YOUR FOOD AWAY FROM HOME

Whether it’s a rushed, fast-food meal, lunch in the company cafeteria, an order of pizza, a casual dinner at a family restaurant, or an elegant evening of fine dining in a relaxing atmosphere, eating out is no longer just for special occasions. It’s become part of our everyday lifestyle!

According to the National Restaurant Association, Americans (age eight and over) eat out more than four times a week on average—or about 225 meals a year: mostly lunch and dinner, but breakfast continues to gain more of our food-service dollars. Overall, food service currently gets about 46 percent of every dollar that U.S. consumers spend on food, with projections expected at 53 percent by 2010. In fact, in 2002, about $408 billion are expected in restaurant industry sales, up about 4 percent from 2001. The data are clear: there’s good reason to give eating out your careful attention!

Food service includes any food that’s not prepared in the home kitchen. So who’s cooking for us?

In growing numbers, consumers want fast, easy, and flavorful food to fit their busy lifestyles. Take-out, delivered food, and fast-food restaurants do the job so you have time for other things. In the late 1970s, fastfood sales amounted to about $9 billion annually in the United States. In 2002 that figure was projected at about $115 billion.

Despite our reliance on quick food, consumers also flock to full-service restaurants, which are projected to take in $147 billion in 2002. Why? Chances to socialize with family, friends, and coworkers; to enjoy their leisure time; and to experience flavors that aren’t prepared at home.

Hungry or not, food bombards our senses almost everywhere we go today. The broad array of restaurants offers an explosion of dining-out options to choose from: traditional family cuisine; regional, ethnic, and fusion cuisine; vegetarian cuisine; coffee cafés; bagel and doughnut shops; and sushi bars, to name a few.

Supermarkets cook, letting us “take out” to “eat in.” We also eat from convenience stores, bookstores, drugstores, recreational centers, institutions (schools, hospitals, businesses, and others), sports and cultural events, hotels and cruise ships, airlines, and vending machines, among others.

Where do you typically eat out—and how often? Whatever your answer, the more you eat away from home, the greater the impact food-service meals and snacks make on your overall food choices, health, and well-being.

Dining Out for Health and Pleasure

Eating out? You’ve got choices—plenty of them! It’s up to you decide what foods to enjoy, where, and how much. With a little forethought and menu savvy, the meals and the snacks you eat away from home can be great-tasting, enjoyable, even adventuresome—and healthful, too.

What are your eating-out challenges: “too big” portions, the urge to splurge, no time to eat smart away from home? If you’re a frequent restaurant diner, take stock of the big picture of eating with health in mind.

Restaurant Eater’s Tip List

No matter where you choose to eat, the same smarteating strategies can guide your eating: plan ahead, consider the menu, and choose foods carefully to match your needs. Remember, though, that an occasional meal with elegant, creamy sauces or a rich dessert pastry needn’t upset your overall plans for lowfat eating.

Plan Ahead

How can your restaurant choices fit into your whole day’s eating plan—without overdoing on calories and fat? And how can you enjoy the variety of food available in today’s restaurant scene?

Map out your restaurant plan of action. Perhaps plan for a light dinner out if you just ate a big lunch, or decide ahead of time to split a dessert, even before you see the menu. If you know ahead that your restaurant meal will have more calories or fat, just trade off: cut back during other meals that day or the next. If a menu item tempts you, this chapter offers ways to enjoy it and still stay on track.

Avoid skipping breakfast or lunch to “save up” for a fancy restaurant dinner. This strategy often backfires. It’s easy to overindulge at the restaurant when you’re over-hungry. Eating small meals earlier in the day is a better approach.

Looking for convenience, saving time, a flavor adventure, or a “leaner” meal? Patronize a restaurant that can meet your needs. Some offer more food variety, ethnic cuisine, unique dishes, smaller portions, and leaner cuisine than others. A restaurant that prepares food to order allows more control for any special requests; call ahead to find out. A handful of today’s restaurants even let you call or fax any special requests ahead so the kitchen is ready for you.

Go with a “smart eating” mind-set, which may help you sort through the menu faster and avoid straying from your plan.

Learn Menu Language

Primavera, béarnaise, al dente. What do all these menu terms mean? Knowing menu terms and cooking basics makes ordering easier, especially if you need to control calories, fat, and other nutrients, or handle any food sensitivity. For the meanings of menu terms check the chart “Menu Language” in this chapter.

Generally, look for foods with simple preparation, such as steamed vegetables or broiled chicken, if you need to lower fat and calories. For instance, the term “al dente” is used to describe how pasta and vegetables are cooked—only until firm when bitten, not soft or overdone. iterally translated, it means “to the tooth.” Vegetables cooked “al dente” retain more nutrients than those that are cooked longer.

Check menus for nutrient content claims. With new government regulations, terms such as “lean” and “light” on restaurant menus are defined consistently. Menu terms have roughly the same meaning as the same terms on food labels.

Have It Your Way!

Do you have unique food and nutrition needs or preferences? Many restaurants honor requests. It’s up to you to be assertive, ask menu questions, make special requests in advance—and be realistic, too. Service-oriented restaurants are eager to please. They want you back!

Ask how the food is prepared or served, especially if the description isn’t clear or the food is unfamiliar. Today’s servers are accustomed to the questions of more sophisticated diners. Find out about ingredients and any substitutions. You might ask:

How are the vegetables seasoned? Are they salted? Is butter or margarine added?

Is the fish grilled, broiled, breaded, or fried? Is it cooked with butter, margarine, or some other fat?

How is the sauce prepared?

Can I have the sauce (or salad dressing or whipped topping) on the side?

Is the soup clear (broth) or cream-based?

Can I substitute a baked potato, rice, pasta, or a salad for the fries?

What is mole sauce (in a Mexican dish)? Galangal (in a Thai dish)? Or cassava (in a Caribbean dish)?

Have You Ever Wondered

... what’s “slow food”? It’s the idea of enjoying food traditions and high-quality food, and taking time in your busy life to enjoy it. Consider how time at the table may add pleasure, great flavors, and social time to your lifestyle!

... if Caesar salad on the menu is safe to eat? Probably so, but ask how it’s prepared. In the past, a Caesar salad, made with a raw egg, was often prepared right at your table. Today most Caesar salads are made in the kitchen with a pasteurized egg product or cooked salad dressing, following safe food-handling techniques. Some Caesar salads are eggless.

Ingredients in sauces confuse many restaurantgoers. What, for example, is the difference between a béarnaise sauce and a bolognese sauce? Which one is apt to be lower in fat? What’s a reduction sauce?

Find out about portion sizes. Big portions tend to be today’s hallmark of restaurant service. For example, a 5- to 6-ounce portion of meat, poultry, or fish probably is enough for the whole day, especially if you eat other Meat and Beans Group servings during the day. If the menu offers a choice—a 12-ounce steak or a 6-ounce filet mignon—go for the smaller portion. You’ll save on calories, fat, and money.

Don’t see anything that’s right for you? Ask to order “off the menu.” For less fat and calories, you might request broiled fish or chicken breast seasoned with herbs and lemon juice, or fresh fruit for dessert, or low-fat milk if it’s not on the menu.

Choose a meal with food variety when you eat out, just as you would at home. That’s easy to do with an à la carte menu. (Remember the Food Guide Pyramid as you choose.) À la carte means that each item is separately ordered and priced. Be specific about a special menu request—for example, rather than ask for a “low-fat plate,” ask if the chef can “broil fish without butter,” “bring dry toast,” or “serve dressing on the side.”

If you don’t plan to eat a side dish or sauce, ask to have it left off your plate—perhaps skip tartar sauce served with fish, or chips served with a sandwich.

If you choose a higher-fat entrée, balance it with a lower-fat side dish and dessert. Perhaps balance fettuccine alfredo, which is high in fat, with fresh fruit to end the meal. Remember that no food is off-limits. Just make trade-offs: if you eat foods with more fat or sodium when you dine out, cut back at home.

If the food isn’t prepared as you ordered, send it back. Ask for something else if necessary.

Help Yourself

Practice the art of enjoying food variety, balance, and moderation when you eat out.

Can’t resist the urge to overindulge on tortilla chips or the basket of bread served when you’re seated? Do you nibble mindlessly on snacks such as pretzels and chips, brought to the table with a beverage order? Take a few and then move them, or ask to have them removed from the table.

Go easy on dipping oils—even though they’re usually olive oils (often herb-infused). A slice of bread may soak up 3 or 4 teaspoons of oil, or 14 to 19 fat grams, compared 4 to 8 fat grams in 1 to 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine spread on a bread slice.

If you need help in curbing a big appetite, order a salad or appetizer crudités (raw vegetables) right away. And go easy on dressings and dips.

Eat slowly, and stop eating before you feel too full. That gives you time to get in touch with your satiety cues. Ask the server to remove your plate when you’re done, even if a little food is left.

