The problem with eating out isn't a lack of healthy eating out options — it's that restaurants are designed to make you pick the wrong ones. Menu descriptions emphasize indulgence. Appetizer portions are entree-sized. Your server asks about drinks before you've even looked at the food. And by the time you sit down hungry, the bread basket has already arrived.
This guide is about the strategies that work before, during, and after you order. None of them require willpower — just a plan.
Before You Arrive: The Pre-Meal Strategy
The single most effective thing you can do is look at the menu before you go. Most sit-down restaurants post full menus online. Spend two minutes identifying your order while you're calm and not hungry.
A few more pre-arrival habits that work:
- Eat a small snack 30-60 minutes before. A handful of walnuts or a piece of fruit takes the edge off so you don't devour the bread basket.
- Skip the bread basket entirely. Two rolls with butter: 400+ cal before your meal even arrives.
- Decide on drinks in advance. If you're having alcohol, set a limit before you sit down.
The Appetizer Trap
Restaurant appetizers are where the most damage happens, because they feel small but pack enormous calorie density:
- Spinach artichoke dip — about 800 cal for a shared appetizer
- Loaded nachos — about 1,200 cal for a full plate
- Fried calamari — about 500-600 cal
- Mozzarella sticks (6 pieces) — about 600 cal
- Bloomin' onion (Outback) — about 1,950 cal for the full appetizer
These aren't starters — they're full meals worth of calories before your entree shows up.
Better Starters
- Broth-based soup (minestrone, chicken tortilla) — 100-200 cal
- Side salad with dressing on the side — 80-150 cal
- Shrimp cocktail — about 120-150 cal for 5-6 shrimp
- Bruschetta — about 200 cal for 3 pieces
A broth-based soup before your entree can reduce total meal calories by 20%, because you arrive at the main course less ravenous.
Entree Strategies
The menu words that signal lower-calorie cooking methods: grilled, baked, broiled, steamed, poached, roasted. The words that signal higher fat and calories: fried, crispy, breaded, smothered, loaded, creamy, au gratin.
Three strategies that work at any sit-down restaurant:
Ask for Double Vegetables Instead of Starch
Most entrees come with a protein, a starch (mashed potatoes, fries, rice pilaf), and a vegetable. Ask to swap the starch for a second serving of vegetables. You save 150-300 cal and gain fiber.
Sauce on the Side
Restaurants pour sauce generously — often 3-4 tablespoons when 1 tablespoon provides all the flavor you need. Cream sauces run 80-120 cal per tablespoon. Asking for sauce on the side lets you use a fraction of what they'd normally add.
Choose Simple Preparations
A grilled 8 oz salmon fillet is about 370 cal. The same salmon topped with a brown sugar glaze on a bed of risotto becomes 700+ cal. The more adjectives in a dish name, the more calories it generally has.
Portion Control Without Feeling Deprived
Restaurant entree portions are typically 2-3 times a standard serving size. A restaurant steak is often 12-16 oz — a standard serving is 4-6 oz. A pasta dish might hold 3-4 cups of noodles when a serving is 1 cup.
- Ask for a to-go box when your food arrives and pack half before you start. Out of sight, out of mind — and you get lunch tomorrow.
- Share an entree. Order one main and an extra side salad. Most restaurants are happy to split plates.
- Order two appetizer-sized dishes instead of one entree. This gives variety and a more appropriate total portion.
The Drink Trap
Drinks are the most overlooked calorie source when dining out:
- Margarita — 300-500 cal depending on size
- Pina colada — 400-650 cal
- Craft beer (IPA, 16 oz) — 250-350 cal
- Wine (5 oz glass) — 120-150 cal
- Vodka soda — about 100 cal
Two margaritas can add 600-1,000 cal to your dinner. Wine or a spirit with soda water keeps the damage lowest.
A Practical Framework
The simplest approach to healthy eating out: pick a grilled or baked protein, ask for extra vegetables, get sauce on the side, skip the bread basket, and choose water or one glass of wine. That combination works at steakhouses, Italian restaurants, Asian fusion spots, and American grills.
For takeout-specific strategies across different cuisines, check our healthy take out options guide. And if you're counting total calories, our low calorie fast food options breakdown covers that territory.
Let DinePick Read the Menu for You
Reading a restaurant menu with health in mind takes practice — or you could let DinePick do the heavy lifting. It highlights the healthiest options on any menu. Join the waitlist to try it first.