Dining Out

Studies show that Americans are getting busier. Juliet Schorr’s book, The Overworked American, argued that compared to 1970 the average American now works a full month more each year, spends more time commuting, takes less vacation, and logs more overtime. One result: we’re eating more restaurant meals, especially so-called fast food, gulped hastily.

“How can we eat healthy,” we whine, “when we’re forced to grab whatever’s on the menu?” Don’t despair. Healthy eating on the go has become a lot easier since restaurants started listening to us. Today’s menus include plenty of healthy choices.

General Meal Guidelines
No matter where you eat, keep these rules in mind:

• Supplement your meals with fruit and fruit juice from home. Order extra carbohydrates like rolls, cereal and rice. Drink 16 ounces of water with meals.
  
  
• At each meal, include at least two servings of bread, cereal or pastry, such as a bowl of cereal and a bagel at breakfast, a sandwich made with whole wheat bread at lunch, and whole grain dinner rolls at supper.
  
  
• Always include a serving of fruit or juice, such as orange juice for breakfast, and grapes with lunch.
  
  
• At each meal, eat at least one serving of a protein food, such as vegetarian chili topped with shredded low-fat cheese.
  
  
• Menus offer clues to the actual fat content of foods. Avoid selections described by words like fried, crispy, breaded, scampi style, creamed, buttery, au gratin, and gravy. Instead, choose those that are steamed, broiled, boiled, charbroiled, or poached.