If you drink, enjoy alcoholic beverages, including wine and beer, in moderation. Healthful eating guidelines advise no more than one (if you’re a woman) or two (if you’re a man) alcoholic drinks per day. Besides their calories, a drink or two may increase your appetite and lessen your personal discipline at the table. As an option, try mineral water or club soda with a twist of lemon or lime.

Trying to control calories? If you choose to resist rich desserts, don’t even peek at the dessert tray when the server brings it by. If you’re tempted, share it with someone else.

Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy!

Eating is an occasion that can “nourish” the soul as well as the body. In fact, eating out can be one of life’s pleasures.

Take your palate on a taste adventure. Order something you’ve never tried before—or that you usually don’t eat at home. Feeling cautious about something new? Try an appetizer portion. Restaurants are a great place to try new foods!

Savor each bite and enjoy food—and the layers of flavor—at a leisurely pace, especially if you’ve had a tiring or stressful day.

If you’re eating with others, enjoy the social time. Make it a relaxing chance to keep in close touch with your family and friends.

Whether you eat with others or dine alone, appreciate the ambience (decor, aroma, and sounds) of the restaurant, and all the other pleasures that go with a meal “on the town.”

Sizing Up Salad Bars

A salad bar can serve up a healthful meal all by itself—or as a great side dish. The rainbow of vegetables and fruits often is loaded with vitamins A and C, folate, fiber, and an array of phytonutrients.

Did you know: A do-it-yourself salad, chosen from the salad bar, often has more calories than a deluxe burger, fries, and a shake, or a steak-and-potato dinner? An average salad bar plate can top out at more than 1,000 calories, depending on your choices and portions. Not so surprisingly, then, salads have been reported to be a main source of dietary fat for many women.

Where do excessive amounts of calories, fat, even sodium come from? Not from the lettuce, tomatoes cucumbers, and other fresh vegetables. Depending on the amount, regular salad dressings, along with many higher-fat toppings such as cheese, croutons, bacon bits, nuts, chow mein noodles, and olives, can heap calories on a bed of raw vegetables. “Dressed” side dishes (potato salad, pasta salad, ambrosia, and macaroni salad), creamy soups, cheese and crackers, even desserts—all with more calories—line up on the salad
bar, too.

To control calories and fat in your salad concoctions and to fill your plate with nourishment:

Pace yourself. Check out the salad bar from end to end before you even begin filling your plate.

Use a small salad plate, not a dinner plate, if you’re tempted to overdo.

Start with greens. Dark-green leafy vegetables such as spinach and romaine supply more nutrients than iceberg lettuce does.

Spoon on plenty of brightly colored vegetables (broccoli, peppers, beets, carrots, to name a few), legumes (such as kidney and garbanzo beans), and fruits for their nutrient, fiber, and phytonutrient benefits. They’re low in fat, too.

Make it a hearty salad with protein-rich ingredients: legumes, lean meat, turkey, crabmeat or surimi, tuna, eggs, and cheese. Cottage cheese, other cheese, and yogurt on the salad bar also add calcium to your salad.

Lighten up on higher-fat toppings and mayonnaise-based side salads.

Dress your salad for success! A 2-tablespoon ladle of French, Italian, blue cheese, or Thousand Island dressing adds about 150 calories to an otherwise low-calorie salad. Too often, people spoon on double or triple that amount and overpower the delicate flavor of the salad ingredients. Go easy, try a low-fat or fat-free dressing— or sprinkle on just a splash of flavored vinegar or lemon juice.

Eating Out Safely!

Almost nothing can ruin a trip or a pleasant meal out more than foodborne illness. Although restaurants in the United States, Canada, and many other developed nations must pass strict public health regulations, you’re still wise to double-check for cleanliness. Any restaurant can have an occasional lapse in sanitation procedure, and in some parts of the world, these regulations may not exist. Hotel staff often can recommend restaurants with high standards.

These tips can help ensure that the meal you eat away from home won’t come back to “bite you”:

Check for cleanliness. Although you probably can’t see into the kitchen, you can learn a lot about a restaurant by looking at the public areas. Look for:

Tables that are wiped clean—using clean cloths Well-groomed servers

Clean silverware, tablecloths, glasses, and dishes Adequate screening over windows and doors to keep out insects

No flies or roaches, which can spread disease

Clean rest rooms with soap, hot water, and towels or air dryers

A clean exterior with no uncovered garbage outside

Before you eat from a food bar, check the temperature. A hot buffet should be piping hot. And a cold salad bar should be well chilled or placed on ice.

Order food from food bars and displays only if the food is properly covered with a sneeze guard or a hood. This includes desserts and appetizers.

Avoid eating raw meat; it may carry bacteria and parasites. These menu items are served raw: steak tartare (raw ground beef and raw eggs), carpaccio (thin-sliced raw beef), and sashimi (raw fish). Sushi, often made with raw fish, is popular among many restaurantgoers.

Check your burger. It should be cooked until the center is no longer pink and the juices run clear, usually “medium” or “medium-well.” If it’s not cooked thoroughly, send it back!

Safe Take-out

Take-out foods are becoming essential to today’s busy lifestyles. Because many buy-and-go foods are perishable, you need to handle them with care to avoid foodborne illness. Keep hot foods above 140° F and cold foods at 40° F or below. Discard any perishable foods kept at room temperature for more than two hours. If the temperature inside or outdoors tops 90° F, toss it after one hour.

For hot foods...

Make sure the food is hot when you get it. Then eat it within two hours.

If the food won’t be eaten for more than two hours, refrigerate it in shallow, covered containers. Then reheat it to a temperature of 165° F, or until it’s hot and steaming. Check the temperature with a meat thermometer. Or reheat it, covered and rotated for even heating, in a microwave oven. Then let the food stand for two minutes for more thorough heating.

Keep hot take-out food in the oven or in a slow cooker at 140° F or above—but not if you’ll hold it much longer than two hours. Food loses its appeal if it’s held longer. Cover it with foil to keep it moist. And check the temperature with a meat thermometer.

For cold foods...

If you don’t eat cold take-out foods right away, refrigerate them, or store them in chilled, insulated coolers

For deli platters that stay on the buffet, keep the platters on bowls of ice.

Fast Food, Healthful Food

Dependence on fast foods goes back thousands of years. In the Roman Forum more than two thousand years ago, urban consumers ate sausages and honey cakes. The Chinese ate stuffed buns in the twelfth century. And five hundred years ago, Spaniards encountered tacos in the marketplaces of today’s Mexico.

Fast food has been part of the American food culture for many more years than most people realize. If your great-grandparents traveled by train in the early 1900s, they likely devoured “fast food,” or quick meals, from the dining car. When the automobile took over, the dining-car concept was transformed and reinvented as fast-food restaurants, dotting the roadside. Eating in the car isn’t new, either; the popular “drive-in” restaurant of the 1950s evolved into the “drive-through” window today.

As we know it today, the so-called fast-food chain, or quick-service restaurant, is a phenomenon that’s only about fifty years old, launched for a post-World War II, fast-oriented, mobile society. At that same time, eating out became more than an occasional treat. At the start, fast food was limited to mainly fried chicken, hamburgers, French fries, ice cream, shakes, and soft drinks.

Today’s fast-food menus offer far more options than traditional fare. From grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps, and broiled fish, to salads, to low-fat milk and fruit smoothies, you have plenty to choose from, including lower-calorie, lower-fat, and fresh menu items. You might even find pizza, seafood, pasta, Tex-Mex food, stuffed baked potatoes, noodles, and deli items along with quick ethnic cuisine. Breakfast also has become a big fast-food business. Even convenience stores where you gas up your car sell fast food—truly the “dining car” of the highway!

Are fast-food meals healthful? Overall, yes— if you choose wisely. Because menus are so varied, no overall comment can describe their nutritional value. Traditional meals—a burger, fries, a fried fruit turnover, and a soft drink, or fried chicken, biscuit, creamy slaw, and mashed potatoes with gravy — remain high in calories and fat, including saturated fat, and sodium, but low in vitamins A and C, calcium, and fiber, and short on fruits and vegetables. In response to consumer demand, many of today’s fast-food restaurants also offer more varied menus—and lower-fat options.

Fast-Food Pointers

If you’re a regular at the fast-food counter, keep these pointers in mind. As general advice for healthful eating, order more fruits and vegetables, more foods with bone-building calcium, less fat and added sugars, and reasonably sized portions.

To watch your portions...

Be aware of portions that may be larger than you need: “deluxe,” “super,” and “mega” may be different sizes of “big.” Whether it’s a sandwich, fries, a milk shake, or another menu option, bigger portions mean more calories and likely more fat, cholesterol, and
sodium. For most people, the small or regular size is enough.

Think before you buy. Order takers often promote with marketing questions—for example, “Would you like fries with that?” or “Do you want the value size?” It’s okay to say “No.”

Go easy on snacks. A large order of fries and a large soft drink can add a hefty 650 or more calories to your day’s intake!

Split your order. Halve the calories and double the pleasure by sharing your fries or snack sandwich with a friend!

Decide before you order whether the “value meal” is a good deal. If you don’t need the extra food, there’s really no extra value; smaller may cost less. Sharing may be a good deal.

