Healthy Tables: Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle in Falmouth

I love to cook, I love to eat, and I love to go to restaurants with my family and friends.

I also have diabetes and need to lose about 20 pounds – not an uncommon combination these days! And, I’m not great about listening to my body’s cues – I sometimes continue to eat even when I’m full.

Needless to say, eating out can be a challenge especially when faced with menus featuring large portions of fried foods, prime rib specials, and heaping bowls of chowder, filled with cream and butter. I need to eat healthy because of my diabetes and I’m not alone. More and more people want healthier food choices when they dine out – some are watching calories, some have chronic health conditions, and others want to keep their cholesterol under control.

What you order in a restaurant is the key. It's easy to eat an entire day's worth of calories, fat, and salt in just one restaurant meal. But you also can make wise choices and eat a healthy meal. The good news is that you have plenty of options in local restaurants. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of your Falmouth dining-out experience.

Before the Meal

Try not to arrive at the restaurant totally starving! A good plan is to have a light snack (such as a piece of fruit or some carrots) an hour or so before the meal – this will help curb your appetite and avoid eating too much.

Beverages

You can save a lot of calories by avoiding regular soda and alcoholic beverages. Instead, make your drink selection healthier by switching to water, unsweetened tea or coffee, diet soda, or fat-free milk. If you do choose to include some alcohol, moderation is the key. Although a glass of red wine may have health benefits, too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure and blood fat levels while providing excess calories.

Getting Off To the Right Start

Try to start the meal with healthy, lower calorie food. The following tactics may help you approach the main part of your meal with less hunger: 

• Be careful with the bread basket; limit your portion to one slice of bread, preferably whole grain, if available.
• Instead of butter, ask for olive oil and use it sparingly. 
• Ask for the bread to be removed from the table and returned with your main dish; you’ll avoid the temptation to fill up.
• Start your meal with a salad or a broth-based soup (such as vegetable or minestrone) or a fresh fruit cup.

Speak up – Don't Be Afraid To Special Order

Many restaurants in Falmouth have plenty of things on their menus that are good for you, but they may be served covered with cheese, butter, or a cream sauce. First, look for dishes that are steamed, grilled, broiled, baked, poached, lightly sautéed or stir-fried. These cooking methods often use less fat and are generally lower in calories. Then ask your server to have the chef leave off extra butter or sauces (or serve them on the side).

Ask for substitutions, such as salad or steamed vegetable instead of French fries or onion rings. And always get salad dressings on the side, preferably a low calorie dressing or balsamic vinegar and olive oil. This lets you have control over how much or how little you add. One small ladle of regular salad dressing can have upwards of 400 calories.

Ask, Ask, Ask!

I have never had a problem getting a healthy substitution in any eating place in Falmouth. For example, I recently had lunch at a popular Main Street restaurant. I ordered a veggie burger, which came on a roll with French fries and slaw. I was able to order it on whole grain bread with mustard and a salad with olive oil and vinegar on the side. And, a North Falmouth eatery was happy to make me a piece of plain broiled salmon, a baked potato, and steamed broccoli – a combination that was not on the menu. I put some salsa on the potato and a tablespoon of the menu-listed cream sauce on the salmon. The result was a wonderful meal, a very healthy meal, and a very satisfied customer!

Share

Share an appetizer, main course, or dessert with dining partners; your portion size is reduced and there is less available to eat. It’s still important to make healthy menu choices, but sharing might make an indulgent dessert more of an option.

Take half of your meal home – order something that will reheat easily and provide you with a delicious lunch or dinner the next day. And, what a deal: two meals for the price of one and half the calories!

Be a Responsible Consumer

Some local restaurants can better meet your dietary needs if you phone ahead. When you call, ask if your food can be prepared with vegetable oil, less salt, no extra sauce or butter, and broiled instead of fried. Or stop by the restaurant and ask to see a copy of the menu in advance so that you know which items would work well for you.

However, it’s important to remember that a restaurant is serving meals to many people every day and your requests should be reasonable, especially during the tourist season. And make sure to thank the staff for helping you.

Let the owner or manager know if you like the healthy choices on the restaurant’s menu. If you want more lower-calorie, lower-fat choices, say so. The restaurant industry is one of consumer choice and hospitality and, like any business, offers what their customers want. They only know what you want if you tell them.  

Dining out can be one of the great pleasures of living or working in Falmouth. Make appropriate choices, ask for what you need, and balance your meals in restaurants with healthy meals at home. And don’t forget to exercise – after dinner go for a stroll on Main Street or a leisurely walk on the beach or bike path. 

Eating Healthy in Local Restaurants

• Chinese Food

By Michael Bihari, MD 
Member Board of Directors, Community Health Center of Cape Cod and member of the Falmouth Public Schools Health Advisory Committee