EATING ON THE RUN: HEALTHY EATING FOR A HECTIC LIFESTYLE

Erica Battin, RDN, CDE

July 31, 2014

Overview

PLAN for it – eating outside the home (or take out meals) frequently is now part of many people’s lifestyle

General Tips & Healthier Options at Restaurants Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

What’s your plan?

What are your barriers to eating healthy when you are “on the run”?

Make a Plan

If you don’t plan, life has one for you… Processed foods that contain:

Too many calories High amounts of unhealthy fats Loads of sodium Excess sugar Carcinogens (cancer causing agents; usually in

food to preserve it) Processed foods contribute to chronic

diseases including obesity, heart disease (risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol), some cancers, diabetes

Make a Plan

What should be in your plan? Menu/snack planning time (when will you have

time to think about food plan?) Result: you have a “game plan” against processed

food Food purchasing time (when will you shop?)

Life is busy – make an “appointment” with the grocery store.

No time to get to the store? Try Instacart or Peapod Food prep – make your own “to go” food (when

can you do this?) Result: A healthy meal or snack readily available

discourages mindless choices when you are famished

Make a Plan

Food choices at restaurants (spend time reviewing menus/nutrition information AND/OR using websites with restaurant nutrition information) Know what you are ordering before stepping

into the restaurant REDUCES impulse ordering Planning is worth your time = fewer

calories and more nutritious food

Basic Tips to Improve your Restaurant Plate (or wrapper)

Don’t enter the restaurant famished! PLAN Eat a small snack ~30-60 minutes prior to restaurant

Keep bread/chip basket off the table Ask Questions! Don’t be afraid to ask questions

of your server How is the food prepared? Is there added salt or fat? Restaurants LOVE to add

butter to protein foods Is it made with any special sauces? Is there a low fat or vegetarian version? What does the portion look like?

Basic Tips to Improve your Restaurant Plate (or wrapper)

Modify order to reduce calories, sodium, unhealthy fats/starches/sugar: Request HALF amount of oil (avoid butter/lard) in

cooking prep Request HALF (or skip if it is not a favorite) of any

topping or request on the side to control portion Substitute starches with vegetables and fruit

Ask for smaller portions Share entrée; order extra vegetables to maintain

volume “lunch portion” for dinner (order extra veggies) Fast food chains: order from the kids menu (avoid

“mighty kid” choices) and add a “side salad” with low-fat dressing

Basic Tips to Improve your Restaurant Plate (or wrapper)

Drink low calorie beverages (sparkling water, unsweetened tea, water with lemon)

Eat slowly, put your fork down in between bites, and stop eating when you are satisfied It takes 20 minutes for your brain to recognize

that your stomach is full! Smash a napkin on top of any remaining food

Take home half the entree - ask for to-go containers immediately (put ½ of your meal under your chair)

Breakfast – Eat it daily and make it healthy

Quick Bites from Home: Pick a lean protein: 8 oz. non-fat or 1% fat

milk, soy milk or Greek yogurt, hard boiled eggs (1 yolk, 2 whites), 1-2 Tbsp. peanut butter (measure it!),

Choose a Whole grain: 100% whole wheat English muffin or slice of toast, ½-1 cup whole grain cereal (oat squares, mini wheats), oatmeal

ALWAYS add fresh fruit and many veggies

Breakfast – Eat it daily and make it healthy

Quick Bites from Home: Make PB&J on whole wheat bread – easy to eat on

the go Dip whole grain granola bar into non-fat Greek

yogurt – eat while checking work email Make 1 cup 100% whole grain cereal “baggies” with

cup of skim or 1% fat milk – eat in the car or train Always pair whole grain and protein foods with fruit Short Cut: frozen meals – oatmeal, Amy’s®

breakfast burrito or bowls, Vitatop® muffins, Jimmy Deans®/Special K® breakfast sandwiches These options still contain too much sodium but a better

alternative to restaurant equivalents

Breakfast – Eat it daily and make it healthy

At a Restaurant: Oatmeal (or other whole-grain hot cereals) with non-fat

milk or soymilk Egg white or egg substitute omelet (hold cheese/butter &

add lots of veggies) or English muffin sandwich (ask for veggies)

1 pancake or 1 slice French toast (avoid extra butter; easy on syrup) with fruit and egg whites or 1 whole egg (add extra whites if desired)

Whole wheat toast/English muffin with peanut butter (no butter) and all fruit jam

Bring your own fresh fruit – less expensive and you picked what you really like

Avoid oversized bagels and pastries (Danish, donuts, coffee cake, muffins) are desserts not nutritious breakfast food– save for special occasions

Lunch – choose lean protein and add color!

