The evening meal is often the only time of the day when the family sits down together. Unfortunately, a leisurely supper usually gives way to evening demands such as a school meeting, a child’s soccer game, or your own "home work." Sometimes the very thought of preparing a nutritious supper seems overwhelming after a hectic day. However, with a little planning, you can still eat well.
Make Time for the Evening Meal
If possible, make time for supper. The evening meal is often the main meal of the day. It therefore can go a long way to ensure that you get all of your daily nutrient requirements. In addition, a satisfying supper decreases your chances of eating an unplanned after-supper snack.
Enticing Evening Meals
Try to incorporate food from each food group into your evening meal. Make an effort to eat more plant-based foods. These nicely complement smaller servings of lean meats and low-fat dairy products. Try cuisine from other parts of the world—particularly those that feature grains, vegetables, and fruits as the centerpiece of the meal. Make your meals interesting by varying the colors, textures, and shapes of foods. You do not have to be a great chef to give supper the visual appeal that everyone wants to eat. Fruits and vegetables add color and all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your body needs.
Breads come in a broad variety of shapes and textures— from long, thin French baguettes to braided challah bread to the blackest of pumpernickels. The same goes for pasta. In addition to your usual favorites, try whole-wheat spaghetti, farfalle (bow-tie), fusilli (little springs), orzo (rice-shaped), or ziti (large tubes). For more color, try spinach or tomato- flavored (and colored) pastas. Instead of plain white rice, try basmati, jasmine rice, or nutrient-rich brown rice. Wild rice (not really a "rice" but a seed from a type of grass) adds both crunch and a nutty flavor to a meal.
Instead of red meat, eat fish and poultry more often. Seafood cases are stocked with a wide variety of fish fillets and "steaks" from around the world. In addition to domestic chicken or turkey, poultry choices include wild game birds and small "hens." When you choose a red meat, eat a lean cut and vary the seasonings. Try to have some meatless meals. A supper containing legumes, beans, and other vegetarian fare is high in protein and low in saturated fat.
Top off the evening meal with fresh fruit and a selection of low-fat cheese, a fresh whole-grain cake, frozen low-fat yogurt, ice cream, or sherbet. A fine wine, a cup of cafe au lait, and a delicious dessert, if part of the day’s meal plan, can nicely complement a well-prepared and well-presented meal.
Make It Quick
Evening meals can be quick and yet still contain the freshest of ingredients. Keep in mind that fruits and vegetables are tasty, nutritious, and easy to prepare. Quick but healthful suppers can be made from carefully selected dried, canned, frozen, or bottled foods. Plan to eat leftovers at times when you know you won’t have time to cook. Cooking more when you are able, freezing a portion or two, and having it on hand when time is tight all can help you avoid skipping supper or grabbing something that you know you should not eat.
Dining Out
Eating out is an American passion. In fact, Americans spend almost half their food dollars in restaurants. With the wide array of restaurants that are available in most communities, dining out should be a pleasure rather than a threat to your resolve to eat well.
Listed here are five points to remember when you eat out. Think of these as five tips for eating well when eating out.
Choose restaurants that help you achieve your daily 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables
Choose restaurants that offer a wide selection of fruits and vegetables. Look for fruit and vegetable selections in the appetizer, entree, and dessert menus which are prepared without added fat. Choose ethnic and vegetarian restaurants that feature grain- and vegetable-based meals.
Lower the fat in four ways
When ordering, consider these four methods to lower the amount of fat in your meals:
Cooking method—If the menu item is described as fried or sauteed, ask that it be baked or broiled. This simple request can save 10 to 30 grams of fat and about 100 to 300 unwanted calories.
"On the side"—Ask for the sauce, condiment, salad dressing, or topping to be put "on the side." If a dish is prepared with a high-fat sauce (such as Alfredo, cream sauce, cheese, or gravy), request that it be placed on the side or ask for a lower-fat alternative such as a marinara sauce. Other high-fat condiments and toppings (such as butter or sour cream) should also be on the side so you can control how much you use.
Serving size—Bigger is not necessarily better, especially when it comes to calories, fat, and your health. Terms such as "mammoth," "deluxe," and "hearty" are your tip-offs. Order smaller portions. Ask for a "take-home" container, or plan to share your meal with your dinner companion so you do not feel obligated to eat it all.
Substitute lower-fat choices—Make sure that your meal has plenty of grains, vegetables, and fruits. Take meat away from center stage by starting with a tossed salad. Ask for extra steamed vegetables. The bread basket generally offers a whole-grain choice. Don’t forget to finish the meal with fresh fruit, sherbet, or sorbet and a glass of low-fat milk. Try to avoid the high-fat, calorie-rich desserts that you will later wish you had not eaten.
