Love to eat but hate eating out because of fat!!!
I live in a southeastern town and have begun to hate going out to eat. Has anyone else noticed how hard it is to get restaurant food that isn't smothered in butter, oil, cheese, etc. It is so frustrating for me because I feel like I am depriving myself and my family - I want my veggies steamed, seafood that isn't swimming in butter or oil, salads without the special dressings, etc.....And the hardest item to get seems to be good bread that isn't completely oiled or buttered up - is it just me or does anyone else dread eating out because of these issues?
Even our sushi restaurants here have decided to add mayo to all the sushi - so when we go out for that we have to beg "no mayo".
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15 Comments:
When we go out, we often go out for Vietnamese food, so we haven't had to worry too much about fat laden dishes, since the food we order is raw, steamed, or soup.
I stay away from Thai food for that very reason. It's delicious, but everything is fried. All the curries are fried and then add coconut milk - my weakness - oof.
Sad to say, leave it to Americans to make a healthy creation like sushi, and make it fattening. Adding mayo and avocado, deep frying it (all of which I love btw) and making larger serving sizes, instead of what it should be - small, ONE bite sized portions.
What I have been really concerned about, since we eat out so much, is the amount of salt that's prevalent. While the summer rolls aren't laden with salt, my pho probably is. Nuoc mam is pretty salty, but it's served in such a small dose and often watered down that I don't find it sinful...plus, as a dip, it's my prerogative whether I want all that salt passing through me versus being part of the cooking process where you have little control over.
Cassaendra at 3:51PM on 08/01/08
We don't eat out nearly as much as we use to partly because I've been watching everything I eat for the last year (lost 45 lbs) and also from the financial standpoint. But I do need to tell you that when I eat out I throw all caution to the wind and eat anything and everything. Yup, bring on the fat, the salt, the carbs. It's something we do maybe twice a month and I feel I'm entitled.
If I want to be careful I eat at home...simple as that!
bessfour at 4:12PM on 08/01/08
If I dreaded eating out, I wouldn't eat out.
For me, going out to eat is a treat, and if it's got more salt or fat or whatever than I would make at home, that's fine, as long as I enjoy eating it. I prefer not to stress out over things I have no control over, and I have no control over the specific recipes that restaurants use. However, I can choose the restaurants I go to, and the menu items I pick.
The restaurant that we go to the most often will usually have some sort of baked dish on the specials. Usually that's a fresh fish. Sometimes also baked chicken of some sort. The regular menu also has a variety of choices ranging from deep fried to super-healthy. Depending on my mood, I might choose something from any point on the spectrum. I figure that what I eat the rest of the time is a fine balance for the occasional splurge, whether the spluge is eaten out or at home.
If you've got health issues, or if you're gaining weight that you don't want, or if you're not losing the weight that you need to, I can see the need to control every bite you take. But if you're healthy and your weight is staying where you want it, I see no reason to stress out over a restaurant meal now and then.
dbcurrie at 5:30PM on 08/01/08
Oh, I don't think you should deny yourself the enjoyment of dining out because of that. It's been my experience that certain restaurants are going to be more likely to offer lighter options. And almost all scratch kitchens will honor a request made due to dietary restrictions/concerns.
I like to go to a French brasserie where I know I'll find a great salad niçoise with a light vinaigrette and great crusty bread, an amazing beet salad with a crumbles of goat cheese, and grilled fish of the day with a warm lentil salad, oh and recently they were serving an excellent chilled tomato soup.
Even at chophouses one can get a salad with dressing on the side, steamed asparagus, filet mignon (the leanest cut), plain baked potato or maybe that's where you could splurge with a little sour cream.
As for sushi, it's only the rolls (maki) that have all that mayo and sometimes I've seen cream cheese (aka the Philly roll), you can eat pretty lean by sticking to sashimi and nigiri types of sushi. Edamame and/or the squid salad in rice wine vinegar instead of gyoza for apps.
Where do you dine that the bread is served completely oiled or buttered up?
wookie at 6:34PM on 08/01/08
Yeah, put me in the "eating out is supposed to be a treat so why sweat it" boat.