For more food variety...

For flavor and nutrition, consider the other foods you have eaten—or will eat—during the day. Order fruits, vegetables, calcium-rich foods, and even whole grains if you can.

Select a side order of salad, raw vegetables, or coleslaw for added vitamins A and C, and fiber. Boost your calcium intake with a carton of reduced-fat, low-fat, or fat-free milk.

Trim the fat and calories...

Learn to spot high-fat foods—then go easy.

On sandwiches and salads, go easy on condiments, special sauces, and dressings. Just one packet of mayonnaise (about 1 tablespoon) adds about 60 calories and 5 fat grams. The same size packet of tartar sauce has about 70 calories and 8 fat grams. And a 11⁄2-ounce packet of French dressing contains about 185 calories and 17 fat grams. Ask for mustard, catsup, salsa, or low-fat or fat-free condiments, spreads, and dressings (mayonnaise, sour cream, or cream cheese).

For fried foods, pay attention to the oil used for frying. Most fast-food chains use 100 percent vegetable oil, which may be identified on the menu. Vegetable oil is cholesterol-free and high in polyunsaturated fatty acids; the oil used for frying in the fast-food industry is often high in trans fatty acids. And when French fries and other foods are fried in fat that’s partly beef tallow, these foods contain more cholesterol and saturated fats.

Better yet, choose fried foods only as “sometimes” foods. Rely mostly on grilled, broiled, steamed, or microwaved fast foods instead.

Try different types of fast foods, not the same foods every day.

Enjoy fast-food outlets that serve ethnic foods: perhaps Chinese stir-fry dishes, a Mexican burrito, Japanese domburi, or a vegetable-stuffed pita with cucumber-yogurt dressing. Often food courts in shopping malls allow you to travel the world of flavor without leaving home.

Read on for more fast-food tips. Check “FFF—Fast Food Facts” in this chapter, or look for nutrition information on posters or printed in brochures.

Lighten up on salt...

Many fast foods are high in sodium—a challenge if you’re sodium-sensitive. For less salt and sodium, ask for unsalted fries. Skip the special sauces, pickles, olives, and relish as well as the bacon, sausage, ham, and deli meat.

Break-FAST

Breakfast out—with the more hectic pace today, it’s not surprising that more and more consumers, particularly those heading to work, buy breakfast on the run. It may be a quick breakfast sandwich from the drive-up window, a sit-down meal of eggs and hash browns, or pancakes from the fast-food counter, or coffee and a deli muffin or a bagel to eat at the desk. However, when these quick breakfasts become a regular eating pattern, it’s time to take stock of their nutritional impact!

Fast-food menus usually offer fewer options for breakfast than for lunch and dinner. Many of the choices are high in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Here’s some breakfast menu savvy:

Order the fastest breakfast of all: dry cereal and milk. Cereal offers a serving from the Grains Group, along with complex carbohydrates and B vitamins and almost no fat. If you choose a whole-grain or bran cereal, you get more fiber, too. A carton of milk, which equals one Milk Group serving, supplies about 300 milligrams of calcium; that’s about 25 to 30 percent of the calcium you need daily. Pour some on your cereal, perhaps some in your coffee—and drink the rest!

Start your day with a stack of pancakes. For less fat, use syrup and skip the margarine or the butter. Enjoy half the bacon, or ask for Canadian bacon, which is leaner.

Breakfast: Cut Down on Fat and Sodium

Go easy on breakfast sandwiches. A typical bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwich has about 475 calories, 30 fat grams, and 1,260 milligrams of sodium. Go for a breakfast (bean and cheese) burrito with 375 calories, 12 fat grams, yet 1,170 milligrams of sodium.

Ask to skip the bacon or the sausage on your breakfast sandwich. Or substitute ham or Canadian bacon for less fat.

Order your sandwich on an English muffin, bagel, or even a hamburger bun. To compare, a typical fast-food breakfast biscuit can have about 18 fat grams, and a croissant, about 10 fat grams, compared to 1 fat gram in an English muffin.

Instead of a doughnut, order an English muffin, bagel, toast, or even a plain soft baked pretzel. To save on fat grams, order cream cheese, margarine, or butter on the side, and spread it on lightly. Or use jam or jelly.

Be sizewise about muffins and bagels, as well as about croissants and biscuits. Even muffins can be higher in fat than you’d think when they are big. A typical muffin has about 5 fat grams—10 to 15 fat grams or more if it’s jumbo-size! And a large bakery bagel can count toward as many as 6 Grains Group servings.

If you’re a fast-food regular, go easy on egg entrées. The reason? A large egg has 213 milligrams of dietary cholesterol. Health experts advise that healthy people consume 300 milligrams of cholesterol or less per day, and eat yolks and whole eggs in moderation. A two-egg breakfast has at least 425 milligrams of cholesterol!

Order juice as your breakfast beverage. With just one cup or 8-ounce carton of orange juice, you’ll get more than 100 percent of the vitamin C your body needs in a day.

At a deli? Ask for yogurt to go with your bagel and juice. An 8-ounce carton of low-fat fruit yogurt supplies about 315 milligrams of calcium, 225 calories, and just 2 to 3 fat grams.

Burgers, Chicken, or Fish?

Hamburgers may be America’s all-time favorite fast food. But chicken and fish have gained a significant market share, in part because consumers perceive them as lower in fat. It’s true that chicken and fish sometimes have a lean advantage. However, fast-food preparation—breading, battering, and frying—bump up the calorie and fat content significantly. As a result, a fried fish or fried chicken sandwich may supply more calories and fat than a hamburger.

To keep the lean advantage of hot sandwiches and to boost the contribution of other nutrients, consider this advice:

Boost the nutrients in all kinds of hot sandwiches — burgers, chicken, or fish—by adding tomato slices and other vegetables. If you’re coming up short on calcium, add cheese. For a fiber boost, ask for a wholewheat bun.

Cut calories by ordering sandwiches without higher-fat condiments and special sauces, such as mayonnaise-based spreads and tartar sauce. Instead use mustard, relish, or ketchup. As a rule of thumb: calories go up with the number of “extras.”

Skip the super-size sandwich; go for the regular, junior, or single size instead. The bigger size can about double everything, including the calorie, fat, and sodium content. A large hamburger, for example, supplies about 510 calories and 28 fat grams compared with 275 calories and 12 fat grams in a regular hamburger. A regular burger has about 2 ounces of cooked meat, compared with 3 to 4 ounces in a larger sandwich. Double patties are bigger still.

To lower the calories and the fat, remove the crispy crust from fried chicken and the skin from rotisserie chicken. Get grilled, skinless chicken. If you prefer fried chicken, order the regular variety rather than “extra-crispy,” which soaks up more oil when cooked. The batter or the breading may have a high-sodium seasoning, too, so you can lower the sodium by removing the crust. And eat just one piece, rather than a two-or- three-piece order. Chicken nuggets are usually fried and may contain skin and meat (white and dark). Poultry skin is high in fat.

Choose broiled or baked fish if you have a choice. But be aware that the fillets on most fish sandwiches are battered and fried. Go easy on tartar sauce; ask for tomato-based cocktail sauce instead.

On the Side

Food variety adds nutrients, so round out your fast-food meal with veggies, fruit, and calcium-rich foods —perhaps a salad, baked potato, carrot sticks, fruit, juice, milk, or frozen yogurt. In most fast-food restaurants your options are limited. Get the most nutrition mileage from the choices you have.

Spuds

Order a baked potato as a side dish or an entrée. Served plain, a baked potato is fat-free and cholesterol-free, with almost no sodium. It also supplies complex carbohydrate, fiber, vitamin C, and other vitamins and minerals.

Go easy on higher-fat toppings: bacon, sour cream, and butter. For more nutrients and usually less calories and fat, top with broccoli, salsa, chili, or cottage cheese. Along with a salad and milk, a broccoli-cheese spud or a chili spud make a nutritious meal!

Go easy on fries to limit calories and fat in an already higher-fat meal. Or ask for the small order, then share. French fries offer some vitamin C.

If you have the option, ask for a plain baked potato or mashed potatoes to control fat. Ask for gravy on the side to control how much you add. Find out how mashed potatoes with gravy are prepared; check the nutrition information if it’s posted.

As alternative to fries, fried onion rings, fried okra, and hush puppies, order corn on the cob, green beans, or baked beans if you can.

Salads

Order a garden salad with dressing on the side. Use a reduced-fat or fat-free dressing. For tips on eating from the salad bar.

Go easy on prepared salads made with a lot of mayonnaise or salad dressing, such as creamy coleslaw, potato salad, or macaroni salad. They have more fat than salads prepared with a vinaigrette dressing, such as coleslaw or three-bean salad in an oil-and-vinegar dressing.

Order a container of raw veggies or fruit chunks, or whole fruit if you can.

Beverages

Make beverages count! For both flavor and nutrients, round out your meal with milk or juice. Many fast food chains offer reduced-fat and fat-free milk. For a flavor switch, try chocolate or other flavored milk.

