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How Do You Eat Healthy at Restaurants?

To eat healthy at restaurants, build around a grilled protein and vegetables, get sauces on the side and eat half a big entrée. Swaps and cuisine tips.

Reviewed by Menu Scan Editorial TeamLast reviewed 6 min read

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The short answer

To eat healthy at restaurants, build your order around a grilled, roasted or steamed protein with vegetables, keep sauces and dressings on the side, and plan to eat about half of a large entrée. Read the menu for cooking words like crispy or creamy, swap fries for vegetables, drink water instead of soda, and check calories ahead of time where they're posted or with a menu scanner.

Eating out shouldn't feel like a test you're bound to fail. Restaurants are where we celebrate, catch up with friends and get a break from cooking, and you can do all of that while still eating in a way that fits your health goals. It mostly comes down to a handful of habits you can repeat anywhere.

The challenge is real, though. When Tufts researchers measured 364 meals from 123 non-chain restaurants, the average meal contained about 1,205 calories, more than most people need at a single sitting. Here's how to enjoy the meal without that number running your week.

What does eating healthy at a restaurant actually mean?#

Eating healthy at a restaurant means choosing a meal with a solid protein, plenty of vegetables, a sensible portion of starch and not too much added fat, sugar or sodium. It doesn't mean ordering the plainest salad or skipping the food you came for. A useful picture is a plate that's roughly half vegetables, a quarter protein and a quarter starch, with sauce in a supporting role.

How do you plan before you go?#

Plan by looking at the menu ahead of time and picking a dish before you're hungry and surrounded by tempting smells. A few minutes at home makes the order calmer and better:

  1. Look up the menu online. Most restaurants post one.
  2. Check posted calories at chains. Under FDA menu labeling rules, restaurants in chains with 20 or more locations must show calories on menus and provide fuller nutrition information on request.
  3. Estimate the rest. At independent restaurants with no nutrition info, a menu scanner like Menu Scan AI estimates calories, protein, carbs and fat for every dish from a photo of the menu.
  4. Don't arrive starving. A normal lunch or a small protein snack beforehand makes the bread basket easier to ignore.

Calorie information does seem to nudge choices a little. A Cochrane review found that calorie labels on restaurant menus reduced the energy people purchased by about 47 calories per meal, based on low-quality evidence from three trials. Small, but it adds up across many meals.

How do you handle big restaurant portions?#

Handle big portions by deciding up front how much you'll eat, because people reliably eat more when served more. A Cochrane review of 72 studies found that people consistently consume more food when offered larger portions, packages or tableware. Willpower isn't the fix; a plan is:

  • Box half as soon as the entrée arrives, or ask for it boxed before it comes out.
  • Order an appetizer-size or lunch portion as your main.
  • Share an entrée and add a side salad or vegetable side.
  • Skip the "upgrade" to large or combo sizes unless you actually want them.

Which menu words should you look for or avoid?#

Look for words that signal simple cooking, like grilled, roasted, steamed, broiled, baked and poached, and be cautious with words that signal added fat or sugar, like crispy, battered, creamy, smothered, loaded, glazed and alfredo. Our full guide to menu words that signal hidden calories decodes dozens of them.

One caveat: "grilled" isn't a guarantee. Restaurant kitchens often finish proteins and vegetables with butter or oil, which is one of the main reasons why restaurant meals have more calories than the same dish at home. Asking "Is this finished with butter?" is completely normal.

What are the easiest healthy swaps to ask for?#

The easiest swaps change a side, a sauce or a drink, not the whole dish. Servers hear these all the time:

Instead of Ask for Why it helps
Fries or chips Side salad, steamed vegetables or fruit Cuts fried starch and adds fiber
Dressing or sauce on top Dressing or sauce on the side You control how much goes on
Creamy soup Broth-based soup Less cream and butter
Soda or sweet tea Water, sparkling water or unsweetened tea Removes liquid sugar
Breaded or fried protein Grilled or roasted protein Less batter and frying oil
A second starch Double vegetables More volume for fewer calories

How do you eat healthy at different cuisines?#

Every cuisine has lighter and heavier options, and the pattern is usually the same: pick grilled or steamed proteins and vegetables, and go easy on fried items and rich sauces. Our best low-calorie Chili's orders show what that looks like at one sit-down chain.

Cuisine Lighter picks Go easy on
Mexican Fajitas, grilled chicken or steak tacos, burrito bowls with salsa Chips, queso, fried shells, extra cheese and sour cream
Italian Grilled fish or chicken, minestrone, tomato-based pasta in a smaller portion Cream sauces, fried calamari, the bread basket with butter
Chinese and Thai Steamed dishes, stir-fries with sauce on the side, broth soups Battered and glazed dishes, fried rice, sweet sauces
Japanese Sashimi, nigiri, simple rolls, miso soup, edamame Tempura and rolls with spicy mayo or cream cheese
Indian Tandoori meats, tikka, dal, plain rice Creamy curries, butter naan, fried starters
American Grilled protein with vegetables, a burger with a side salad Loaded fries, smothered entrées, milkshakes

Can you still enjoy dessert and drinks?#

Yes, you can enjoy dessert and drinks by choosing one treat on purpose instead of having all of them by default. Pick the thing you'll actually enjoy, whether that's a glass of wine, the bread or a shared dessert, and skip the ones you won't miss. If you're losing weight, think about the week rather than one dinner; our guide to eating out on a calorie deficit shows how to budget around a meal out.

What's a simple routine you can use every time?#

A simple routine is to plan, pick a protein, add vegetables, control the sauce and decide your portion. In order:

  1. Check the menu or scan it before you order.
  2. Choose a grilled, roasted, steamed or broiled protein.
  3. Add vegetables or a salad, and pick one starch.
  4. Get sauces and dressings on the side.
  5. Drink water or another unsweetened drink.
  6. Box half of a large entrée, or share.
  7. Enjoy one treat you really want.

Frequently asked questions#

What is the healthiest thing to order at a restaurant?#

Usually a grilled, roasted or steamed protein like chicken, fish or lean steak with vegetables and a modest portion of a whole-food starch. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side so you control how much you add.

How many calories are in a typical restaurant meal?#

It varies widely, but a Tufts study of non-chain restaurants measured an average of about 1,205 calories per meal. Many entrées alone exceed what most people need at a single sitting.

Is it rude to ask for changes at a restaurant?#

No. Requests like dressing on the side, a vegetable instead of fries or grilled instead of fried are routine. Keep them short and polite, and most kitchens are happy to help.

Do calorie counts on menus help people eat healthier?#

They seem to help a little. A Cochrane review found calorie labels on restaurant menus reduced the energy people bought by about 47 calories per meal, though the evidence was rated low quality.

How can I eat healthy at a restaurant with no nutrition information?#

Use cooking words as clues, choose simply prepared protein and vegetables, and get sauces on the side. A menu scanner app like Menu Scan AI can estimate calories and macros for every dish from a photo of the menu.

Sources#

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