Last week I joined two of my friends for Taco Tuesday and was asked if this was to be my “cheat meal” for the week. Slightly puzzled by the question, I had to remember that my friends do not understand the depth to which I keep a clean, but flexible diet. After a short pause to frame my answer without coming off either as “that girl” that only talks about macros all day or a pretentious food snob I gave this reply: “I don’t consider local, fresh made food to be a cheat because I look for menu items that keep to my food preferences”. What does that mean you ask? When reading a menu, I look for four main qualities before I choose my meal. Hopefully, by the end of this blog, these tips will help you too decide on something delicious that won’t throw your entire week of meal planning off its track.
Quality #1: What Looks Interesting That I Wouln’t Make at Home?
This is by far the most important choice on my check list and here is why. If there is something on a menu that I a)won’t make myself at home or b)never had and feel inspired by the ingredients in the dish, I will most likely stop my decision making here. Now there are exceptions of course; if the item is a deep fried something with lots of sugary sauces, I will nix it faster than you can ask why. I once went to a local food truck and saw kimchi tacos on the menu and had no question as to what I was going to order. Can I make tacos at home? Yes, but can I make them with kimchi? Well not yet! I love being inspired by other people's food and recreating it in my kitchen.
Quality #2: What is the Protein and How is It Cooked?
A lot of the times when I go out for a meal, I also choose a protein that maybe I don’t eat quite as often as others. Again, this goes back to keeping variety in my diet. If I’m eating chicken six days a week, the last thing I want is more chicken. Maybe I’ll go for a beef or seafood choice to keep my nutrient base varied. I also look for how the protein is prepared. You will NEVER see me eating fried anything, especially meat. Blackened and grilled are lower calorie options as opposed to saute’d or roasted in some kind of sauce.
Quality #3: How Many Veggies are Included in the Dish?
Yes, you heard me correctly. This girl counts her veggie servings and that includes when I go out to eat! The more veggies present, the better. I know that a plate loaded with protein and veggies will satisfy my hunger as well as my nutrition goals. If the main meal doesn't have as many veggies as I would like, I’ll look fo side dishes and order more or ask to substitute whatever the carb is for a salad or veggies instead. I feel much better about my meal choices when I have more veggies on my plate for sure.
Quality #4: What is the Carb Choice?
I’m not against carbs at all. In fact, I am a fan since it is important to replace the carbs lost during my daily workouts.. I am not however a fan of processed carbs that offer little to no nutritional value. Most of the places I have been over the past few months have had pretty healthy carb choices including brown rice and other root tubulars or no carb at all! Imagine that? Unless I am in the mood for a burger, I will go sanz the bread choice items and look for again a more nutrient dense food. Or, if there is no carb and there are enough veggies I will go without ordering any additional sides.
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