Still, if it really is of concern, the kitchen should be able to take your needs into account. As has already been noted, dressings and sauces can be ordered on the side. If your local sushi place is adding mayo to "everything", frankly I'd be concerned about the quality of the fish, but that's just me :)
Amandarama at 6:54PM on 08/01/08
The Italian place here in town puts 5 gallons of "butter" on the bread but other then that when we find a restaurant that is like that we just don't go back. I am of the eats a treat mindset as well so I don't worry. 1 meal isn't the difference between me being a size 6 or 66 :) But just for the record I am not in the thin club or even the just chunky club.
organicandnaturalmom.com
love2cook at 7:24PM on 08/01/08
@love2cook, if you're happy with the way you look and feel, you should also be happy about what you eat, and it sounds like you are.
But if someone is unhappy with their weight or worried about health AND they're obsessing about every little bite, it makes eating unpleasurable -- for them and for everyone around them.
Sometimes you just have to give in and have some fun. Whether that's one meal a week or one meal a month, I think that it's not a crime to indulge once in a while if you stay on track the rest of the time. Whatever that indulging happens to mean to you. For some people it might mean an expensive meal and for others it might mean two desserts.
dbcurrie at 7:49PM on 08/01/08
Just a quick note from the behind the hot line...please avoid asking too too much from the kitchen in the way of substitutions, modifications, etc. Be reasonable. No, we don't have low fat aioli. No you can't mix this from dish A and that from dish B and create yr own entrée. Ok? :) Dressing on the side? Fine. Sub salad for frites? No problem. Can you have an unmarinated tuna steak because you want to cut down the calories? Do you have any desserts made with Splenda?
No. No we can't and no we don't. We print the menu for a reason. Thanx!
sailordave at 12:21AM on 08/02/08
i really only go as far as subbing in salads or just veggies for sides and having dressing on the side. otherwise, i just eat a smaller portion of the protein :)
sweetpotato at 9:01AM on 08/02/08
@sailor, thanks for pointing out that some requests aren't granted because they can't be, not because the staff is unwilling.
The funniest demand I ever witnessed was when I was sitting at the pool bar on a cruise ship. We had just shoved off, and DH and I were enjoying our first ocean cocktails of the week when a fellow came up and demanded a particular brand of beer. The bartender said they didn't have it, and started rattling off the dozen or so that they did stock. The fellow got a bit huffy and said something like, "This is the third bar I've been to here, and no one had (whatever) brand. Can't you just go get it for me? I paid big money for this vacation, and this is what I want."
Duh. Go get it? Like, on a lifeboat to the nearest liquor store?
dbcurrie at 2:43PM on 08/02/08
I'm on the same page as bessfour. I used to eat out every single day just because i didnt have time for home cooked meals. I started becoming financially and health sensible, so now, i rarely eat out. When i do eat out, i eat whatever i want, and the way the restaurant serves it - with all the fat and butter. I really enjoy my home cooked meals because i know exactly whats in it, and its fun experimenting. Whatever "healthy" options the restaurants may have, its probably not as healthy as you would make it at home. Ive started making my own sauces, dressings, etc. Eating out often just isnt financially sensible, especially when a dozen eggs costs me over $3 where i live.
terabithia at 3:27PM on 08/02/08
My solution is cook at home. I am married to someone fron the the south, and bacon grease is a staple in my fridge, so it's a big enough challenge to keep meals low fat at home, let alone when I go out to eat.
cucinacecilia at 11:50PM on 08/02/08
I think a simple universal word like "dry" would help alleviate the ordering of the food .For example "I'd like the bread and the potato "dry" " rather than "no olive oil or butter on the bread and no sour cream or butter on the potato" - saves some breath and makes one look less CRAZY to the rest of the people in the group.
lettuceat at 11:05AM on 08/03/08
Any restaurant worth its salt should be able to tailor your meal the way you want it (within reason, of course). I'm not advocating the diner dictating exactly all the ingredients, but things like saucing on the side, dressing on the side, no butter on the bread, etc. - these are simple things to accomplish, even in a chain restaurant.
Bakerloo Line at 11:34AM on 08/04/08
to Bakerloo from lettuceat - THANK YOU for agreeing with me!
lettuceat at 8:22PM on 08/25/08