Take Away Health: How to choose healthy meals when dining out

Whether you're on a diet or simply trying to be health conscious, eating out does not have to be a daunting experience. There are plenty of ways to keep your social life and be healthy. Whether it is a barbeque, fast food shop or a fine dining experience, say yes to that next invitation and follow these healthy tips.

When dining out…

1. Have a positive attitude. Don't presume you'll blow your diet just because you're eating out as this will only set you up for failure. You can eat out and be healthy but you need to begin with a healthy attitude.
2. Don't skip meals throughout the day in preparation for a night-time pig out. Skipping meals slows down your metabolism, making you more likely to put on weight. Skipping meals also leads to unhealthy binges or overeating later in the day so have 3 regular meals daily and a small snack or two.
3. Avoid all you can eat buffets. Studies show that the more variety in front of you, the more likely you'll overeat.
4. Communicate with your waiter as menus can be misleading. Vegetable soups may be full of cream; pasta dishes can end up creamy and big enough to feed the entire family and you don't want to order a steak the size of a dinner plate. Ask the person serving you questions like 'Is it a cream-based soup?', 'How big is the main serve of pasta and can I get it in an entrée size? Or 'How big is the steak and does it come with vegetables or salad?'
5. Keep your portions small. If you are having a heavy meal such as risotto, have it entrée sized or share it with a friend. Order a side salad and eat it with your entrée-sized main meal. And despite what your mother may have told you, you don't have to eat everything on your plate. You should stop eating as soon as you begin to feel full. This is your body's way of saying you've had enough to meet your energy requirements. Overeat and you can end up feeling sluggish, bloated and regretful.
6. Skip the sauces and order salad dressings on the side. Sauces and salad dressings are hidden sources of fat, salt, sugar and artificial additives so use less or avoid them all together. A dressing made of olive oil, lemon and balsamic vinegar is the best choice for salads. Choose tomato-based pastas instead of creamy ones.
7. If you want dessert, order something light like a sorbet or fruit. If you must have the sticky date pudding, share it with a friend.
8. Order drinks by the glass. Ordering wine or beer by the bottle or jug encourages binge drinking which is terrible for the waistline and detrimental to your skin. Instead drink more water, it fills you up and prevents dehydration.
9. Don't use the 'D' word. Don't mention you're on a diet as you'll sound like Nancy-no-fun. When you say you're on a diet, friends and family may hassle you to be as 'naughty' as them. Talking about dieting can also make other people feel bad about themselves so keep the conversation light. If someone insists on an explanation for your healthy menu choice say 'I just feel like it', or 'heavy food makes me sleepy, I'll last longer if I eat a healthy meal'.
10. Don't be a wimp. Do not give in to rude waiters or friends who rib you about making sensible food choices. Just kindly say 'I don't feel like dessert', and leave it at that. It's your body and no one can force you to abuse it.

Beautylicious Breakfasts:

• Fresh fruit and natural yoghurt.
• Natural muesli with fruit or bircher muesli (don't add sugar).
• Porridge with honey and fresh fruit.
• 1-2 poached or boiled eggs on grainy or sourdough toast with a lovely side of spinach. Wholemeal toast is okay and a better option than white bread.
• Salmon, egg and avocado on sourdough or wholegrain toast (skip the hollandaise sauce).

Healthy compromise: If you want to occasionally treat yourself and have bacon, then make it a rule to always have a side of spinach with it. Bacon is full of saturated fat which is not-so-good for the bloodstream or the skin. Dark leafy greens are wonderful for the blood and skin, and a big serve of spinach gives you a bit of antioxidant protection when consuming fats.

Desirable Drinks:

• Freshly squeezed juice (more vegetable than fruit).
• Fresh fruit smoothies (not syrup flavoured milkshakes).
• Water or mineral water.
• Herbal teas including green tea.
• Say no to soft drinks, alcohol and cordials.
• Have no more than 2 coffees or teas per day.

Healthy compromise: If you're an adult and want to drink alcohol then count your drinks. Women have no more than 2 standard alcoholic drinks and blokes have no more than 4 per day. Have plenty of alcohol-free days (4 or more per week is ideal). Always drink water throughout the day as it fills you up, prevents dehydration and decreases the risk of binge drinking or overeating.

