Heart
Healthy Dining Out Strategies |
Foods |
Better
Selections |
Best to avoid |
Beverage.
|
Request herbal teas;
mineral or sparkling water; skim milk; unsweetened fruit juices and occasional
decaffeinated diet drinks. |
Alcohol; beer; wine; caffeine
diet drinks, coffee, or tea; chocolate; cocoa; milk shakes and soft drinks.
|
Bread.
|
Request whole
grains, biscuits, crackers, lavosh, muffins, or pumpernickel. |
Glazed cakes; Danish; jelly
filled or salt covered items; sweet rolls. |
Appetizer.
|
Request bouillon,
clear broth, or consommé; fresh fruit; fish or meat cocktails; gazpacho; raw or
plain vegetables; tomato or vegetable juice; unsweetened fruit
juice. |
Breaded or fried items; canned
fruit; dips; oil marinated or sauce covered items. |
Salads. |
Request fresh fruit;
lettuce; tossed or vegetable salad. |
Canned fruit; salads with
dressings already mixed in. |
Fats and Salad
Dressings. |
Request no butter or
margarine, or little- or no-fat, low-salt, whipped or soft butter or margarine.
Use lemon, vinegar, and mustard in salads or request olive oil. Request oil on
the side. |
Regular butter, margarine or
oils; cream sauce; gravy; salads with mixed-in dressings. |
Vegetables. |
Request boiled, raw,
steamed, or stewed. |
Au gratin; cheese or sauce
covered; creamed, escalloped, fried, or sautéed. |
Potatoes and
Substitutes. |
Request baked,
boiled, or steamed potatoes; plain pasta or rice. |
Creamed, Delmonico, escalloped,
French-fried, hashed-browned, or mashed potatoes; potato chips and salads.
|
Meat, Fish, or Poultry. |
Request meats to be
trimmed of fat before it's baked, boiled, broiled, roasted, or stir
fried. |
Braised, breaded, fried, gravy
covered, sautéed, or stewed. |
Eggs. |
Only occasional use
of boiled (hard or soft), plain, poached, scrambled, or low-cholesterol
substitutes. |
Creamed, fried, or oil-cooked
omelet's. |
Desserts. |
Request fresh fruit,
jello, plain angel food, sponge, or unsweetened fruit filled cake. |
Layered cakes, canned fruit, custard, ice
cream, pastry, pie, puddings, or any sugar-based item. |
Delicatessen Selections |
Extra lean corned
beef, pastrami, or roast beef, beef brisket, and turkey breast are best; whole
wheat or multi-grain breads; chicken or tuna salad; chopped herring; chef salad;
fresh fruit plate with cottage cheese; dry bagel; borscht or broth soup; tossed
salad, sliced tomatoes, beet salad, or carrot raisin salad. |
High-fat meats (regular corn beef, hot
pastrami, beef bologna, hot dogs, knockwurst, liverwurst, and salami); potato
salad; mayonnaise based salads; combo sandwiches (Reuben); smoked fish (lox);
creamy coleslaw; chopped liver; excess cream cheese and cheese spreads;
sauerkraut (high in sodium).
|
Pizza Parlor Selections |
You cannot go wrong
by ordering extra toppings such as onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomato slices,
broccoli and spinach. Other possibilities include chicken, crab meat, or
shrimp. |
Fat starts with the basic cheese, so avoid
extra cheese and in particular mozzarella. Other culprits include bacon,
meatballs, pepperoni, sausage, and prosciutto, as well as anchovies.
|
Sandwich Shop Selections
|
Both 100% whole wheat
and pita bread are great choices. Good sandwich fillers are grilled chicken
breast, ham, roast beef, and turkey breast. Instruct the server not to add
butter, margarine, or mayonnaise to the bread and substitute with ketchup,
mustard, or horseradish. Good salad choices include chef, garden, or Greek
salads, but remember to ask for low-calorie dressings on the side and to omit
egg or cheese. Broth-type soups are good, such as barley, beef, chicken, lentil,
split pea, and vegetable noodle. |
Avoid croissants, cheese, excess mayonnaise,
egg, and creamy soups. Beware of "diet plates" with big burgers and scoops of
cottage cheese, which have loads of saturated fat. Omit cheeseburgers, cheese
sandwiches, or grilled cheese "melts" over chicken and seafood salads; and cold
cuts. Combo sandwiches with meat and cheese and club sandwiches are best avoided
due to the large portion size.