An 8-ounce carton of milk supplies about 300 milligrams of calcium as well as protein, riboflavin, vitamin D, and other nutrients.

An 8-ounce carton of orange juice supplies 75 milligrams of vitamin C, which more than meets your daily need.

Go easy on soft drinks. Reasonable amounts are okay sometimes for their fluids, food energy, and enjoyment. They don’t, however, contribute other nutrients supplied by milk, or fruit or vegetable juice. Large-size drinks can add up to a lot of calories: 150 for every 12 ounces of regular soft drinks, or 800 calories for a 64-ounce cup! Diet drinks supply essentially no calories—and no nutrients (except water).

If the added calories match your eating plan, enjoy a milk shake as part of your fast-food meal or snack. A shake of any flavor is a good calcium source—if it’s made from milk. A 10-ounce strawberry shake contains about 320 calories. It can serve double duty — as both your beverage and dessert. Super-size shakes, with their 18 ounces, may supply a hefty 575 calories. Some places sell low-fat shakes.

Try a smoothie bar for a thick blend of juice, fruit, and perhaps yogurt. Consider size. A smoothie that’s 20 ounces or more may supply more than you need — including calories. Beware that some smoothies are made with fruit syrup that adds sugar, but not all the nutrients that fruit contains; ask about the ingredients before you order.

Order a latte, cappuccino, or coffee or hot tea with milk. Milk, rather than cream, is the calcium booster. Creamers are typically high in saturated fats, too. Remember, sweetened ice tea and many flavored coffee drinks have added sugars, too.

For an ideal thirst quencher, choose water. For added flavor, add a lemon wedge if you can. Unless bottled, it’s usually offered free as a customer service—if you ask!

Desserts

Go easy on fried fruit fritters or turnovers — eat them only if they fit within your daily calorie and fat budget. They’re usually more sugar and fat than fruit.

Check to see if fresh fruit is available. As another option, bring fresh fruit from home, perhaps an apple, banana, pear, or grapes.

For a refreshing dessert, enjoy frozen yogurt — or a scoop of ice cream. You may find low-fat versions on the menu. Either way, the small or kids’ size offers a taste without indulging. For fewer calories, go easy on fudge sauce, candy pieces, or syrup toppings. A little of these toppings goes a long way. Ask for cut-up or dried fruit, nuts, or granola instead.

Pizza—as You Like It!

Pizza is nutritious fast food with the nutritional benefits of three or more food groups in one or two slices. The crust supplies complex carbohydrates and B vitamins, the cheese is a good source of calcium
and protein, and the tomato sauce and vegetable toppings add vitamins A, C, and phytonutrients. Meat or seafood toppers add protein, iron, and some vitamins, too.

The actual nutrient content depends on what you put on top—and the type of crust you order. The good news is: You can be the architect of your pizza, controlling the toppings along with the nutrient and calorie content and the flavor.

Consider the crust. For more fiber, build your pizza on a whole-wheat crust. To trim the calories, order a thin-crust pizza rather than a thick-crust or deep-dish pizza. A stuffed-crust pizza can have considerably more calories and fat than a thinner-crust pizza; for example, 1 slice of a large stuffed-crust pizza may have 20 fat grams or more, and 450 calories or more.

Load up on vegetable and fruit toppings for less fat, more fiber, and more vitamins.

Go easy on higher-fat toppings: bacon, pepperoni, prosciutto, sausage, olives, anchovies, and extra cheese. If you like higher-fat toppings, try to stick with just one. If your blood pressure is sodium-sensitive, know that these foods add sodium, too. Many combination or deluxe pizzas have several high-fat toppings.

Choose lean toppings from the Meat and Beans Group, such as lean ham, Canadian bacon, or shrimp.

Enjoy the variety of toppings and new combinations available in some pizza parlors. Many new toppings are vegetables — artichoke hearts, broccoli florets, eggplant, red bell peppers, and asparagus spears, as well as salmon, tuna, chicken, and shrimp! Want more flavor? Sprinkle on hot pepper flakes for no calories but lots of flavor.

Order a salad to complement your pizza. Salad not only adds nutrients and fiber, it also helps you fill up. You may be less likely to eat another pizza slice.

Order a reasonable-size pizza. Limit yourself to two or three slices—or one slice if you’re really watching calories. Calories from any pizza, even a veggie pizza, add up when you eat just one more slice. A typical slice — an eighth of a 12-inch thin-crust meat and cheese pizza — supplies about 185 calories.

If a bigger size is the better deal, wrap up the extra for the fridge before you start eating. You’ll enjoy pizza again—and save time with lunch—the next day!

Go halfzies. Order half the pizza your way if someone else prefers toppings with more fat. In that way you both get what you want.

For a different flavor, enjoy wood oven-baked pizza, or pizza with a regional twist: perhaps a Southwest pizza; a Cajun-style pizza; or a Hawaiian pizza with pineapple and lean ham.

Deli Sandwiches and Wraps

Sandwiches, subs, and wraps, as well as yogurt, fruit, salads, soups, bagels and muffins, milk, flavored waters, coffee, and tea—the deli bar sells an array of foods and beverages. Of the many foods, the sandwich takes center stage. The great thing is that you often can order a deli sandwich just as you want it!

Just start with bread. Choose a whole-grain bread, roll, or pita pocket for more fiber. Or try a bagel or herbed foccacia.

Next, the filling—2 to 3 ounces of lean meat or poultry contribute protein, iron, and other nutrients. Add a slice of cheese to boost the calcium content. For fillings with less fat, order lean roast beef, ham, chicken breast, or turkey. Some delis use meats that are 90 percent or more fat-free—just ask. Request tuna, ham, or egg salad made with less mayonnaise or with reduced-fat or fat-free dressing if available.

Have your sandwich made to order with a spread that adds flavor, such as mustard or fat-free dressing. To control fat and calories, ask the server to go easy on higher-fat spreads.

Layer on vegetables: perhaps red or green peppers, jalapeños, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, carrot shreds, onions, or grilled veggies. They’re low in fat, and they supply vitamins A and C, fiber, and other nutrients.

Choose sandwich accompaniments to fit your healthful eating style. To cut down on fat, ask for carrot or green pepper sticks rather than chips or creamy slaw. For less sodium, enjoy a cucumber spear instead of a pickle.

Look for a sandwich “wrap” in a soft tortilla. Often the fillings are low in fat, perhaps rice blended with seafood, shredded chicken, or vegetables, or grilled vegetables and chicken breast.

When sandwiches, subs, and wraps get big, buy one to split. Then share or keep some in the fridge for the next day.

Eating Out Ethnic Style

As a nation of immigrants, the United States has always been home to ethnic cuisine. The real interest in “foreign theme” restaurants grew in the 1960s with pizza parlors and Japanese tabletop cooking. From there, our exposure to ethnic foods became more sophisticated. We added Mexican and more Asian flavors to our restaurant repertoire. Today, ethnic restaurants of one kind or another appear in almost every city and town.

What ethnic cuisines are most popular? Italian, Mexican, and Chinese (Cantonese), say trendtrackers. In fact, they’re so mainstream today that they’re no longer considered ethnic. French and fine Italian cuisines have been upscale restaurant cuisine for years. According to the National Restaurant Association, our appreciation for ethnic flavors is growing, with more restaurants featuring Japanese (sushi), Thai, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern cuisines. From every corner of the globe, urban areas offer even more ethnic flavors to try!

For fun, find the restaurant pages of your phone book. Now count—how many different ethnic cuisines could you enjoy? To expand the variety in your eating style, try a new cuisine the next time you eat out!

Italian... Not Just Pizza and Pasta!

Italian cuisine is the most popular restaurant food in the United States. Two-thirds of all restaurants feature Italian dishes—and not just pizza and pasta. With foods from every region, Italian foods are simple, flavorful, and nourishing.

Italian food is one of several Mediterranean cuisines receiving attention from both food and nutrition experts. Featuring pasta, risotto (rice dish), and polenta (cornmeal dish), Italian food is high in complex carbohydrates. The cuisine relies on smaller meat portions, and cheese is used to flavor many dishes.

Particularly with the foods of southern Italy, olive oil is the primary cooking fat, in contrast to butter, used in many northern Italian dishes. High in mono-unsaturated fatty acids, olive oil has some nutritional benefits. Regardless, go easy; any oil is still fat, with the same number of calories per ounce as margarine and butter. For more about this cuisine. Consider these tips the next time you order Italian foods in any restaurant:

Enjoy crusty Italian bread—a slice or two, but not the whole basket! For less fat, go easy on butter or on olive oil for dipping, or enjoy the flavor of fresh bread as it is, without a spread. Hint: Garlic bread usually is lathered in high-fat spreads, Parmesan cheese, and garlic before it arrives at your table. Plain bread is a lower-calorie, lower-fat choice.

Go easy on antipasto. “Antipasto” means “before the pasta,” and it usually refers to a variety of hot or cold appetizers. In the Mediterranean tradition, they include cheese, olives, smoked meats, and marinated vegetables and fish. While they’re nutritious, some may be high in fat and sodium. Nibbling appetizers, followed by a heavy meal, may add up to more calories than you expect.

