Eating out at times can be really stressful if you're working on prioritizing eating nutrient dense foods and making choices that support your goals. We often get asked by clients how to approach situations that involve restaurants, looking at menus, social settings and alcohol. We thought we would put our top tips together for easy access if you need quick help on the fly.
Have a strategy going into it. Planning ahead and setting your expectations ahead of time can do a lot for relieving anxiety and stress, and preventing any potential feelings of guilt or disappointment afterwards. We always recommend clients stop and check in with themselves ahead of time and consider what they want the experience to be. We like to think of it as a spectrum: On one end there's just having fun, making memories, and not worrying. On the other end there's being regimented and strategic with choices. And somewhere in the middle there's being strategic, but still having fun. Thinking about this spectrum and where you want this social outing, event, or day to fall will not only help guide you in making choices and feeling good about them, but they will prevent you from feeling unnecessary guilt. Food isn't always just about fuel, its also a part of making connection and building community. So setting your expectations ahead of time will help set you up for success.
Prioritize Protein First Once you have set your expectations, the next recommendation we have is to prioritize protein options when looking at a menu or a table of food. Protein is often the macro that we gravitate towards the least and is less present when at restaurants or events, so focusing first on protein rich choices is a great tip. Protein will help keep you satiated throughout the outing, and helps support your body in so many ways. Getting a protein rich meal or option onto your plate first will help you meet protein goals for the day but also be a good tool to help you gauge satiety.
Look for Veggies Another item that is often lacking or hard to find on a menu or at a social gathering is vegetables! We recommend finding some colorful veggies to add to your plate or order to help get those micronutrients in, but also because vegetables are fiberous they can help with satiety levels as well. Additionally, they can help prevent any carbohydrates hitting your blood stream really quickly - thus avoiding the dreaded carb crash from a spike and drop in blood sugar.
Determine Whether Carbs or Fats are More Appealing While proteins and vegetables can be challenging to find on menus and on tables, there is usually no lack of carbs or fats present. Chances are that you naturally gravitate towards one or the other on a daily basis - here at Living Nutritiously we each have our own personal preference - and that may or may not shift when you're in a more social setting. We recommend thinking about whether carbs are sounding really appealing, or if fats are sounding great at the time. How do you know? A simple example would be - does having dessert like a slice of warm brownie sound good, or does having an appetizer like spinach and artichoke dip sound better? While both are calorically dense, a brownie will have higher carbs due to the sugar content, and the spinach and artichoke dip will have higher fat due to the cheese. While neither is better than the other, it's simply a choice of which macro would you prefer to prioritize. Making these kinds of decisions will help guide you as you choose other sides, appetizers, desserts, or at times even your entree.
Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Substitutions This tip is particularly helpful if you set the expectations for being on the more strategic side. It can be intimidating to ask for substitutions or special accommodations, especially if you're not someone who likes to ruffle feathers. But we promise, you won't be doing any harm or causing any frustration. In the past decade it has become incredibly common for individuals to have food allergies, dietary restrictions or preferences, and plant based eating is at an all time high. So asking questions of your server, requesting some adjustments or swaps it completely reasonable. Some simple adjustments that we have seen clients make, or have made ourselves, include asking for sautéed veggies to be steamed veggies, substituting mashed potatoes for a vegetable, asking dressing to come on the side for your salad, asking for two spoons to share your dessert, etc. While none of these are difficult changes, they are all absolutely easy for establishments to accommodate, they are small changes that can easily make you feel more confident and comfortable with your choices and allow for even more fun options to be added to your course.
While these are just a handful of tips we have for navigating eating out or at social gatherings, we hope you found them helpful. Remember, food is more than fuel, it's also about connecting with your community, making and sharing memories together, and having experiences. So please, take the time to establish your personal expectations for those moments, and let that help guide you as you make your choices without regret or guilt. Life's too short for that!
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