Lovable Lunches:

• Make sure your meal contains protein, vegetables and quality carbohydrates…
• Tuna or chicken with avocado and salad in a wrap. Antibiotic-free and free range chicken is the best but a bit hard to find when dining out. Avoid fried chicken.
• Japanese: Sushi rolls, ohitashi spinach, edamame, miso soup etc. (avoid the fried stuff). Use wasabi when eating raw fish as it kills the microbes.
• Falafel in a Lebanese wrap/kebab with tabbouli, onion, tomato and hummus (don't even think about getting the meat variety as they may harbour bacteria).
• Wholemeal/grain sandwich with salad and protein (egg, fish, turkey, chicken, meat, hummus, vegetarian patty). Avoid processed meats such as salami and devon.
• Avoid white bread as it's bad for the skin and it can sabotage your afternoon energy levels. The grainier the bread the better.
• Skip the butter, margarine, mayonnaise and cheese. Not all fats are bad but these ingredients are rich in poor quality fats. Contrary to popular belief, margarine is not the healthy alternative. Margarine contains preservatives, artificial additives, damaged oils and trans fats which behave like saturated fats in the body. At least butter is natural! Use avocado, mango chutney, tahini or preservative-free hummus instead.

Healthy compromise: Whatever meal you choose, always have at least two types of vegetables with or within your meal.

Dinner Delights:

• Steamed or grilled fish with vegetables and quality carbohydrates. Avoid high-mercury fish (see box below).
• Stir-fried or steamed vegetables with seafood, tofu, beans, lean lamb or skinless chicken.
• Chicken breast and vegetables or salad (and a side of quality carbs if desired).
• Any vegetarian dish that's not deep fried or overly processed, no sauces.
• Vegetable soups as long as they're not creamy or full of butter.
• A serve of lean meat (no bigger than palm of hand) and vegetables/ salad and a small serving of carbs such as rice or sweet potato.
• Any salad but ask for the dressing on the side. Only use a small amount or skip the dressing all together.
• Entrée-sized pasta with a tomato based sauce and a side salad. Pasta is low GI and filling and the low GI carbs promote a more restful sleep.
• Fresh seafood basket (not fried) with salad - skip the fries.

Healthy compromise: If you're having a burger, tell the person serving you to hold the fries and order a side salad instead. Definitely shun the soft drink. Juice is a more natural and nutritious option BUT it will rot your teeth as quickly as soft drink so water is still the best choice for good health.

High-mercury fish to avoid:
Large fish such as shark (also known as flake), large snapper, swordfish, broadbill, marlin, king mackerel, perch (orange roughy), barramundi, gemfish, ling and large tuna (albacore, southern bluefin). Tinned tuna is okay. Health authorities say if you eat a serve of high-mercury fish, then avoid eating all seafood for at least two weeks afterwards. Children and pregnant women should avoid eating high-mercury fish as mercury is more likely to affect the young. Mercury can also increase the risk of infertility.

Stand-out Snacks:

• Fresh oysters (rich in skin-loving zinc).
• Uncooked spring rolls as they're full of veggies.
• Fresh fruit
• Fresh nuts and seeds. Have a small handful of almonds, brazil nuts or pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) as they're great for the skin.
• Steamed soybeans (edamame), from Japanese restaurants.

Desirable Desserts:

Preferably skip dessert and save your money and your waistline. Otherwise…

• Favour light desserts such as fruit or sorbet.
• Have a maximum of 3 desserts per week.

Healthy compromise: If you really want a rich dessert, share one with a friend so you instantly cut your fat and sugar consumption in half.

Reader question:
"I can't cook so I never eat at home. I mostly go to restaurants and cafes, not fast food, but I find I'm getting a few pimples. What should I be eating?"

My concern if you're dining out all the time is you may not be getting enough omega-3 essential fatty acids from oily fish and linseeds (flaxseeds). You may also be eating too much saturated fat from meats and creamy sauces. An imbalance of saturated and unsaturated fats can promote inflammation and breakouts, so can deficiencies in minerals such as zinc. There is also a lot of hidden salt and sugar in restaurant foods. Try this…

• Skip the sauces and dressings.
• For omega-3: eat fish, especially salmon, trout, sardines, herring and mackerel. Dark leafy greens also contain small amounts of omega-3.
• Fresh oysters are rich in zinc. Have up to 8 oysters a week. If you don't eat oysters buy pepitas and have a small handful daily as a snack.
• Always order a side salad so you get a good dose of antioxidants, chlorophyll and other nutrients that are beneficial for the blood and skin. Choose meals that have plenty of vegetables or salad - half your plate should contain vegetables.
• Drink plenty of water and reduce alcohol consumption if you drink alcohol.
• Avoid white bread and favour grainy or sourdough breads as they release glucose slowly (they have a lower GI) so they're better for the skin. Soy and linseed bread contains omega-3 and plenty of fibre.
• Learn how to cook. Make cooking fun by listening to your favourite music while in the kitchen. Start off with something easy such as the Chickpea Beauty Salad.