Habits · 4 min read

Eating Out Without Derailing Your Day

The Dine Smart framework: order first, protein + produce, swap the starch, watch the sauce, and portions for one adult.

Restaurants are not the enemy. The way most people order at them is. A few simple moves make it much easier to leave the table full, satisfied, and still on track.

Order first

When you're with a group, the table often shares appetizers and bread. Order your entrée before you hear what everyone else is getting. It removes the social pull toward the fried calamari.

Build the plate

Start with a protein you actually want to eat. Add a vegetable or salad. Then add a single starch the size of your cupped hand. If the dish comes with two starches — rice and beans with a tortilla, for example — ask to skip one or take half home.

Watch the sauce

Sauces, dressings, and oils are where calories hide without making you feel fuller. Ask for them on the side. You don't need to skip them; you just need to be the one controlling the amount.

Portion reality check

Most restaurant entrées are two adult portions. Eat half, take the other half home, or split with someone. There is no prize for cleaning your plate.