15 grams of fat 100 milligrams of cholesterol 2000 milligrams of sodium
Instead of this...	try this.
Large beef burrito	Bean burrito
500 calories 20 grams of fat 70 milligrams of cholesterol 1450 milligrams of sodium	400 calories 12 grams of fat 10 milligrams of cholesterol 1140 milligrams of sodium
Instead of this...	try this.
2 slices of extra cheese and pepperoni pizza	2 slices of vegetarian pizza
450 calories 20 grams of fat 35 milligrams of cholesterol 1100 milligrams of sodium	370 calories 12 grams of fat 15 milligrams of cholesterol 800 milligrams of sodium

How About Pizza?

Do you love pizza but have concerns about the amount of fat or sodium found in a typical pizza? Try some of the following suggestions for a healthier pizza.

Better choices: tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onions, pineapple, ham, canadian bacon, anchovies, and ground beef

Less healthy choices: pepperoni, sausage, salami, and extra cheese

Try this:
Consider making your own healthy and delicious pizza at home using a pre-made pizza crust or English muffins, top with tomato sauce, reduced fat cheese, lots of vegetables, and a little lean cooked ground beef or ham. Bake in the oven until the crust is crunchy, the cheese is melted, and the vegetables and meat are cooked. Enjoy!