Restaurant Guide: Restaurant Appetizers
Restaurant appetizers are meant to be little teasers or something to begin to satisfy your appetite before the main course. Unfortunately, many are so full of calories, saturated fat, and sodium that, nutritionally speaking, there’s no room left for the meal. But a few smart choices will allow you to still enjoy some of the mouth-watering treats.
Believe it or not there are appetizers out there providing well over 2000 calories and nearly three days’ worth of sodium. And that’s before the meal is even placed in front of you. This doesn’t mean they need to be banned altogether, but you do need to think before you order if you’re trying to maintain a healthy eating plan. Try to choose apps with lean protein and/or fiber. These nutrients will begin to satisfy your hunger before the meal arrives, which could help prevent you from over-eating the meal—a meal that is often a larger portion than is necessary and therefore also high in calories. Lean protein options could include seafood, chicken, and edamame. Fiber-rich ingredients sometimes common in appetizer menu items
include vegetables like mushrooms, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and green beans. In addition, keep in mind appetizers are usually in portions large enough for multiple people, not one appetizer per person. Dividing the nutrient content of most of the apps on this list will help them fit into a healthy eating plan much easier.
Helpful Hints. Consider the following hints the next time you’re ordering your appetizer.
- Share. You can dramatically cut the calories, fat, and sodium by splitting your appetizer with your dining partners.
- Sauce-free. Dipping sauces bump up sodium and other nutrients we should limit a great deal. Try skipping them.
- Vocab test. Pay attention to the descriptions and avoid terms like crispy and crunchy. Choose steamed or baked foods instead.
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