Limit meat to 3 ounces per serving (or no more than 6 ounces per day)
Health experts agree that Americans eat too much meat (including poultry and fish), especially in light of the fact that our bodies need only a relatively small amount of protein. Large portions of meat almost invariably contribute excess calories, fat, and cholesterol to the meal. A 3-ounce portion is about the size of a deck of cards. Whenever you eat meat, poultry, or fish, try to be sure that you eat a total of only 6 ounces per day (see sidebar: "Cut" Your Portions of Meat, this page).
Limit alcohol to 2 drinks (1 if you are a woman)
Most authorities suggest that alcohol be limited to 2 drinks per day if you are a man, 1 drink per day if you are a woman. All alcohol-containing drinks contain calories (see sidebar: A Drink Defined…, page 87).
Make eating well your number 1 priority
Restaurants are in the business of satisfying their customers. Ask your server to recommend the most healthful foods the kitchen can prepare. Do not rely on "heart-healthy" symbols on the menu. These foods may be low in cholesterol, but they still may be high in total fat, saturated fat, and calories. Feel free to request low-fat foods or that more vegetables and fruits be added to your meal. Ask your server to clarify unfamiliar terms and to answer any of your questions.
Ethnic Cuisine: Your Passport to Healthful Meals
Ethnic restaurants and grocery stores offer a wide variety of culinary alternatives. Often, ethnic cuisines are plant-based, and thus many people assume they are healthful. However, that is not always the case. Some guidelines below, in addition to the suggestions previously mentioned, will help you to savor the exotic flavors while keeping calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium under control.
Asian cuisine features rice, noodles, and vegetables with little or no meat. However, it may not be as healthful as one believes. For example, fried rice is just what it says—fried. Therefore, white rice or, even better, brown rice would be a healthier option. If you are dining at an Asian restaurant, make sure to request that little oil be used in preparation, and if your portion is large, split it with someone. Stir-fry, grilled meat, or chicken skewers are healthful choices. To decrease sodium, limit foods with soy sauce, salt, and monosodium glutamate (MSG).
"Cut" Your Portions of Meat
Note the savings in calories and fat with smaller portions of meat.
|
|
8-Ounce Portion |
3-Ounce Portion |
||
|
|
Calories |
Fat (grams) |
Calories |
Fat (grams) |
|
Prime rib of beef |
960 |
83 |
360 |
31 |
|
Lamb chop |
775 |
66 |
298 |
25 |
|
Sirloin beef steak |
745 |
59 |
280 |
22 |
|
Pork chop |
454 |
20 |
175 |
8 |
|
Roasted chicken breast (without skin) |
380 |
8 |
145 |
3 |
|
Broiled fish |
240 |
2 |
90 |
Trace |
Many staples of the Middle Eastern, Indian, and Pakistani cuisines are low-fat, low-sodium items such as pita bread, rice, couscous, and lentils. However, keep in mind that these foods often are combined with large amounts of butter, coconut oil, or palm oil. Request foods without the added fats and that sauces be put on the side. Healthful selections include kabobs or fish that is grilled, rice, couscous, or orzo.
Greek and Mediterranean food is based on pasta, bread, and rice. It is often the sauce that accompanies the grain that adds calories and fat. Sauces to watch out for include pesto and cream-based sauces. Red sauces are usually quite low in calories and fat. If ordering a pizza, remember that the meat and cheese are the culprits for calories and fat. Order a pizza with one meat item at the most, request half the cheese, and load on the vegetables.
Finally, Caribbean, Mexican, and Central and South American cuisine includes whole grains, corn, rice, flour tortillas, beans (pinto, red, black), and salsa. Condiments are an issue, so be sure to request less cheese, and have sour cream and guacamole on the side. Grilled fish and chicken are best bets as main courses. Fresh vegetables and fruits accompany most meals.
A Drink Defined
Health professionals recommend no more than 2 drinks daily for men, 1 drink for women. A drink is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits, or the equal amount of alcohol in other beverages. Alcohol can impair judgment. Never drink and drive.
|
|
Calories |
Alcohol (grams) |
|
Beer—12 ounces |
|
|
|
Beer |
150 |
13 |
|
Light beer |
100 |
12 |
|
No-alcohol beer |
60 |
trace |
|
Wine—5 ounces |
|
|
|
Wine |
100 |
14 |
|
Light wine |
80 |
8 |
|
Spritzer (12 ounces) |
120 |
17 |
|
Spirits—1.5 ounces |
|
|
|
80 proof |
100 |
14 |
Remember—mixes such as sweetened sodas, juices, and sugary syrups mean extra calories.
