Eat Out, Eat Right: The Guide to Healthier Restaurant Eating

Hope Warshaw is on a mission; she wants to help health conscious diners navigate their way through the minefield that is dining out in the United States. As Warshaw points out in her book, more Americans eat out than ever before—an average of five meals a week—for a variety of sociological and economic reasons. Because we’re spending less time eating at home, we also have less control over the food we eat. Warshaw has just the ticket to help us to regain control over our grazing habits.

Each chapter is devoted to a type of food, ranging from breakfast food to ethnic foods—including Mexican, Italian, Japanese Thai and Indian—and ends with a suggested low calorie and moderate calorie menu. Reader-friendly sections in the book also feature “Red Flag” and “Green Flag” words to look for on a menu, which are based on their caloric value.

In addition, Eat Out, Eat Right provides detailed nutrition breakdowns of menu items for a variety of eateries ranging from well-known chains to fine dining. Warshaw offers practical and often simple strategies for the health conscious eater, such as ordering smaller portions and sharing entrees. Don’t be afraid to be assertive and ask for substitutions, or, at the very least, ask for salad dressing on the side, Warshaw advocates. She also includes suggestions for “special requests” in the book.

The author also offers such sage advice as “Be careful with vegetarian sandwiches. Some of them are drenched in fat from salad dressing or cheese,” and “Freshly prepared soups are best because they have less sodium than canned ones.” An unabashed Thai food lover, I learned a thing or two. Who knew that Pad Thai and coconut based curries could pack so many calories?

Whether it’s fast food, take out, fine dining, ethnic restaurants, pizza joints, or breakfast spots, this third edition of Eat Out, Eat Right should be read before you embark on your culinary adventures.

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