Going out for dinner should always be an enjoyable and fun experience; new foods, great company, nice wine. However, if you are trying to be healthy and change your eating habits it can be difficult to make the right choices.

Of course, if going out for dinner isn’t an everyday thing, by all means go for it; dessert and all! A lot of people have jobs (or social lives!) that require them to eat out quite a bit and so sometimes they need to make healthier choices.

Here we have listed some of the most popular types of restaurants and some healthy choices you can make when eating out.

Indian

• Swap kormas for tomato-based dishes for a less calorific dish. The spicier the better in terms of metabolism – how hot can you go? Tandoori dishes are great as they are really flavoursome but don’t have a sauce and are the lightest item on the menu in an Indian restaurant.
• Go for rice OR naan, not both. Skip the poppadoms altogether – they’re oily, not filling and definitely not healthy.

Mexican

• Have beans in your burrito instead of meat and leave out the rice. Beans are a great source of protein, low in fat and taste amazing. Even better, a lot of Mexican places often have burrito’s in a bowl, meaning less bread, more rice and veg.
• If you are having meat, go for chicken as it is leaner than beef or pork.

Chicken 

• Fried chicken is becoming popular here but good for you it ain’t. Try see if the place has chicken that isn’t deep-fried; often places will have some chicken dish that is marinated and grilled instead.
• Skip the chips and go for a side such as salad or corn on the cob instead.

Italian

• Go for tomato-based dishes rather than cream or cheese based sauces and your tummy will thank you for it.
• See if you can get a sprinkling of feta on your pizza  rather than lots of melted cheese, which will leave you feeling bloated and sluggish.

Like we said, these swaps are great for people watching what they are eating or have to eat out a lot; always enjoy your meal out and treat yourself, you deserve it!