How to Eat Out and Stay on Track: A Restaurant Cheat Sheet

To eat out and stay on track, build every restaurant meal from three picks: a protein first, one carb chosen on purpose, and vegetables as your side. Then watch for the hidden extras, like butter, oil and creamy dressings, and choose the ones you actually want.

That's the whole system. One meal will never make or break your results. What you do most of the time is what counts, so the goal at a restaurant is a better choice, not a perfect one. You still get to enjoy the food and the company.

How do I size portions at a restaurant?

You can't weigh food at a restaurant, but your hand comes with you everywhere, and it's sized to you.

| Food | Hand portion | Per meal | |---|---|---| | Protein | Your palm | 1 to 2 palms | | Carbs | Your cupped hand | 1 to 2 cupped hands | | Veggies | Your fist | 1 to 2 fists or more | | Fats and extras | Your thumb | 1 to 2 thumbs |

Your number depends on your protein target and how many meals you eat in a day. Fewer meals usually means bigger portions at each one. More on this in my [hand portion method](/blog/hand-portion-method-build-a-balanced-meal) post.

Restaurant portions are often double, or more, what you'd serve yourself at home. You don't have to finish it all. Eat to your portions and box the rest for tomorrow's lunch.

What should I order at a restaurant?

Pick 1: your protein. It keeps you full and supports your muscle, so scan the menu for it first. - Best picks: grilled, roasted or blackened chicken; salmon, cod, halibut, tuna, shrimp or scallops; sirloin, flank, tenderloin or filet; turkey, pork tenderloin, eggs; tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans or edamame. - Enjoy sometimes: ribeye, prime rib, short ribs, pork belly, wings, sausage, and anything breaded or deep fried. They still have protein, just with a lot more fat. - If the protein portion looks small, which is common with bowls and pasta, add one. Most places will add chicken, shrimp or salmon for a few dollars.

Pick 2: one carb. Carbs aren't the problem. Stacking three of them without noticing is. - Best picks: baked potato or sweet potato (toppings on the side), rice, corn tortillas, quinoa, roasted potatoes, whole grain bread. - Watch for the carb stack: a bun plus fries plus the bread basket, pasta plus garlic bread, chips before tacos with rice. - If the bread basket is your favourite part, have that and swap the fries for veggies.

Pick 3: your side. Make veggies your default. They add fibre and volume, so you feel satisfied on fewer calories. - Best picks: steamed or grilled vegetables, a side of greens with dressing on the side, broth based soup, fresh fruit. - Easy swaps: fries for veggies or a baked potato, Caesar for a garden side with vinaigrette, creamy soup for broth based.

Where do the hidden calories hide?

The biggest surprises usually aren't the main foods. They're the fats and extras added in the kitchen that you can't see.

| Hidden extra | Where it hides | Roughly how much | |---|---|---| | Butter | Steaks, veggies, buns and toast | About 100 cal per tbsp | | Cooking oil | "Grilled" items, sautéed veggies, stir fries, rice | About 120 cal per tbsp | | Creamy dressings | Caesar, ranch, blue cheese | Often 120 to 160 cal per 2 tbsp, and restaurants use more | | Mayo and aioli | Burgers, wraps, dipping sauces | About 90 to 100 cal per tbsp | | Cheese | Burgers, wraps, melted on veggies | About 70 to 110 cal per slice or small handful | | Toppings | Croutons, candied nuts, crispy onions, bacon bits | Often 100 cal or more | | Sugary drinks | Pop, sweet iced tea, specialty coffees | About 140 to 150 cal per can of pop |

Numbers are approximate and vary by restaurant. The point isn't to count every calorie. It's to know where the extras come from so you can choose which ones are worth it.

Three easy habits: ask for sauces and dressings on the side and dip your fork; ask for veggies steamed or with no butter; and choose the one extra you really want instead of all of them.

How do I read a menu?

The words on the menu tell you how the food is cooked.

• Usually lighter: grilled, steamed, roasted, baked, broiled, blackened, poached, seared, fresh, tomato based, broth based.
• Usually heavier: crispy, crunchy, battered, breaded, tempura, fried, creamy, alfredo, cheesy, smothered, loaded, stuffed, glazed, candied, buttery, au gratin.

Good to know: "grilled" can still be brushed with butter or oil, so it's worth asking for light butter.

