- Pick a local restaurant, not a “chain” one. Generally “chain” restaurants won’t use fresh products in all their dishes and they tend to buy many processed and frozen products that are ready to heat and serve as if they were just cooked.
- Pick a restaurant with a small menu. This is the clearest signal that everything is made fresh and at the moment. The Chef or restaurant owner will make sure by doing this that he keeps control over the quality of the dishes served. Cross out of your list all the restaurants with menus that look like a “novela” or an encyclopedia volume. Oh! And never feel sorry to ask questions about the food: Is it fresh or frozen? Where is the salmon or fish from?... It’s your right!
- If you start out with a soup, pick one that has some vegetables, and limit yourself to just one piece of bread. For appetizer, choose a ceviche or a boiled or sautéed dish instead of one with cheese or that it is fried.
- The salad dressing should be fresh. When served on the side, you can control how much goes on the salad. If you want to be on the safe side just add olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon or vinegar. Make sure your salad isn’t overcharged with cheese or bacon; you don’t have to eliminate it but just make sure you eat small portions of it.
- If you order a soup or puree, it shouldn’t have cream. The yummiest and most savory soups are the ones that are just made with chicken or vegetable broth. The calories and fat of the heavy cream are unnecessary.
- When it comes to your entrée, avoid a fried protein, go for grilled, braised,sauté,steamed, baked or stewed one. If you’re really craving something fried just add it as a side dish so the portion is smaller.
- Make sure the main dish isn’t covered in heavy cream sauce, bacon, cheese or a butter sauce. Sauces are a great option, but only when they are free of cream. A stew or a sauce with and olive oil, herbs or vegetables base will be much better.
- If you order pasta, pick one that comes with tomato sauce or olive oil, instead of the creamy ones. Forget about a carbonara or four cheese pasta. And if you wish to go for a pizza make sure it’s fresh and prepared at the moment.
- Include a vegetable portion in addition to the rice, potatoes, quinoa or the yuca we all enjoy so much.
- As a dessert, go with coffee, tea or even a small glass of dessert wine. If you’re one of those that simply can’t skip dessert, order one with 2-3 spoons. Share the calories with everyone at the table; your individual intake is less. Try to order desserts that are lighter, less sweet; even better if they have fruit.
- The reality is that we can eat everything; the trick is eating it fresh, not too late at night, controlling the portions and cooking at home more often. We eat to live, not the other way around and we can only control what is made in our own kitchen. Remember: we are what what we eat.
