I sometimes wonder that eating out is very much like playing chess.
At a restaurant, you have to observe the menu like it is a chess board, weigh your options, and before the time (i.e waiter) could push you to make a haste decision, you have to play your opening gambit smartly.
But how?
So, here is your playbook for dining out smartly without checkmating your health goals:
1. Remember the ‘protein first rule.’
When you check the menu, order the protein dish first before choosing anything else.
2. Drink a protein shake before leaving home.
This rule is for the times when you know that you are heading to a vegan restaurant and might not have many protein options.
This pre-game strategy can prevent overeating at the restaurant while meeting your daily protein requirements.
3. Choose steamed dishes.
Always go for idli over dosa, appam over uthappam, plain rice over biriyani. They are light, tasty, and won’t sabotage your fitness.
Steaming preserves nutrients better than other cooking methods, keeping vitamins and minerals intact. Plus, it is cooked without oil, making it a calorie-conscious choice.
4. Skip the fried stuff.
Deep-frying not only adds extra calories but also creates harmful compounds which form when foods are cooked at high temperatures.
And besides, who knows what type of oil they are using behind those closed kitchen doors?
5. Opt for whole carbs.
For example, phulka over naan. Such whole carbs can make you feel full for longer and have extra health benefits.
6. Stop eating when you are 80% full.
It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register fullness signals from your stomach.
By stopping at 80%, you give your body time to catch up, preventing that uncomfortably stuffed feeling post meal. And you can always get leftovers packed for the next meal.
7. ‘Yes’ to veggies but ‘no’ to creamy gravies.
Don’t bother about whether there are more veggies in a dish or not. Capsicum in chilli chicken, onion, cucumber, cabbage with tandoori chicken etc. all count.
But try to avoid creamy gravies like malai kofta etc. They are full of unnecessary fats.
Revealing my evergreen Restaurant Recommendation!
Following these tactics myself, whenever I visit restaurants, I always pick Idli and sambar. It is the perfect blend of taste, nutrition and satisfaction for me.
✅ Fermented foods like idli are easier to digest and can promote gut health.
✅ Rice in idli fill up the carb quota. Lentils in sambar are loaded with nutrition, offering not just protein but also fiber, folate and iron.
✅ Their low glycemic index helps maintain steady blood sugar levels, keeping you energised and satisfied.
✅ And veggies in sambar add extra fiber and various micronutrients.
Thus, idli-sambar are the food representatives of the fitness community in the restaurants, I believe.
Forward this email to a friend who likes idli-sambar. Reply if you have any questions, inquiries or suggestions.
See you next week! Till then, stay cheerful like the monsoon trees!