Order a fresh garden salad, or “insalata,” to round out your meal, with salad dressing, perhaps herbed vinegar and olive oil, served on the side. Salads in Italian restaurants often are tossed with a variety of raw vegetables and mixed greens, including arugula, radicchio, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions. As an entrée, salad with bread makes a nice, light meal.

Look for traditional bean and vegetable dishes on many Italian menus. Minestrone is a hearty, tomato-based soup with beans, vegetables, and pasta. White beans, called “fagioli,” are featured in soups and risotto (rice dishes). “Florentine” dishes are prepared
with spinach.

Know menu lingo. For example, dishes described as “fritto” (fried) or “crema” (creamed) are higher in fat. “Primavera” refers to dishes prepared with fresh vegetables and herbs. Sometimes primavera dishes are served with a creamy sauce; ask your server.

For enjoyment, order different types of pasta dishes—in shapes and sizes you may not find on supermarket shelves. Made of flour and water, pasta is a carbohydrate-rich food. Fat comes from the sauces and other ingredients tossed with pasta. Did you know that a tomato-based sauce usually has fewer calories than a creamy white pasta sauce or a pesto sauce? Look for marinara and other tomato-based sauces that usually have more vegetables and less fat, too, than creamy white sauces such as alfredo and carbonara.

As a change of pace, order polenta, gnocchi, or risotto instead of pasta. Ask how these are made before ordering.

Polenta, similar to a cornmeal mush, typically is served with sauce, vegetables, and meat; some ingredients may have more fat.

Gnocchi, usually made from potatoes or flour, means dumplings; sometimes eggs, cheese, or chopped vegetables are mixed into the dough. After they’re cooked in boiling water they may be baked or fried, then served with a flavorful sauce.

Risotto, typically made from arborio rice, usually is cooked in broth and perhaps butter, often with meat, seafood, cheese, and vegetables. If your blood pressure is sodium-sensitive, be aware that the broth may be salty.

As another option, order ravioli, which are square “pillows” of pasta filled with meat, seafood, cheese, or vegetables. Usually they’re served with a sauce. Ask about preparation before you order; as appetizers, they may be fried.

Watch portion size. If you know the restaurant offers generous servings, order an appetizer portion, or share with someone else.

If you need to watch fat carefully, go easy on veal scaloppini, and chicken or veal parmigiana, which are sautéed or pan-fried.

Parmigiana entrées—made with Parmesan cheese—also are breaded, so they absorb more fat. As an alternative and a lower-fat option, order chicken or veal cacciatore, marsala, or piccata.

Cacciatore is a tomato-based sauce; marsala is broth-based and cooked with wine; and piccata is pan drippings, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.

From the Italian Menu

Enjoy more often:

Minestrone soup
Garden salad
Breadsticks
Vinegar and oil dressing
Pasta with red sauce, such as marinara
Chicken cacciatore
Cappuccino (Ask your server to have it made with fat-free or low-fat milk.)
Italian fruit ice or fruit

Enjoy sometimes:

Antipasto plates
Buttered garlic bread
Creamy Italian dressing
Pasta with white sauce such as alfredo or carbonara
Italian sausage and prosciutto
Fried dishes such as eggplant Parmesan

Cannoli (Cannoli, cannelloni, and cannellini often get mixed up. Cannoli are deep-fried pastry shells filled with ricotta cheese or whipped cream and perhaps chocolate bits, nuts, and candied fruit.

Cannelloni are pasta tubes filled with meat and cheese and topped with sauce. Cannellini are white kidney beans.)

It’s Greek Food to Me!

Another Mediterranean cuisine is popular: Greek food. For many consumers, experience with Greek restaurants comes from fast-food courts in shopping malls. The popular gyro sandwich, souvlaki, Greek salad, rice pilaf, moussaka, and baklava are best known. But like other cuisines, full-service restaurants offer far more variety. To order smarter, consider these menu tips:

For a creamy dressing on salads, or a sauce on pita sandwiches, enjoy tzatziki. It’s made with yogurt, garlic and cucumbers. Sometimes tzatziki is listed on the menu as a salad. Try tzatziki as an appetizer dip with pita bread, too.

Enjoy smaller amounts of baba ghanouj, a higher-fat dip made with eggplant and olive oil, and of hummus, made with mashed chickpeas and sesame seed paste.

Flavorful olive oil for dipping is often served with a basket of pita bread. Again, go easy. Although low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free, olive oil contains just as much fat as butter or margarine. Bread often can soak up a lot of oil!

Ordering saganaki as an appetizer? Saganaki is thick kasseri cheese that’s fried and sometimes flamed in brandy. To trim the fat, share with someone else.

For nutritious fast food order pita bread stuffed with Greek salad, lean meat, tabouli, or other ingredients. Tabouli is bulgur wheat mixed with chopped tomatoes, parsley, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice. For more fiber ask for whole-wheat pita. Another popular use of the pita is the gyro, which is minced lamb molded and roasted vertically. When cooked, the lamb is sliced and tucked into pita bread with grilled onions, bell peppers, and tzatziki sauce.

As a main dish, look for broiled and grilled meat, poultry, and seafood. The menu might have shish kebob, which is skewered and broiled meat and vegetables; souvlaki, which is lamb marinated in lemon juice, olive oil, and herbs, then skewered and grilled; or plaki, which is fish broiled with tomato sauce and garlic.

As another menu option, try dolmas, or stuffed vegetables. Grape leaves are most commonly stuffed with ground meat; other vegetables, such as bell peppers, cabbage leaves, eggplant, and squash, are stuffed with mixtures of ground meat, rice, dried fruit, and pine nuts. Because they’re steamed or baked, fat usually isn’t added with cooking.

To boost fiber, order dishes made with legumes. In a full-service restaurant you’ll likely find mixed dishes and soups made with fava beans and other legumes.

Order a Greek salad to go with meals. Ask for dressing on the side. And go easy on the higher-fat, higher-sodium ingredients: anchovies, kalamata olives, and feta cheese.

Go easy also on rich Greek desserts such as baklava. Made with phyllo and plenty of butter, honey or sugar, and nuts, this sweet, compact pastry is very high in calories. It’s wonderful-tasting, but a small serving is enough to satisfy a sweet tooth!

From the Greek Menu

Enjoy more often:

Broiled, grilled, simmered, or stewed dishes
Greek salad
Tabouli
Dolmas
Tzatziki
Fresh fruit
Pita bread
Enjoy sometimes:
Pan-fried dishes
Vegetable pies such as spanakopita and tyropita
Baba ghanouj (a Middle Eastern dish that appears on some Greek menus)
Baklava
Deep-fried falafel

Mexican Food: Tacos, Tamales, and More

From fast-food establishments to full-service restaurants, Mexican food and its Tex-Mex offspring are among America’s favorite ethnic foods. One-fourth of all restaurants today feature foods with a Mexican flavor. The staples—tortillas, beans, and rice — are great sources of complex carbohydrates, and pinto or black beans supply fiber as well. Moderate portions of meat and poultry contribute adequate, but not lavish, amounts of protein. And beans and rice, or beans and tortillas when eaten together, also supply high-quality protein.

Depending on the choices, Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine can be high in fat—and sodium, too. In most restaurants, vegetable oil (no longer lard) is the fat used in cooking (except perhaps in refried beans). With vegetable oil, the saturated fat may be lower, but not the calories or the total fat. As with foods of every culture, enjoy variety, but go easy on foods with more fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Order guacamole and sour cream on the side so you can control the amount. Or ask for low-fat or fat-free sour cream. For more vitamins A and C, use a heavy hand with tomato-based salsa. Because it’s made with tomatoes, onions, chiles, and herbs, it’s virtually fat-free, yet bursting with flavor. So are the cilantro, hot sauce, and crushed peppers!

Ask for soft tacos. Crispy tacos and tostadas are deep-fried.

Ordering a taco salad? Enjoy, but go easy on the big, crisp tortilla shell it’s served in—or the taco chips on top—to trim fat and calories. Enjoy warmed, soft tortillas on the side. And dress it with salsa!

Go easy on nachos and cheese, or chile con queso, especially if it’s just the appetizer before the meal. To cut in half the fat and the calories from cheese, ask for half a ladle of cheese sauce, or half as much cheese shreds. For the starter of chips and salsa, enjoy one basket or less, then have it taken away if you can’t resist the urge to nibble.

Order a low-fat appetizer: gazpacho (chilled tomato soup), jicama and salsa, tortilla soup, or black bean soup.

Since portions in Mexican meals tend to be large, choose the regular plate, not the “deluxe combo” plate. For most people, the regular plate is plenty! Ask for more shredded lettuce and tomato instead.

Choose mostly baked or stir-fried entrées such as enchiladas or fajitas served on a soft tortilla. Go easy on fried entrées such as chiles relleños, chimichangas, or flautas.

