Restaurant Eating: The Rule of 5

Five Ways To Avoid Common Restaurant Overindulging Pitfalls

Written by Jennifer Broxterman, MSc, RD
Registered Dietitian, Founder of NutritionRx

Going out for a meal at your favourite restaurant is something to be enjoyed. Guilt free.

However, if you’re busy and eat out regularly, there’s a good chance you’re consuming way more calories than you think, even when you opt for healthy restaurant options. 

There are a few sneaky ways restaurants make their food taste delicious, but can easily have you eating 1,500 to 2,000 calories in the blink of an eye.

1. Complimentary Starter

Think bread basket with butter or olive oil and vinegar, or chips and salsa.

The piece of bread looks small, but all of a sudden you have had three, and then an eager server sees your empty basket and comes over with a second one.

2. Appetizer

Chances are at home dinner doesn’t include an appetizer, at least not on a daily basis, but when you’re in a restaurant, ordering a small starter to share with the table feels like the right move to make.

However, more often than not appetizers are fairly high in calories. Think calamari or spinach and crab dip—those can easily hit 2,000 calories a piece before you get into the main part of your meal.

3. Main Course

Then comes the main course, and unlike in your own kitchen, even if it’s a healthy option, there’s a strong likelihood the restaurant used more butter and cream in the mashed potatoes. Maybe they’re even spiked with asiago cheese, making them that much more delicious, but also more dense in calories.

4. Dessert

Same as appetizers, dessert isn’t likely a daily occurrence when you’re eating at home, but even sharing a dessert at a restaurant can add to the already indulgent night.

5. Beverages

Very berry gintini? Top shelf margarita? Strawberry mohito? A pitcher of our famous sangria?  

Yes please!

Dining out seems like a good opportunity to try a new, delicious sounding cocktail, and most of the time these cocktails have way more sugar, and overall calories, than the glass of wine you would have had at home.

Drop the Shame and Get Strategic

Before you stop reading because the shame and guilt of last night’s meal is getting to you, I’m definitely not suggesting an outright ban on restaurant eating. Sometimes it’s just what the doctor ordered.

However, I am suggesting you change your approach for eating out to being more of a choose-your-favourites approach. This is especially true for those of you who have a wine-and-dine aspect to your job and have no choice but to be in restaurants. 

Two or Three Maximum Rule

If you’re out for lunch:

Allow yourself one, or at maximum two of the five options (the options being the bread basket, the delicious appetizer, the butter-infused main course, the dessert, and the boozy cocktail or beverage with added calories or sugar, like an iced tea).

If you’re out for dinner:

Select your favourite two or maximum three of the options, from that list of five: bread, appetizer, main course, dessert, and beverages with calories.

Dinner, for example: Let’s say you love fresh bread with soft, creamy butter. Give yourself a license to eat a piece or two, but then skip the appetizer and go for the loaded shrimp and spinach salad for your main course, as opposed to the ribs and loaded baked potato. And then, made a choice: What do you want more? Dessert or a beverage? Let yourself have one, and skip the other!

Boundaries create freedom:

This two maximum for lunch, and three maximum for dinner rule allows you to stay on track, all the while focusing on what gives you the most enjoyment. 

Know what your personal favourites are from the list of five, stick with the best 1-3 from that list, and be ok with the tradeoff of leaving something out because you can be satisfied that you picked what brings you the most enjoyment from your meal.

What about special occasions?

Of course, if it’s your 10-year anniversary. Go for it: Eat the bread, the stuffed mushroom appetizer, the steak dinner, share a dessert and have some cocktails. Do it, be mindful about it, appreciate it guilt-free, knowing it’s a special occasion.

Chew your food, eat slowly, and know when you get the point that you’re wasting calories, meaning you are reaching overeating and are no longer even enjoying the meal. Or maybe they bring you bread, but the bread is stale and doesn’t even taste good. Be mindful that it won’t contribute to your enjoyment and wait for that appetizer you ordered. It really comes down to where you want to use your precious choices.

Final Tip: 

If you know you’re going to be uncomfortably stuffed by the end of your meal and want to avoid that feeling but you’re curious to try new dishes, share the appetizer and dessert, and don’t be afraid to ask for a doggy bag to take home a good chunk of your main course.