Remember that salad combos such as tuna, chicken, and
crab meat have lots of mayonnaise. Avoid creamy soups such as chowders or cream
of "anything." |
Submarine Shop
Selections |
Order the smaller
size roll or pita bread. Turkey, smoked turkey, ham, and roast beef are
acceptable. Ask the server to go light on the meats, omit the mayonnaise or oil,
and generously load up on the shredded lettuce, onion, peppers, pickles, and
sliced tomatoes. Choose salads as alternatives when available, such as chef or
tossed salads with perhaps a scoop of tuna, chicken, or seafood served with
Italian or pita bread. |
Omit meats such as bologna, Italian cold
cuts, salami (hard or Genoa) and sausages. Stay away from cheeses and steak and
cheese. Other items to omit include antipasto salads, fried eggplant, and
chicken cutlets.
|
Chinese Selections |
Order plain steamed
rice; boiled, steamed, or stir-fried vegetables (ask for little oil to be used);
moderate fish and shellfish; non-fried tofu; skinless poultry and egg roll
(insides only). |
Anything fried (rice or crispy noodles), or
with sweet and sour sauce; egg dishes or soups; salty soups; avoid duck and
limit beef, pork and picked foods; excess soy sauce; ask chef to leave out MSG
and cut down the use of commonly used corn starch, sugar, and salt.
|
Indian Selections |
Order chutney (except
mango); curry sauce (yogurt based); fish (omit butter basting); yogurt with
shredded vegetables; basmati rice. Biryani (vegetable dish); chapatti or papadum
bread; tandoori chicken; lentil or mulligatawny soups |
Creamy or high-salt soups; clarified butter
(ghee); deep fried meats; poori or paratha bread; fried samosa or pakora; ask to
prepare dishes without excess salt and to omit coconut milk, if possible; omit
garnishes with nuts or dried fruit. |
Italian Selections |
Order antipasto (no
oil or excess meats); crusty bread (no oil or butter); broiled or grilled fish,
seafood, chicken, and meats; garlic; plain or vegetable pasta; fresh unsalted
mozzarella cheese; steamed leafy vegetables (kale and broccoli); salads; fresh
tomatoes; zucchini; ices. |
Garlic bread; stuffed pastas (ravioli and
lasagna); fried eggplant; meatballs or sausage; sauces with butter, cream, oil,
and wine base; pesto sauce; cheese-filled or parmesan style dishes; spumoni or
tortoni ice cream. Beware of risotto rice; polenta; and high-fat, high-sodium
prosciutto ham and pancetta; veal cutlets and Caesar salads. |
Japanese Selections |
Order rice; steamed
fish; sushi; sashimi; miso soup; raw vegetables; tofu; sukiyaki (stir-fried);
yakimono (broiled fish). |
Tempura and other deep-fried food; excess peanut and teriyaki
sauce; pickled foods; excess salt and sugar in sauces; excess salt in soy
marinades and sauces. |
Mediterranean (Middle East) Selections
|
Order couscous,
bulgar, and pita bread; legumes such as chickpeas, fava beans, and lentils;
hummus; grape leaves; yogurt. |
Phyllo dough dishes for sweet desserts such as baklava; feta
and kasseri cheese; excess anchovies and olives; high sodium foods; feta, olives
and sausage; appetizers in general, except salads; excess fat from butter, olive
oil, omelet's and tahini. |
Mexican Selections |
Order soft-shell tacos;
burritos; fajitas; salsa; chicken enchilada; black beans or Mexican rice;
grilled fish or chicken; salads without chips or shells; moderate corn or flour
tortilla, using minimal oil; cerviche (marinated fish); gazpacho; chile con
carne soup, with no cheese. Acceptable items include shredded lettuce; spicy
meats; diced tomatoes; salsa verde; picante or tomato sauce; use Mexican salads
as appetizers, with salsa as the dressing. |
Chips, nachos; super nachos; chili con
queso; fried taco or tortilla shells; guacamole; sour cream; cheese; refried
beans; beef and pork dishes; olives; items such as chilies rellenos,
chimichangas, chorizo (sausage), and flautas.
|
Thai Selections |
Order steamed rice;
broth-based soups (tom yum koang and pok taek); non-fried proteins, such as
chicken, seafood, and tofu; vegetables; satay or steamed mussels; salads with
light dressings, made with Thai spices. |
Excess sodium; soy sauce and sugar; MSG;
coconut milk, coconut oil; cream dishes, high milk and sodium soups; many fried
appetizers; curry or curry sauce; fried eggplant; cashew and peanut toppings.
|
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