Although tacos, tamales, enchiladas, and burritos are among the most popular items, especially in Tex-Mex restaurants, Mexican and Southwest restaurants offer a far broader menu. Next time, check the menu further. You may find salads with nopales, or cactus pads; chayote and jicama, which are starchy vegetables; and tomatillos, or green tomatoes. For prepared foods look for Veracruz-style seafood dishes, which are cooked in a herbed tomato sauce; or chile verde, which is pork simmered with vegetables and green chiles.

From the Mexican Menu

Enjoy more often:

Jicama with fresh lime juice
Salsa
Soft tacos
Burritos, enchiladas, tamales, fajitas
Red beans and rice*
Spanish rice*
Refried beans (no lard)
Steamed vegetables
Black bean soup, menudo (spicy soup made with tripe and hominy), gazpacho
Arroz con pollo (chicken with rice)
Fruit for dessert such as guava, papaya, or mango
Flan or pudding

Enjoy less often:

Guacamole dip with taco chips
Sour cream and extra cheese
Crispy, fried tortillas
Crispy tacos, taco salad
Tostadas, chile relleños, quesadillas, chimichangas
Refried beans (cooked in lard)
Honey-sweetened pastry and sopapillas
Fried ice cream

Chinese Fare

Most of us have said, “I know a great Chinese restaurant!” Chinese restaurants—full-service or take-out—are among the three most popular for ethnic dining. From a culinary standpoint, Chinese cuisine is complex and highly developed, offering significant contributions to the world’s food experiences. With its focus on vegetables, rice, and noodles, Asian-style cooking also has earned its place as a nutritious option in a healthful eating pattern.

Chinese cuisine reflects the different cooking styles, ingredients, and flavorings of China’s many regions. Restaurants may specialize in foods from Canton, Hunan, Peking (Beijing), Shanghai, or Szechuan, for example. Cantonese-style cooking is the most popular in the United States, largely due to the number of Cantonese immigrants in the mid-1800s who brought their cooking styles with them.

Cantonese cuisine of southeastern China features roasted and grilled meat, steamed dishes, stir-fried dishes, and mild flavors. Szechuan and Hunan foods tend to be hot and spicy, and perhaps higher in fat. Peking cuisine of northeastern China is noted for skillful, subtle uses of seasonings. Shanghai-style has more seafood. The term “Mandarin” on menus usually refers to aristocratic cuisine, featuring the finest aspects of all regional cuisines.

Unlike other cuisines in the United States, Chinese meals emphasize rice or noodles, and vegetables, with their contribution of complex carbohydrates. Vegetables are good sources of fiber, beta carotene (which forms vitamin A) and vitamin C, and phytonutrients, too. Meat, poultry, and seafood are served in small portions, often sliced and cooked with vegetables. Tofu, or soybean curd, is a common, high-protein, low-fat, cholesterol-free ingredient, too. Many Chinese dishes are roasted, simmered, steamed, or stir-fried, so they’re likely to be low in fat.

From a nutritional standpoint, the areas of caution in Chinese dining are the fat and the sodium content. Deep-fat frying is a common cooking technique for many menu items. Sometimes foods are stir-fried in large amounts of oil. For those who are sodium-sensitive, know that two ingredients with more sodium—monosodium glutamate (MSG) and soy sauce—often are used to flavor foods. Even MSG, however, has a third the sodium of table salt.

Calcium-rich foods are limited on Chinese menus since milk, cheese, and yogurt aren’t part of the traditional cuisine. Most calcium comes from fish with edible bones and from vegetables such as broccoli and greens, although the amount of calcium per serving is much lower than a serving of milk.

Whether you eat in or carry out, keep these ordering tips in mind at a Chinese restaurant:

Enjoy the flavorful soups as a starter or a main dish. Many are made with clear broth with small amounts of meat and vegetables. Made by cooking eggs in the broth, egg drop soup and hot-and-sour soup are higher in cholesterol; the amount, however, is small, since there’s not much egg in a single serving.

Go easy on fried appetizers at the start of your meal. Fried wontons, crab rangoon, and many egg rolls are deep-fat fried. As an option, order steamed spring rolls or egg rolls.

Enjoy the variety of vegetables in Chinese dishes! Besides the familiar bell peppers, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chile peppers, green onions, mushrooms, and bean sprouts, Chinese dishes are prepared with bamboo shoots, bok choy, lily pods, napa, snow peas, and other vegetables. For more choices flip to the vegetarian section of the menu, where you’ll find dishes featuring tofu and legumes.

For less fat look for dishes that are braised, roasted, simmered, steamed, and stir-fried (with little or no oil). Ask that stir-fried dishes be cooked in just a small amount of oil.

Order plain rice and noodles rather than fried versions. Plain rice and noodles usually are lower in sodium, too, than fried versions, which are flavored with soy sauce. Crispy skin on poultry dishes such as Peking duck is high in fat.

Be aware that the meat, poultry, or fish in sweet-and-sour dishes is typically breaded and deep-fat fried. Instead, ask for roasted or grilled meat with sweet-and-sour sauce to cut down on fat.

If you’re watching your sodium intake, go easy on foods prepared with MSG, soy sauce, or high-sodium sauces such as black bean, hoisin, and oyster sauce. Ask the server to have your dish prepared to order without high-sodium seasonings or sauces. You might ask for light or reduced-sodium soy sauce that you can add yourself. Or instead, choose dishes prepared with hot-mustard, sweet-and-sour, plum, or “duck” sauce, which have less sodium.

For a small bite, enjoy dim sum. Translated as “little heart,” these small portions include steamed dumplings and steamed spring rolls. Go easy on fried dim sum dishes. To order dim sum, you choose your dishes from a server, who passes your table with one dish after another. As a result, you can easily overeat!

Enjoy your fortune cookie—and the fortune inside! A single cookie has just 15 calories and 0 fat gram. Typically, Chinese meals don’t give much attention to sweet desserts. Usually you’ll have ice cream, fresh fruit, or almond cookies.

Control the urge to overeat. In Chinese restaurants portions are often quite ample. For a sit-down meal order the amount you need, not necessarily a meal special with several courses. Ask for half a portion if you can. Plan to share a dish; perhaps order two or three dishes to serve four people. Or take leftovers home with you. Skip popular Chinese buffets, or go easy.

From the Chinese Menu

Enjoy more often:

Wonton soup
Hot-and-sour soup
Steamed spring rolls
Chicken, scallops, or shrimp with vegetables
Whole steamed fish
Steamed rice
Steamed dumplings and other dim sum
Soft noodles
Stir-fried dishes*
Steamed and simmered dishes
Tofu
Fortune cookies

Enjoy less often:

Fried wontons
Fried egg rolls or spring rolls
Peking duck
Fried fish with lobster sauce
Fried rice
Fried dim sum
Fried noodles
Fried “crispy” dishes, sweet-and sour dishes with breaded, deep-fried ingredients

* If cooked in just small amounts of oil, they can be quite low in fat. Stir-fry dishes, however, can be quite oily (e.g., lo mein).

Thai and Vietnamese Cuisine

For restaurant patrons who enjoy an Asian kitchen, “spicy hot” defines many Thai dishes. Similar to Thai dishes in many ways, Vietnamese dishes are not known for their spiciness. Both cuisines also are noted for plenty of fruits, vegetables, rice, and noodles. The fresh, unique flavor of these cuisines comes from the contrasting seasonings, unique herbs and spices, and fresh ingredients.

Rice is a staple that’s simply cooked or enjoyed as an ingredient in rice noodles, rice flour, and rice “paper.” Enjoy it plain: long-grained jasmine rice with its perfumelike flavor; or sticky, plump rice. Try a dish in moistened rice “paper,” used to wrap chopped, cooked vegetables; meat, seafood, and poultry; and fresh herbs. Or order translucent rice noodles, tossed in salads and stir-fried dishes. You’ll find wheat flour noodles on the menu, too.

Vegetables and fruits add flavor, nutrients, and interest to Thai salads, soups, and mixed dishes. Look for dishes made with less familiar fruits and vegetables such as bamboo shoots, banana blossoms, bananas, bitter melons, green mangoes, pomelos, or straw mushrooms, as well as the familiar: cucumbers, bean sprouts, eggplant, green peppers, or snow peas. Thai restaurants are unique for Asian cuisine because you can order a salad!

In this mixed style of cooking, the portions of meat, poultry, and seafood are reasonable. Look for all kinds of seafood, including shrimp, mussels, and scallops, as well as beef, pork, chicken, and duck.

If you choose to go meatless, look for dishes made with tofu or egg, or combinations of noodles or rice, and vegetables. The popular pad Thai (with noodles, sprouts, tofu, eggs, scallions, and peanuts) may be a good choice; just leave off the eggs and some shrimp on top to cut the cholesterol.

What’s the special flavor in Thai cooking? In menu descriptions you’ll find a unique variety of herbs native to Thailand that add flavor but no sodium: coriander, ginger, galangal, kaffir lime leaves (citrus leaf), lemongrass, and Thai basil. Look for spices in curry dishes. Peanuts and cashews, common to Thai cooking, may add texture and flavor as well as protein to your dish.

