Eating Out
10 Tips for Dining Out -- There is no doubt about it; Americans are eating in restaurants more often than ever before. In 1970 Americans spent just 26% of their food dollars on restaurant meals. Today we spend 46% of food dollars on eating out. This is likely the result of a fast paced lifestyle and more convenience of restaurants. What have also grown are restaurant portion sizes.
Eating Out and Nutrition -- Remember the dieter's plate? For many years, it was the only menu item that really catered to the health conscious among us. It usually came with cottage cheese, several pieces of fruit, and a few crackers neatly arranged atop a lettuce leaf. If you looked carefully, you could usually spot it on the menu between other such fine restaurant fare as gelatin cubes and fruit cocktail in syrup.
Dine Out But Don't Pig Out -- Dining out has a lot going for it. You don’t have to shop for food, cook it, clear the table, or do the dishes. You can sit back, relax, and luxuriate in pleasant surroundings, and enjoy friendly service and deliciously prepared food. When dining in a restaurant, just as when eating a meal at home, you need to use eat wisely. Here are some strategies to help you.
Branch Out With Ethnic Foods -- At one time, eating ethnic foods in the United States wasn’t much of an adventure. Our choices were to order out for Chinese, munch on Mexican, or lay down big bucks for elegant French fare. We enjoyed these cuisines, of course, and still do, but, with the influx of additional ethnic groups into the United States, restaurants of lesser known cuisines have been burgeoning.
Enjoy a Treasure Hunt for Your Tastebuds -- When people find out that I'm a food and travel writer, they invariably ask me one question: How do you find great restaurants? In order to answer that question, I try to find out what people mean by the phrase “a great restaurant.” Just because I like one restaurant, doesn't mean that someone else will like it.
When a Good Restaurant Goes Bad -- We were all set. We’d flown 3,000 miles for a family vacation in our old home town, and we were all set for our big night out, which included a trip to our favorite restaurant. Unfortunately, the reality didn’t live up to the memories.
Addicted to Fast Foods & Restaurants -- Are you addicted to restaurants? So are lots of Americans. What used to be a "treat," going out for dinner, has become more common that cooking at home, and we think we're better off? Think again. Restaurant eating, fast foods and highly processed foods are turning us into an overweight nation. It's time to take back control of our waistlines.
