Dining Out American–Style

While world cuisine options are often the easiest, a few simple tips can help you enjoy healthy meals in your favorite American–style restaurants.

1. Look for vegan options.

• Salads, of course
• Vegetable soups
• Pasta with marinara sauce
• Steamed–vegetable side dishes
• Baked potato with salsa

2. “Veganize” menu items. Many items on the menu are already vegetarian and can be made vegan by simply leaving off eggs, cheese, or other dairy products.

• Bean burrito: Hold the cheese and sour cream and add extra rice, beans, or salsa.
• Pasta primavera: Hold the Parmesan cheese.
• Bean chili: Hold the cheese.
• Pizza or calzone: Hold the cheese; pile on extra veggies.
• Salads: Order without cheese and substitute Italian dressing or balsamic vinegar for creamy dressings.

3. Help, I'm stuck at a steakhouse! If you find yourself at a restaurant where no healthy vegetarian options are on the menu, simply talk to your server and ask the chef to create something for you. Most restaurants have the basic staples on hand to make you a tasty, healthy meal. You can also call ahead of time if you know where you'll be dining. Items that can easily be created include:

• Green salad with beans and vegetables
• Baked potato and vegetable side dishes
• “Potato scramble” with cubes of potato and vegetables instead of a scrambled egg or omelets
• A steamed vegetable platter over a bed of rice
• Veggie fajitas
• Cucumber, lettuce, tomato, and sprout sandwich
• Mushroom “burger” with a Portobello mushroom (or regular mushrooms), lettuce, tomato, and onions
• Spaghetti marinara

4. Order ahead for special occasions. At some point, most of us will face the work–function buffet or a catered conference event or party. In most instances, simply calling ahead will provide the caterers ample time to prepare something to your liking. If the caterers do not take special requests, eat a little ahead of time, or bring a few portable items to the event. You will likely still find lots of sides to enjoy: fresh veggies, a baked potato, or bread and salad.