The small, green or red bird’s eye chiles (prik kii noo suan) are viciously hot and distinctively Thai. But they aren’t the only chiles used in Thai cooking. Check the menu for clues to the “heat.” If you can’t take the heat, ask for “toned-down Thai.” Many dishes can be prepared to suit your taste.

Consider the nutritional bounty in Thai cuisine—especially because it has less fat and sodium—and great flavor! Keep these points in mind:

If you enjoy Thai food often, go easy on soups, curries, desserts, and other dishes made with a Thai staple: coconut milk or cream. The fat in coconut milk is highly saturated and high in calories. The popular satay (grilled chicken or meat skewers) usually are marinated in curried coconut milk and served with a sauce made of peanuts and coconut milk. To control the amount, ask for the peanut sauce to be served on the side.

Find out what type of oil the kitchen uses. If it’s lard or coconut oil, ask to have vegetable oil substituted.

Look for stir-fried, sautéed, braised, grilled, and steamed dishes. In Thai cooking you’ll also find deepfried foods and ingredients. Go easy.

Ask for a light touch with nam bla (Thai fish sauce), a high-sodium sauce, and with soy sauce. Or see if they can use light soy sauce in place of either one. The distinctive flavors of Thai curries come from a blend of nam bla with chiles, garlic, and other unique seasonings: coriander, cumin, and turmeric in Indian-type curries, and gingerroot, lemongrass, and shrimp paste in South Asian-style dishes. Go easy on dishes made with salty condiments such as salty eggs, dried shrimp, and fish paste, too.

If you pick a Vietnamese restaurant, the cuisine is similar, also based on rice, noodles, similar vegetables, seafood, and meat, so order with the same mind-set. Vietnamese cuisine also is flavored with fish sauce but contains more fresh coriander root and leaf (cilantro) and less garlic and chile pepper.

From the Thai and Vietnamese Menu

Enjoy more often:

Broth-based soups such as tom yum koong
Spring rolls in moistened rice paper
Stir-fried noodle dishes such as pad Thai
Stir-fried or sautéed vegetables with meat, poultry, fish, or tofu
Broiled or steamed dishes
Steamed rice
Tropical fruits and juices
Grilled or charbroiled meat, chicken, or seafood

Enjoy less often:

Soups made with coconut milk such as tom ka gai
Fried spring rolls
Peanut-coconut milk sauce
Dishes (including curries) made with coconut milk
Deep-fried tofu or eggplant
Dishes with deep-fried fish, duck, or meat
Fried rice and fried noodles
Fried banana
Desserts made with coconut milk

Japanese Cuisine

Although Chinese restaurants have a long history in the United States, interest in Japanese-style restaurants is much newer. It all started with the Japanese steak house. There, Americans experienced the flair of tabletop, stir-fry cooking, seated around the grill. In either full-service or fast-food restaurants, today’s Japanese menu offers far more variety.

With its use of rice, noodles, tofu, vegetables, seafood, and small meat portions as staples, and limited use of oils, Japanese cooking is noted for being low in fat. Glazes and sauces are typically made with ingredients that are low in fat: broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sake (rice wine). While some foods are fried, the more common cooking methods are low in fat and include braising, broiling, grilling, simmering, and steaming. Rice, noodles, and vegetables contribute complex carbohydrates, and vegetables supply fiber, beta carotene, and vitamin C. Meat, poultry, seafood, and tofu are high-protein ingredients, usually served in moderate-size portions. Calcium-rich foods are limited. For those whose blood pressure is sodium-sensitive, the use of high-sodium flavoring is a nutrition concern.

To the Japanese cook, artistry ranks as important as nourishment. Edible garnishes of ginger or vegetables, or seaweed carefully wrapped around raw fish and rice, or an artful food arrangement on a plate are among the aesthetic touches that make Japanese food beautiful. Enjoyment of food has always been an important dietary guideline for the Japanese diet!

The language of a Japanese menu might be new to you. Use these guidelines to sharpen your menu savvy:

Know that tempura is a popular battered, fried dish. Agemono and katsu dishes are also breaded and fried. To control fat and calories, go easy on fried dishes, but don’t avoid them altogether or you’ll miss some outstanding taste treats! Just balance these foods with other, lower-fat choices.

Look for menu terms that suggest less fat, such as nimono (simmered), yaki (broiled), and yaki-mono (grilled). Two examples of this for meat, poultry, or fish: yakitori, which is skewered, then grilled or broiled; and teriyaki, which is marinated in soy sauce and mirin (rice wine), then grilled.

Looking for another low-fat choice? Try sashimi (raw fish) or sushi (vinegared rice, prepared with seaweed, raw fish, and/or vegetables). If sodium is a concern, go easy on the soy sauce for dipping.

As another meal in a bowl, try domburi, or rice covered with vegetables, meat, or poultry, and perhaps egg. To cut back on cholesterol, ask that this dish be prepared without the egg.

If you’re watching your sodium intake, go easy on high-sodium sauces such as soy sauce, miso sauce, or teriyaki sauce, as well as broth and pickled vegetables.

Many dishes, such as soup, noodle dishes, and stirfried dishes, also are flavored with soy sauce. As an alternative, ask for dishes prepared without soy sauce, such as shabu shabu, foods that are not marinated, or steamed seafood; then dip them in a low-sodium soy sauce. For flavor without sodium, use a bit of the shredded or mashed green wasabi, which is a very strong and hot horseradish. Beware—a very little wasabi goes a long way!

For more vegetables, order a salad as a side dish. Try edamame (fresh, steamed soybeans in the pod). For less sodium, ask for a lemon slice to squeeze on your salad, rather than miso dressing. Miso, a common flavoring in Japanese cooking, is derived from fermented soybean paste and is high in sodium.

As a switch from rice, enjoy Japanese noodles — udon (wheat noodles) or soba (buckwheat noodles). Noodles are often served under cooked dishes such as sukiyaki or in soups.

Enjoy fresh fruit for dessert. You won’t find rich pastries on Japanese menus.

Take time to enjoy the aesthetics of a Japanese meal in a full-service restaurant. Learn to use chopsticks. They may slow down your eating, and that can be a good part of the dining experience!

From the Japanese Menu

Enjoy more often:

Stir-fried dishes such as sukiyaki
Simmered dishes such as shabu shabu
Grilled dishes such as yakitori
Stir-fried tofu
Clear soups such as miso and suimono
Steamed rice
Sashimi and sushi

Enjoy less often:

Deep-fried dishes such as tempura
Breaded and fried dishes such as tonkatsu
Fried tofu

Eating for Travelers

Does eating on the road challenge your waistline and good nutrition sense? Overdoing is all too easy — especially when portions are big; the desserts are rich; and the menus, tantalizing. Dehydration and food safety are other issues that demand consideration and action for travelers.

Dining at 35,000 Feet!

What’s to eat at 35,000 feet? Food service depends on the carrier, where you sit on the plane, and the length and time of your flight. Usually the meal is lighter in coach than in business or first class. As airlines cut back to control costs, portions have gotten smaller on many carriers, and meal service may be just a light snack, or a pack of pretzels or peanuts, and a beverage.

Whether you’re a frequent flier or an occasional passenger, plan ahead so the plane “fare” fits into your eating style — and promotes your health.

Don’t count on an airline meal. Instead, check with your travel agent or the airline before the flight to verify the type of food service.

If there’s no meal served, take your own food on board. In any case, that may be your best bet, especially if you travel with small children. Dried fruit such as apricots; an apple or a banana; raw vegetables; packaged crackers and sliced cheese; muffins; bagels; pretzels; and peanuts are among portable foods that travel well. For safety’s sake, don’t keep a sandwich with meat or other perishable food for too long at cabin temperature—no more than two hours.

Want a special meal? If you or your travel agent call at least twenty-four hours before your flight, you can arrange for special meals on major carriers: vegetarian, kosher, low-calorie, low-fat, low-sodium, diabetic, and fruit plate, among others—for no extra cost if the flight has meal service. Often special meals are available for infants and children. On some carriers you can order a Hindu, Muslim, or Asian meal.

For frequent fliers, your travel agent can keep your meal request in your client profile, along with your seating preference. In that way your request is automatic. In fact, the most efficient time to place your request is when you make your reservation.

Remember: it’s okay to say “no.” You don’t need to eat an airline meal or snack just because it’s offered. If you just ate lunch or plan a nice meal when you get on the ground again, let the serving cart roll by.

To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of fluids (even if you’re not thirsty)—8 ounces of fluids for every hour of your flight. Juice and water are great choices. For the same reason, go easy on alcoholic drinks. With the low humidity and recirculating air within the pressurized cabin, airline travel can be dehydrating; you lose body fluids through evaporation on your skin. Rushing to catch a plane may work up a sweat that already puts you in a “fluid deficit.” Dehydration only aggravates the symptoms of jet lag and causes fatigue.

Pack some bottled water in your carry-on luggage as an extra supply. Especially on a long trip, drink plenty of liquids before, during, and after flying.