Always have a lean protein source in your salad or sandwich such as tuna or chicken (not tuna or chicken salad!), turkey, crab, shrimp, starchy beans (bonus: fiber boost), tofu, egg whites (limit yolks to 1 per day)

Sandwiches: choose “skinny bread”, “bagel thins” and whole wheat sliced bread OR eat like Europeans – open faced! ALWAYS request extra veggies Choose smallest size (6 inch or ½ sandwich) Avoid specialty bread such as focaccia, brioche,

pretzel bun, croissant, bagels

Lunch – choose lean protein and add color!

Embrace the salad bar’s colorful veggies and fruit Watch out for condiments and toppings that will

add a lot of calories to your salads and sandwiches Cheese, mayo, bacon/bacon bits, croutons, nuts -ask

for one or all of these to be removed, reduced, or put on the side so you can control your intake

Be sure to use a low fat or light salad dressing and keep it on the side

If using an oil-based dressing, limit to 1Tbsp. oil and fill the rest with a balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, or salsa

Lunch – choose lean protein and add color!

Soups typically are high in sodium, but can be a nutritious choice given many are loaded with veggies and lean protein: Choose: bean/lentil, broth, tomato, or veggie based

soups (avoid “cream of” or “bisque”) Look for something more unusual and nutritious

to add more interest to sandwich or salad Avocado instead of cheese, sour cream, bacon on

sandwiches and in soups Hummus (could use as a spread on sandwich or

wrap instead of mayo or dressing or dip for veggies)

Lunch – choose lean protein and add color!

Give frozen meals another try: Typically cheaper, convenient and portion controlled (thus

unhealthy ingredients are limited) relative to restaurant meals Add extra veggies and a piece of fruit to meal Recommended brands: Kashi®, Amy’s®, Kashi®, Healthy

Choice®, Lean Cuisine®, Fit & Active®, Smart Ones®, Organic Bistro® (Whole foods), EVOL®

Additional Lunch favorites to LIMIT to special occasions: Paninis – even with white meat chicken High fat meats containing nitrates (carcinogens) such as

salami, ham, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, pastrami, corn beef, Potato chips, cookies (350-500 calories), baked goods, muffins

(even low fat (290 calories)or bran (420 calories)) large bagels, croissants

Dine with Veggies at Dinner

Eat your veggies and order Extra! Starter salads – keep it colorful and only veggies Add extra veggies to stir fries, burritos/tacos or just an extra side.

Other appetizers: veggie/broth soups, grilled shrimp/shrimp cocktail, chicken/seafood lettuce wraps

Just like lunch, pick a lean a lean protein: seafood, tofu, starchy beans, white meat of chicken/turkey Occasional choices include lean red meat such as pork tenderloin,

sirloin) and dark meat poultry Cooking preparation request: Baked, broiled, grilled Look for protein dishes with words that mean smaller servings of meat

such as “petite,” “tips,” “5-6 ounces,” “sandwich size.” Sauces: Marinara or wine sauce (no butter added)

Sides: vegetables, sweet potatoes, brown rice, soups or salads, Starch: choose wisely and control portion (mash potatoes, white rice/pasta

are cheap and low in nutrients, so don’t feel bad throwing at least half of it out)

Finish with fruit: if not available at restaurant, enjoy when you get home

E-tools – support healthy choices

Large data bases of food/meal choices www.myfitnesspal.com www.calorieking.com

Start tracking what you eat – leads to more mindful choices

Specific restaurant websites: Have “build a meal features”

QUESTIONS?

Center for Lifestyle Medicine