Eating out at Tampa restaurants is usually viewed as a treat for plenty of us. We eat out to celebrate occasions, we use it to go out with loved ones and friends, basically, going out to eat is often associated with treating ourselves and celebrating. However, because of that, it can be hard to find healthy food.
Most “healthy” food at restaurants are usually salads, but even these are loaded by calories in the form of salad dressing and croutons. A lot of people don’t realize that restaurants meals can have up to double your daily recommended calorie intake. If you’re conscious about your health, here are some ways to guarantee that you make the healthy choice when eating out at Tampa restaurants.
Do your research
If you’re going out to eat at an unfamiliar restaurant, make sure that you do your research ahead of time. Check out the restaurant’s menu online, and take a look at what food options look healthiest. Plenty of restaurants include a list of ingredients with the menu item and you can look up these restaurants to see if it’s healthy or not.
Swap out some ingredients if you can
If a dish looks good to you, but you’re concerned about certain ingredients, it’s a simple matter to swap out that ingredient for a healthier option.
For example, salads are great, but in order to make them delicious, Tampa restaurants load them up with fatty, calorie-laden dressings. It would be easy enough to ask for the dressing on the side, remove the dressing, or swap it out for a healthier dressing like a balsamic dressing.
Go with vegetables
A lot of restaurant meals come with sides of something, often fries or a smaller version of an appetizer. When presented with this choice, always opt for a healthier option, like steamed vegetables or a small side salad. Even though these side options are small, if they’re deep-fried, like fries or mozzarella sticks, they pack a lot of calories in one.
Be careful of liquid calories
A lot of people tend to disregard drinks when they’re making their food choices at Tampa restaurants. That cocktail looks delicious, but the ingredients that went into making that cocktail can add up.
For example, Long Island Iced Tea may seem innocuous, but these can contain up to 700 plus calories in just one serving. Be aware of what goes into your drinks and take these into calories when making your choice.