Want to relax or sleep on the flight? If you’re sensitive to caffeine, avoid caffeinated beverages: coffee, tea, and colas. For some people, too much caffeine can promote sleeplessness, anxiety, and over-stimulation ... especially for those anxious about flying anyway!

If you drink alcoholic beverages, go easy — even if you have free drink coupons or you’re in first class, where they’re free. It’s wise to stop after one or two drinks. On a long flight, wine or cocktails may not help you sleep — and may not relax you, either. Instead, larger amounts may have the opposite effect, making you more restless.

When the beverage cart rolls by, make your choice count as one serving from the Food Guide Pyramid — especially if you may come up short during the day. Ask for fruit juice, tomato juice, or milk.

Especially on a long flight, get out of your seat and move around. Even a little exercise, such as walking the aisles, will help you feel better than just sinking into the seat with your headset on or with a good book.

Travel Fare — on the Ground

For the businessperson, eating on the road can be an “occupational hazard.” For the leisure traveler, calories add up, too, especially when food is the main event. Eating just 500 extra calories a day can add up to 3,500 extra calories a week. Unless you compensate with more physical activity, those 3,500 extra calories can turn into a pound of body fat!

Whether traveling on business or leisure, be a wise restaurant consumer.

On an expense account? Avoid the urge to overeat just because you aren’t paying the bill. Promising to “cut down when I get back home” may not be enough to keep trim, especially if you’re a frequent traveler.

Schedule your wake-up call to allow time for breakfast. An early morning meal is, after all, a smart way to start any day. If you’re in a hotel with room service, order breakfast the night before.

When you work during a meal or a cocktail hour, be as attuned to your food and drink as you are to business issues. Over-ordering is easy when you’re not paying attention to your body’s hunger and satiety signals. A second round of drinks or another basket of chips can appear without much notice.

Drinking is often part of the social side of business travel, or viewed by the traveler as a way to relax. However, calories in a cocktail or two, and perhaps wine with dinner, add up fast. Depending on the size, a single drink can supply 10 percent of your day’s calorie needs—so go easy. Moreover, be careful that cocktails and salty snacks don’t replace a nutritious meal.

Too often people complain that travel upsets their physical activity routine. As a leisure or business traveler, make time to move: explore museums, historic spots, parks, and shops on foot. Take time to use athletic facilities at the hotel or local park.

Breakfast on the Road

A 2-egg omelet, 3 strips of bacon, 1⁄2 cup hash browns, 1 slice of toast with 2 teaspoons of butter or margarine, 3⁄4 cup of fruit juice, and coffee: this hearty restaurant breakfast can total up to 685 calories and 40 fat grams. For a quick, nutritious start on your day, order one of the following breakfasts instead for 400 calories or less:

Fresh fruit, bagel with jam, low-fat milk
Cereal (hot or cold) with low-fat milk, fresh berries or banana, coffee or tea
Low-fat yogurt, whole-wheat English muffin with spread served on the side, fruit juice or fresh fruit, coffee or tea
Whole-wheat pancakes topped with fruit; hot cocoa made with milk
One poached egg, whole-wheat toast with jam,
1⁄2 grapefruit, fat-free milk

Ordering just a Continental breakfast (bread, juice, and coffee)? For breads with less fat, ask for a bagel, toast (perhaps whole-wheat or rye), or an English muffin with jam or with butter or margarine served on the side. Skip doughnuts, sweet rolls, croissants, and other pastries to cut down on fat.

Have Food, Will Travel

If your job, vacation, or weekend outings take you on the road, brown-bag it—or fill a cooler—to eat as you go. By taking a “survival kit,” you don’t need to rely on vending machines, convenience stores, fast-food chains, or snack bars.

Fill sealable plastic bags with vegetable finger foods: raw vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower florets, jicama and carrot sticks, zucchini and bell pepper circles, or snow peas, among others). Take all kinds of seasonal fresh fruit. Besides taking the edge off hunger, fruit can be a thirst quencher.

Tuck in single-portion beverages: canned or boxed fruit juice, canned tomato juice, boxed milk, and bottled water. Take other portable, nonperishable foods — for example, crackers, peanut butter, raisins, small boxes of ready-to-eat cereal, other dried fruit, pretzels, or plain popcorn. Tuck in packages of instant oatmeal for a quick, easy, hot breakfast in your hotel.

Stock an insulated cooler with perishable foods: deli sandwiches, yogurt, and cheese, among others. Keep fresh fruit and raw vegetables in the cooler, too, to keep them crisp.

When you’re hungry, stop to eat. Get out of the car. Stretch. Take a short walk. You’ll enjoy your meal more—and feel more relaxed as you continue driving. To help prevent constipation—a frequent complaint on long-distance car trips—stop every hour or two for a brisk walk and drink of water.

Food in Faraway Places

From cozy cafés, small food stores, and open-air markets ... to rice paddies, hillsides with tropical fruit trees, and fishermen hauling in their nets . . . food offers a unique cultural experience for the curious traveler. Americans’ growing enjoyment of ethnic foods comes in part from their travel experiences.Savvy travelers take the opportunity to try the adventure of new foods and flavors.

As the world continues to grow smaller, more business and pleasure travelers venture to places where sanitation standards are not as high as in the United States. In certain environments, bacteria, parasites, and viruses can transfer to food from poor sanitation or agricultural practices. To help control the spread of disease, immigration forms for entering the United States ask if you’ve visited a farm; travelers and their baggage also may go through an agricultural inspection.

No matter what you call it — Montezuma’s Revenge, turista, or something else—travelers’ diarrhea most often is caused by contaminated food and/or water. Typically, it lasts no more than three to four days, but that’s enough to upset or even ruin an otherwise wonderful vacation—and certainly puts a business trip into a tailspin. The first bout won’t “immunize” you from the next. But the good news is that you can reduce your risk by being cautious and careful. Pay attention to everything you eat and drink.

Food Safety: Ounces of Precaution

Like other types of foodborne illness, travelers’ diarrhea is most commonly caused by bacteria—probably 80 percent of the cases. For travelers, improperly handled, contaminated food and drink also can cause E. coli infections, hepatitis, giardiasis, shigellosis, and other contagious diseases.

Start several weeks before you go. Especially if you’re traveling to developing or rural areas, ask your physician and county health department about immunizations and preventive medication suggested for your travel destination.

Avoid buffets for travelers if food is just rewarmed after sitting for a while, or if it’s been kept at ambient, or room, temperature for longer than 1 to 2 hours.

Be aware: A few fish and shellfish contain toxins even when they’re cooked; avoid barracuda and puffer fish. Especially in tropical waters of the West Indies, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, a few other fish are occasionally toxic, such as: tropical reef fish, red snapper, amber jack, grouper, and sea bass. Especially if you’re at high risk, be careful.

Like at home, always wash your hands before eating! Remember, your hands can transfer diarrheacausing bacteria to your mouth. Carry an antibacterial hand wash, wet wipes, and maybe a small bar of soap.

When you aren’t sure what you may encounter, carry packable foods. Single-serve foods, sold for lunch boxes, are great for travelers.

Check travel guides and talk to staff in the better hotels, or to your tour guide, to find restaurants with high sanitation standards. Restaurants in better hotels usually have high standards.

If you travel with a baby, breast milk guarantees food safety. If your infant takes formula, prepare it from commercial powder, and boiled or commercially bottled water.

What’s Safe to Drink?

You’re always smart to play it safe. In developed countries, tap water should be fine.

Better hotels in lesser-developed areas also may filter and chlorinate their tap water to make it safe. Before you use water from the faucet, find out if the hotel has a water purification system. When you’re not sure, don’t drink or brush your teeth with tap water.

Instead, use commercially bottled or canned water with the seal or cap intact. Keep a bottle or can of water in your carry-on bag.

Soft drinks, canned or bottled juices, beer, and wine are safe to drink. Coffee, tea, and other hot beverages are usually safe because the long heating time destroys most and perhaps all of the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that might be present in the water. You also can boil or chemically treat water you drink.

In less-developed areas, avoid beverages made with water or ice cubes—unless you know that commercially bottled water was used. Also avoid bottled water served to you without an intact seal or cap; it may have been refilled with local tap water. Be cautious of locally bottled water because the standards may not be high for bottling. Even crystal-clear water in wilderness areas anywhere, including the United States and Canada, should be treated before drinking it.

If You Do Get Sick...

For most cases of travelers’diarrhea, dehydration is the biggest concern. If it strikes you, increase your fluid intake — with plenty of safe water, canned juice, and soup. Canned soft drinks (preferably without caffeine) are okay, too.

If the problem persists (more than three or four days) or if your symptoms are severe, seek qualified medical care. Your hotel or tour guide should be able to suggest a physician.

Be prepared before you travel; talk with your physician at home, and take along any medication he or she recommends.

By Roberta Larson Duyff in "American Dietetic Association - Complete Food and Nutrition Guide", 2nd edition, John Wiley & Sons,USA, 2002, excerpts 332-364. Adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa.

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