Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: Smart Dining-Out Decisions

As much as I love to cook and have a wonderful meal at home, we tend to dine out quite a bit. Whether it is because we are traveling, out of food at home or just don't feel like cookin', there is still no excuse to forget about eating well (unless this is your cheat meal, which we'll discuss next Tuesday).

Cynthia Sass, R.D. and contributor to Shape Magazine, wrote an article (July 2010, page 38) with some easy steps for dining out without gaining a pound. Here are some of hers...along with some of my own.

1~Replace the butter and syrup on your pancakes or waffles with sliced, fresh fruit (Sass).

2~ Sub steamed veggies or fresh fruit for fries (Me).

3~In a chopped salad (one of my favs), exchange the blue cheese for feta cheese and skip the dried cranberries and candied walnuts (Sass).

4~Leave off the mayo-based sauces. Instead go for yellow mustard, salsa or light vinaigrette (Me).

5~Just do soft-serve ice cream in a cup, minus the waffle cone, sprinkles and other toppings (Sass).

6~Hold the bun. Great sandwiches such as burgers, grilled chicken and crab cakes are fantastic on their own. Save the 250 calories (Me).

7~Trade the flour tortilla on your burrito for a bed of lettuce (Sass).

8~Go for a red sauce on your pasta instead of a white, cream-based sauce (Me).

9~Instead of standard or deep-dish pepperoni pizza, opt for thin crust with veggies or grilled chicken (Sass).

10~Go for grilled. If a sandwich or salad is served with breaded and fried proteins, ask for the grilled version(Me).

Dining out is fun! It's fun to get dressed up, go out and see people, enjoy the atmosphere and not have to worry about cleaning up the kitchen after finishing your meal. I love going out to eat. I am a huge fan! Yet I always keep these little strategies in mind. On occasion, I bank enough to indulge in some dessert! Try a few tricks, and then have a treat. I bet you like the sound of that!

Do you have a dining-out tip you use? Please share with us!