Kasia the Expert

   It's already 4:30 pm; I'm ready to go home but not till I have an answer to what might be the most common question around that time of day: what's for dinner tonight? In my head, I quickly scan our pantry at home and decide, instead of following our weekly meal plan, I'd like to stop by one of my favorite restaurants on the way home and just order out.

Interestingly, I'm not alone. According to the National Restaurant Association, on a typical day in America this year, 133 million individuals will be foodservice patrons and more than half of adults say restaurants are an essential part of their lifestyle. I recall Harry Balzer, food industry expert, saying "Americans now use restaurants like their parents traditionally used grocery stores...Restaurants have become places to get food to eat somewhere else."

How can our favorite take out meal be a part of healthful diet? We've all heard about the recommendation to split large restaurant portions to save caloires, but sometimes I just want my own entree. With the convenience takeout offers, there must be another way to fit occasional restaurant food into anyone's meal plan.

From my own experience, planning our family meals is one of the most important strategies to a healthful diet. I know, at 4:30 pm, there is not a lot of time to plan a family meal, but with access to the internet, sensible meal planning (including take-out) is possible and here is how:

• Before placing your order, check the on-line nutrition information of your favorite restaurant. Use that information to make an informed decision about what food to order.
• If your specific restaurant doesn't offer on-line nutrition information, find a comparable restaurant that does. At least you can use the nutrition content of similar food choices to guide your decision.
• Personally, to save calories, I order an entree and then, if I'm really hungry, I use the "pick-two" rule: appetizer, beverage, dessert - I pick any two.
• Then if I choose to get a dessert, I find someone to share it with me. Usually by the time I finish my entree, only the first two bites of my dessert taste the best!

With these simple tips you can enjoy the variety and convenience take-out offers and feel good about your choices, too!