Badger Girl Healthy Tips: Eating Out

Here is a crazy idea:

Next time you are out to eat, DARE to ask the server for what you want.

So many times I go to restaurants and I feel trapped by what I see on the menu. French fries, mashed potatoes, vegetables cooked in butter, white bread. These are foods I wouldn’t normally touch with a ten foot pole.

A few years ago, we were out to dinner with a large group at your typical chain sit down restaurant. The menu was filled with fat saturated items but one woman in the group called the waiter over and asked if there was any way she could have a grilled chicken breast and steamed vegetables.

The waiter assured her that it wouldn’t be a problem.

My jaw dropped. You could do that?! I mean, I knew they chicken breasts and vegetables on the menu, but it never occurred to me that you could order off the menu. 

Fast forward a few years and I finally got the courage to speak up.

“Instead of mashed potatoes, could I have roasted red potatoes?”

“Of course,” the waiter said.

Now I was beginning to gain momentum….

“And is there any way I could have the vegetables steamed with no butter?”

“Sure!” the waiter replied.

“And, I know this is asking a lot, but could we just have multi-grain bread in our bread basket?”

“Not a problem,” the waiter assured me again with a smile.

Now I am on a roll. 

I can’t stop modifying my menus.

And it never seems to be a problem.

Did you know that you can order any dish at Noodles restaurant and have them put it on a salad instead of noodles?

The possibilities are endless.

Next time you are out, scan the menu. Look at what they offer so you know what is available to you. 

Be extra nice to your servers and show them how much you appreciate them.

And most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. 

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What are your favorite ways to stay healthy when dining out?