I posted on my Instagram story a few months ago asking what kind of blog posts everyone wanted to see. When someone said “how to eat out without stress,” I knew that it was a topic that would be important to write about.
I’ve been there. I’ve been the girl who was afraid or nervous to go out to eat because I didn’t know what kind of food would be there or how many calories would be in it. Have you ever googled the menu of a restaurant the second you knew you were going there and looked at the nutrition information? Yup, me too. But it doesn’t have to be like that!
Going out to eat can be scary because you aren’t eating your “regular diet.” Odds are you’re going to be surrounded by a lot of food that’s different from what you normally eat, but also really tasty.
I’m going to share all of my tips for eating out that will ease your stress and anxiety, but also allow you to feel good about what you eat.
Why Going Out to Eat Can Cause Stress
How AMAZING does that loaded french toast look!? My friend and I went to Green Eggs Cafe in Philadelphia for brunch one day and split the pecan pie french toast. Seriously, one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. If you’re ever in Philly, I highly recommend.
One thing I do know is that the french toast was absolutely amazing. What I don’t know is how many calories were in it, how much butter they used, and the ridiculous amount of sugar it contained. The good news is, it doesn’t matter.
I talked about this in my blog about eating during the holidays
For most people, eating out isn’t usually a regular thing, especially during COVID. It’s not like we’re going out to eat every night and ordering nachos and pizza. It’s not something that normally overtakes our life.
If we’re eating nutritious, home-cooked meals six nights of the week, how much harm do you think one night out will do? I can tell you right now it’s not a lot.
Eating Out Does Not Equal Unhealthy
There seems to be a stigma that whenever you go out to eat, it’s going to result in a night full of indulgent and “unhealthy” foods. When did that become a thing?
Honestly, most people do get a pretty unhealthy meal when they go out to eat. This is normally because they’re so tied up by their “healthy” foods and diet at home, so when they go out there is a need to get the unhealthiest thing on the menu to “treat yourself.”
I’m not really a fan of the whole “treat yourself” mentality. You shouldn’t have to do or earn anything in order to eat foods that you enjoy. Eating is not earned, it’s a basic human right.
You don’t need to be eating ice cream and junk for every meal, but you could be eating foods like that other than when you’re out to eat. If you allow yourself to enjoy the foods you love at home that are deemed “unhealthy,” you may not be so enticed by them when you’re out to eat.
Of course, there are exceptions to this as there are with anything. There may be a restaurant you LOVE that has killer pasta. No duh you’re going to order that pasta when you’re there! But it’s because you love it, not because you feel it’s your only time to eat pasta.
You can also spin this the other way. Going out to eat doesn’t always mean you have to order the unhealthiest thing on the menu. You can totally go out to eat and order a salad. But again, you should order the salad because it sounds good, not because you want to change or manipulate your body.
A Normal Part of Life
Going out to eat is such a normal part of life. Most people go out to eat to meet up with friends, try new foods, or just to get out of the house.
How many times have you met up with your friends over drinks, dinner, or brunch? Food is honestly at the center of my social life, and I’m sure you can relate as well.
If you’re worried about controlling the foods you eat and staying “healthy,” you’re going to miss out on all of these opportunities! It’s exhausting constantly saying no to invitations to eat out because you want to remain healthy. Give yourself a break and enjoy yourself!
As I said before, you don’t need to look at going out to eat as total destruction of your healthy eating. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can absolutely go out to eat, enjoy your friends or family, and order something light or “healthy” if that’s what you want.
Remember that you also have permission to go out to eat and order whatever the heck you want. You may be going into it with the intention of ordering a salad, but all your friends are ordering the cheeseburger and it sounds so good. Order the cheeseburger and don’t think twice about it!
We need to learn to accept eating out and understand that it’s not the stop sign to living a healthy life. In fact, it’s way healthier to order dessert care-free, rather than order the salad and be miserable the whole time.
Tips for Eating Out
While eating out can be an amazing social event, I totally understand how hard it can be. As someone who went through a phase of dieting and restriction, eating out was once my biggest fear. I now look at it as a time of growth and a time to eat some good food!
Here are some tips you can implement in your life if eating out just seems way too overwhelming:
1. Don’t look at the menu ahead of time
This is a BIG ONE and something I did for so long. If I knew I was going out to eat, I would immediately google that restaurant and see what they had. Better yet, if they had the nutrition information, you know I was looking for the meal with the least amount of calories.
By doing this, you’re taking away your body’s innate cues to feel it’s cravings. When you know how many calories are in a meal, it can sway you to pick something that won’t leave you emotionally and physically satisfied because it’s not what you truly desire.
Try to stay away from googling the menu so that it won’t persuade you to choose a meal you don’t really want. Looking at the menu ahead of time can be helpful for ordering in a rush, but not for deciding which meal is the “healthiest.”
2. Connect your mind and body
When you’re ordering food, it’s important to really figure out what your body wants. It can be easy to look for the healthiest item, but if that’s not what you really want, you’re just going to be left wanting more.
Take a moment before you even open the menu to connect your mind and body. Sit and think of what your body truly wants. Is it pizza? A salad? Dessert?
Ordering what you are honestly craving makes eating out 100 times better because you’re actually enjoying yourself and living in the present moment, rather than obsessing about the food.
3. Stress-relieving techniques
I still get stressed out sometimes when I go out to eat. If I’m feeling stressed or anxious, there’s a few things I’ll do to re-center myself.
If you can, take a break from looking at the menu and talk to the people you’re with. See what they’re getting and if that sounds good. Sometimes it’s nice to order the same thing as your friend because you feel less alone in the foods you’re consuming.
I also like to take in my surroundings. Who are you with? What’s the environment like? How many people are here? Take in these little details, and then come back to the menu. This is nice to give your mind a reset.
4. You can always take some home
Going out to eat is not all or nothing. No one is forcing you to finish every piece of food on your plate. So often, we think that this one night out is our only chance to eat this food. Have you ever heard of a to-go box?
Taking the food home is one of my favorite parts about going out to eat. I love having it the next day because you don’t have to cook and you have an extra day of yummy food!
Don’t eat until you’re physically uncomfortable because you feel the need to eat it all right away. There’s always tomorrow.
5. It’s okay to say no
If eating out is something that just seems like a terrifying and far away task, it’s okay to say no. Your body may need rest, a mental-health day, or just some time to itself. It’s totally okay to say no if that is what’s serving you at the moment.
When you say no just because you want to stay “healthy,” that’s where it can become a problem. Remember, going out to eat does not equal unhealthy.
I hope that this has helped you and has given you the tools to go out to eat without stress. I know it can be hard, but just think of the food and memories to be had!
I’m always here for you, and I believe in you. I love you all so much.
xoxo
You are so inspirational. I watched you on the podcast shit happens deal with it and loved your honesty!
Aw thank you, Erica! That is so sweet. I’m so glad you read this and enjoyed!