Going to a restaurant can be costly to your wallet and your waistline if you aren’t careful with what you order and decide to put into your mouth. The colorful and glossy photos are tempting before your meal comes, but making smart choices is important to the health of your heart and your weight loss goals. Read these facts about some of the most popular appetizers and discover how to Eat Out Healthy:
Appetizers to Forget:
- Onion Blossoms
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Cheese Fries
- Shrimp Cocktail
Appetizers to Enjoy:
- Plant Based: Those appetizers that are predominantly plant based (veggies or fruit) provide fiber and vitamins and minerals. Examples to Enjoy: Crudites, fruit, veggies and dip, veggies or fruit wrapped in ham, stuffed mushrooms.
- Dips: Avoid those that are mayo based or creamy in general. Further, when enjoying dips, choose veggies to dip rather than the conventional chip, cracker or piece of bread. The veggies will provide you a lot more nutritional value. Examples to Enjoy: Hummus (contains protein and fiber), salsa (naturally low in fat) and bean dips or spreads (also high in fiber and protein).
- Lean Protein: Those appetizers that contain lean proteins (chicken, fish, beans, lean meat and lean pork) will help to satiate your appetite and will balance out the heavier carbohydrate based appetizers. Examples to Enjoy: Chicken skewers, shrimp cocktail, tenderloin on pumpernickel bread, salmon and dill on whole wheat crackers.
- Olives: These are filled with monounsaturated fats…and are generally low in calories olive for olive.
- Make wise choices when ordering your next appetizer based on these tips. If the menu doesn’t have something that you want, ask for it anyway! They may be able to whip it up for you if it is simple enough to make. Of course appetizers made with veggies are the most nutritious choice but if you want to splurge, split it with someone or get a half order.
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