How to ask, without feeling awkward. Servers get requests like these all day. It's your meal. - "Could I get the dressing on the side, please?" - "Can I swap the fries for veggies?" - "Could the veggies be steamed with no butter?" - "Can I add grilled chicken to that?" - "Can I get a to go box with my meal?" Box half right away.

What should I order at different restaurants?

| Restaurant | Go for | Watch for | |---|---|---| | Pub or sports bar | Grilled chicken or salmon, chicken burger with a side of greens, steak with veggies | Wings, nachos, loaded fries, creamy dips, beer refills | | Steakhouse | Sirloin or filet, baked potato with toppings on the side, steamed veggies | Butter basted steaks, creamed spinach, loaded potatoes | | Mexican | Burrito bowl or fajitas with chicken, steak or shrimp, beans, salsa, corn tortillas | Chip basket, queso, sour cream, fried shells | | Chinese or Thai | Steamed or stir fried protein with veggies, steamed rice, broth soups | Sweet and sour, General Tao, fried rolls, coconut curries, fried rice | | Sushi or Japanese | Sashimi, nigiri, simple rolls, edamame, miso soup, poke bowls | Tempura, crunch rolls, spicy mayo, cream cheese rolls | | Italian | Tomato based pasta with chicken or seafood, grilled fish, minestrone, half portion of pasta | Alfredo, cream sauces, garlic bread, extra cheese | | Burgers and fast food | Grilled chicken sandwich, single patty, lettuce wrap, fruit | Double patties, bacon and cheese, combo fries and pop, milkshakes | | Breakfast and brunch | Eggs or omelette with veggies, toast, fruit, Greek yogurt, oatmeal | Hollandaise, home fries, pancakes with syrup, pastries | | Coffee shop | Egg bites, protein boxes, oatmeal, black coffee or a latte with skim milk | Muffins, scones, flavoured syrups, large blended drinks |

Bowls look healthy and usually are, until the toppings pile up. Build them like a plate: protein, one carb, lots of veggies, one extra, dressing on the side.

Can I still have a drink?

Yes. It helps to know two things first. Alcohol has calories of its own, about 7 per gram, almost as much as fat. And it lowers your guard, so the fries and dessert get easier to say yes to.

| Drink | Serving | Approximate calories | |---|---|---| | Light beer | 355 ml | About 100 | | Spirit with soda water | 1.5 oz | About 100 | | Wine | 5 oz glass | About 120 to 125 | | Regular beer | 355 ml | About 150 | | Craft beer or IPA | Pint | Often 200 to 300 | | Cocktails | 1 drink | Often 200 to 500 |

Decide how many before you go, drink a glass of water between each one, eat your protein and veggies first, and skip it entirely if it's not adding to the night.

What should I do before and after eating out?

Before: look at the menu online and pick your meal ahead of time. Don't skip meals to "save up," because arriving starving makes every choice harder. If dinner is late, have a protein rich snack in the afternoon (in perimenopause, plan it as your fourth meal).

At the table: order first, drink a full glass of water, eat protein and veggies before your carb, and stop at satisfied. Share dessert, have a few bites, or enjoy it fully if it's a special occasion.

After: no guilt, no making up for it, no skipping meals the next day. Your next meal is a fresh start.

Your eating out cheat sheet

Screenshot this. If you only remember six things:

• Protein first: 1 to 2 palms
• One carb, chosen on purpose
• Veggies as your side
• Sauces and dressings on the side
• Pick your extras on purpose
• Stop at satisfied and box the rest

Travelling? My post on [eating well at restaurants and while travelling](/blog/how-to-eat-healthy-restaurants-travel) covers trips and airports. Logging your food? Pick the closest entry you can find and log it anyway. A good guess beats a blank day ([here's how to start tracking](/blog/what-are-macros-how-to-start-tracking)).

Quick answers

What's the healthiest thing to order at a restaurant? A lean protein (grilled chicken, fish, shrimp, sirloin or filet), one carb you actually want, and vegetables as your side, with sauces on the side.

Why do restaurant meals have so many calories? Mostly hidden extras like butter, oil, creamy dressings and cheese, plus portions that are often double what you'd serve at home.

Should I skip meals before eating out? No. Arriving starving makes every choice harder. Eat normally earlier in the day.

Does one big restaurant meal ruin my progress? No. One meal will never make or break your results. Get back to your routine at your next meal.

This isn't medical advice. If you have a medical condition, food allergies or specific dietary needs, talk with your doctor or a registered dietitian.