Eating Out Poll

AlmostMrs.Munoz

Hey guys! My FI hates to eat at home and always wants to go eat out (which has helped contribute to my oh-so-lovely weight gain...haha). Although I try to cook as much as possible at home lately to help get healthier and lose weight, eating out is sometimes unavoidable. (I'm a first year teacher and spend at least 60 hours a week at school!) Where do you guys eat out and what do you get that's healthy? I would love some options so when he says "Let's go out for dinner" I can suggest a place that has some healthy/yummy options!! Thanks!!

katyj112

This is a tough one, whenever we go out to eat, I make sure to look up the menu online first and find a reasonable choice.  Get all sauces/dressings on the side so you can decide to use it or at least control how much.  Seafood also tends to be a safe choice, but make sure they don't cook it with butter. GL, my best advice is work on convincing FI it's more health and budget friendly to stay home and cook! 

MidniteSun383

Applebees has a WW menu, Chipotle or Qdoba can be lower point, Subway has tons of good options. Sushi can be a really good choice as well. Those are pretty much my go to options for eating out. Many chains have nutritional information available online, so I try to pick out meals before I go to the restaurant. For favorite places, I have a couple of options that I know are safe so I can resist temptation. Hope that helps!

smoo&brown

Def agree with pp on applebees and sushi. Also, cosi's lighter side menu items are pretty good if you have one, and they've added some steak items so DH will eat there now. Avoid buffets and fast food as much as possible. One trick that works sometimes with DH is when he wants to eat out I tell him to go ahead and I'll make myself something healthy. Usually convinces him to eat with me.

Nebb

I dont agree at all that eating out is unavoidable. If you know certain days will be hectic, prepare meals in advance when you are free that you can pop into the oven or microwave when you get home.Restaurants and fast foods places are FULL of sodium, fat, sugars and preservatives. You have no way of controlling what is going into your body (and despite any nutritional info being provided, you have no way of knowing if it was made to "code" so there could be significantly higher levels of things in it). I almost never eat out, if we do it is subway or a regular steak houuse or greek restaurant. In the past 6 months though, weve eaten at a restaurant twice and at subway maybe 5 times. I think you would do yourself a much greater service just planning ahead and eating the meals you have made yourself in advance, it will also really help your pocketbook.

soontobeklg

I agree with Nebb.  Going to a sit down restaurant, while it is nice, is not any faster than making a healthy meal at home.  FI and I only eat out on very special occasions.  If you're super busy and want a quick meal, make a salad!  You can bake or grill chicken to top it with in about 20 minutes. 

angelandlibby

We rarely eat out and like most of the other posts I check the menu out first.  If I do go out I get a turkey burger on wheat or no bread or grilled chicken.  I don't usually get a salad unless I bring my own dressing and the veggies are usually cooked in butter so I skip them.  I personally don't like applebees or subway.  I find it easier to just make meals at home.  If I run out of time in the day I stop at the grocery store and get a roasted chicken and a bag of salad.

lizziemoopsc

To tack onto Nebbs, if it's a lack of time issue or ease, it can be avoided. I really enjoy cooking (which probably helps) but I will spend one evening a week cooking three meals that will feed four. Since I'm usually just feeding FI and I, we can eat each thing twice, which isn't over kill, and it's much easier to just throw it in the microwave, and less clean up! Another option is a crock pot. You put everything in it in the morning and when you come back it's cooked- and your house smells wonderful! HTH! However, you did ask for places, so, like pp, I would say look at menus online and stay accountable to what you decide to pick.

annakatebride

I agree with the other posters about eating out. It is not a healthy option, and the opinion that it's inevitable is going to make weight loss very difficult. Of course check menus before you go anywhere, but Nebb is right, you never really know what's in that food. Don't eat out just because FI wants to and because it's easy. Your eating does not have to match his eating. Make yourself a salad, make some soup on the weekend, bring food to work. I work mega hours as well, and eat breakfast and lunch at work every day as well as snacks. It can be done, and if you really want to hit your goal I don't think there will be room for frequent restaurant eating. Good luck!

noelle24

I disagree with pp's that you should not eat out at all.  It's great if you have a FI that doesn't mind eating at home all the time, but if OP's FI HATES to eat at home and loves to go out, they need to to find a middle ground for both of them.  It's not fair to her FI if they never go out, and it's not fair to OP if they always go out.  Yes, eating at home all the time is ideal, but it clearly won't work for them.that being said, I like Panera, Subway, and Applebee's.  Qdoba and Chipotle can also be good options. The trick for me is to look up the nutrition information before you go.  It may not be a perfect count, but at least I know what my healthiest options are. Have a plan in mind, so that when you get there, you don't even open your menu that's full of temptations. Skip appetizers and drink water.  Order a lunch sized portion, split a meal with your FI, or have the server bring out a to-go box with your meal and automatically save half your meal for leftovers. My FI and I love eating out.  If I never ate out again because I'm trying to be healthy, I'd be miserable.  And that's not healthy either.  What we're trying to do is cut back on how much we eat out.  I've eaten out 5-6 times in the last two months, and I'm still losing a lot of weight.If I know I'm going to go out to eat (like I am tomorrow night), then I'm extra careful about eating less "treat" calories the rest of the week.   

VitaLuna

I agree that while eating out is not good, it is enjoyable for a lot of people. If you're doing it for the convenience, though, and not for the fact that it's something you really want to do, then that's not healthy. I am a very busy person and often get home late, so we do a lot of crock pot cooking. That way, I can throw everything in in the morning, and come home to a meal that's ready to eat. No temptation to eat out because why would we want to waste the dinner we already made? I especially like soups and stews, and crock pot meals go a long way for the two of us. But, alas, you didn't ask for my recipe advice : ). If we go out, we almost always split something, or I'll order an appetizer as my entree (if they have healthy ones). If we decide not to share and it's a big dish, I cut it in half, and only eat to the "line" and take the rest home. If I'm still hungry later, I'll eat more, but that's rarely the case. Always avoid the bread basket on the table, sub steamed veggies for french fries, ask for grilled/steamed instead of fried, get your dressings on the side and dip your fork in before picking up the salad, watch out for secret diet killers (like cream soups and sauces), and skip the sugary drinks (soda, alcohol) and desserts.

VitaLuna

P.S... maybe shrinky your siggy? All that yellow is quite the assault on the eyes : )Thanks!

MidniteSun383

I agree with pp.  FI and I have stopped going out for convenience.  We only go out for enjoyment now.  That cut down a lot of eating out that we just for the sake of food not date night or whatever.  I also do not touch activity or weekly points during the week so that I can eat out one night without breaking the points bank.  But I still count every point that goes in my mouth.

LaurenDarling

Its not so much about what you eat as HOW MUCH you eat. One of the girls on here gave me a bit of advice that I use EVERY TIME I go out for dinner these days (which is FAR less frequent than I did pre diet): Its all about the portions, they're too large in EVERY restaurant. Whenever I go out, I ask for half my meal to come out with FI, and ask them to wrap up the other half before even bringing it out. I eat whatever is on my plate, and if its not on my plate, I can't eat it. Then I have leftovers for the next day. Some restaurants will let you order a kids meal, those are good options too.

tinydancer842

Our new things is to get sushi from Wegmans on Friday night (where FI does our food shopping). They print the nutritional info right on the package. We eat that for a quick meal that almost feels like you are eating out b/c you don't need to cook. Also, it's much cheaper than going to our fave sushi restaurant every week for dinner.