Comments on: 7 things you should be paying for when dining out

By: Real Food in Moderation: Weight loss results for month 3 | AlmostFit.com

Real Food in Moderation: Weight loss results for month 3 | AlmostFit.com — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:47:53 +0000

[...] 7 things you should be paying for when dining out [...]

By: Sheila Octaviano

Sheila Octaviano — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:32:45 +0000

Hey! I like steamed vegetables! haha. Good suggestions, too. I don’t eat out very often, but when I do I try to be aware. There are certain places where I know the food is great, but the portion sized are huge, but at those places I usually eat with a friend and we share. In some cases, it is food that is delicious the next day, so I portion out what I’m going to eat and ask for a box right away to put the rest away. That keeps me from overeating because it “tastes so good”. Sometimes the portion I take home is actually two more meals.

By: Metroknow

Metroknow — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:39:31 +0000

Great suggestion, Cynthia. I’m actually planning on doing an article on that as far as slowing down at restaurants – Its interesting because in non-tip driven countries, you rarely get that “hurry up and leave” push in part because the wait staff get paid the same regardless (a living wage not dependent on tips). That said, there are things you can do so that the server doesn’t suffer a virtual “pay cut” because you’re taking longer.

And good for you on going out less often in exchange for better quality. We do the same as a family of 4.

Best –
Metroknow

By: Cynthia

Cynthia — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:20:29 +0000

Gosh, excellent post!

I would add to the other excellent suggestions… take your time eating and don’t rush the experience of good food. It just makes a meal more special, more satisfying. And of course, it gives your brain some time to send the all important “full” signals so you don’t overdo.

My husband and I have decided it is worth going out less often, in order to have a few of these special meals on occasion.

By: Christine

Christine — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:06:01 +0000

Great article. I like to get my sauces and dressings on the side as well. I do not like my salads drowning in dressing. We have a lot of choices in restaurants where I live. We have more per capita than anywhere else in Canada. We have a few favorite places that are good at making menu exchanges. I like places that are good with vegetables and don’t try to serve the standard droopy kind.

By: Metroknow

Metroknow — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:54:09 +0000

@Joy: We do the same with trying to avoid leftovers, with two big exceptions — we will often order more than we need for a meal, slightly, when we have Thai or Indian food. Indian food is like comfort food to us, and it keeps overnight very well, so we’ll often get several meals out of one dinner. Curry in particular is excellent the next day.

And I love your “common sense” approach to things that are too cheap — if it smells like a fish, and looks like a fish, but costs as much as a boot….

By: Joy

Joy — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:08:36 +0000

What a great post! We love dining out and half of the time, we share. We ask the server how big the portions are. I try to avoid doggie-bagging because we don’t end up eating them. I’m usually very thoughtful of what I order — I try to think if the ingredients would that fresh given the price point. Sometimes the shrimps are too cheap, it doesn’t equate, so it’s either it’s mightily covered in flour or some other fattening cheapening ingredient to cut down the cost. I also ask for dips, sauces, and dressing to be separated. I want to taste the food first before all these additives.

By: Metroknow

Metroknow — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:16:55 +0000

Thanks Lisa – and great suggestion on customization. I’m also planning on discussing techniques on dealing with huge portion sizes later in the series, and that’s definitely going to be on the list!

By: LisaN

LisaN — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:24:57 +0000

Excellent post. You’ve hit all the important components in regards to eating out. The only item I might add is to not be afraid to seek customization if you want it. Ask for the sauce on the side, or vegetables raw instead of cooked.

In regards to large portions, a doggy bag is still a viable option if your favorite restaurant offers large portions…………………….:)

By: healthranker.com

healthranker.com — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 08:28:26 +0000

7 things you should be paying for when dining out | AlmostFit.com…

One of the guiding principles of eating real food in moderation is the following: Eat the best you can afford, placing the value on the quality, not the quantity. In other words, buy a better quality meal, not a gargantuan serving of the cheap stuff.

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