Eating smart while eating out requires special attention to ingredients rather than counting calories, as information on a dish's nutrition is not regularly provided. Avoid eating unnecessary fat and calories by sticking to vegetables, seafood and broth soups, and refraining from creamy ingredients, fried foods and high-sodium soy sauce. A good habit is to look at the restaurant's menu and plan out healthy dinner combinations prior to visiting the restaurant, which can boost determination and ease impulsive cravings.
Beverages
Drinks can add many unnoticed calories and sugars to your meal. Water is free from calories and is always a healthy choice; however, drinking a cup of green tea before the meal can help to curb hunger and jump-start metabolism. Sodas and beverages with a high sugar content should be avoided, including any diet sodas that contain potentially harmful chemicals. Liquor and beer are high-calorie drinks that lack healthy nutrients, whereas red wine contains heart-healthy antioxidants and has about 114 calories per glass.
Appetizers
Tempura is a popular style of frying meat and vegetables at many Japanese steakhouses; however, the process of frying adds calories, oil and trans fats. Soups and salads are healthy appetizers, but avoid choosing creamy soup or salad dressing. Edamame is a great low-calorie appetizer option that is available at most Japanese steakhouses. These shelled soybeans are steamed and salted, then eaten by removing the succulent bean from the shell.
Entree
Avoid beef when choosing an entree. At more than 500 calories, a single steak will account for about one-third of the suggested daily calorie intake. Grilled seafood or chicken is a much better choice, ranging between 150 to 300 calories. Seafood also contains healthy fatty acids, such as omega 3 acids. Most restaurants will provide a vegetarian option, such as tofu or grilled vegetables, which are lower in calories and provide more fiber than meat. Avoid large portions of rice, especially if it is fried. Sushi can also be a healthy option, but stay away from cream cheese, tempura rolls and creamy sauces.
Dessert
It is often extremely difficult to stick to healthy eating habits for desserts because of limited selections and, of course, the allure of decadent sweets. If healthy dessert options are not available, then the best choice would be to skip dessert altogether; however, sharing a dessert will reduce the amount of calories you consume. Sherbet and ice cream are both made with milk and are approximately 300 calories per serving. Sorbet is fruit and is a great substitute for ice cream, totaling 82 calories per serving.
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