Making healthier menu choices

Even when intentions are good, the demands of everyday life can get in the way of healthy eating, says MIT Medical nutritionist Anna Jasonides, R.D. "MIT has a lot of busy people," observes Jasonides, "people who are too busy to cook and end up eating out a lot. And that is a huge problem for the health of this community."

Portion size is often the first place restaurant diners run into trouble, Jasonides notes. "A three-ounce serving of meat is approximately the size of a deck of cards," she explains. "But restaurants routinely serve 12-ounce steaks. That's three to four normal servings, and more than twice the daily amount of meat you should have if you're eating an average of 2,000 calories per day." Aside from inappropriate portion size, restaurant food tends to be higher in fat and sodium than home cooking, Jasonides adds.

"If you don't go out to eat that often, you can get away with the occasional trip to McDonald's or Burger King," Jasonides says, "but if you're going to eat out two or three times a week, you need to select restaurants with healthier menu choices."

From salad to (no) dessert

Aside from choosing a relatively healthy entrée, it's always a good idea to start your meal with a salad, Jasonides says. The salad will take the edge off your hunger right away, and you'll also get some much-needed vegetables. And, Jasonides adds, get your salad dressing on the side. For a beverage, choose water, skim or low-fat milk, or other drinks without added sugar.

If portion sizes are big, don't be afraid to leave food on your plate or ask for a doggy bag, Jasonides advises. Sharing an entrée, with extra vegetables on the side, is another option.

"And you don't have to have dessert every time," Jasonides adds. "It's not a holiday meal just because it's 6 p.m. on a Tuesday night and you didn't cook dinner at home."

Beware the lunch trap

Finally, Jasonides concludes, "Watch out for the 'lunch trap.' People often tell me they eat out just once or twice a week, but that's just for dinner. Turns out, they go out for lunch five days a week."

You're better off bringing a lunch to work, Jasonides asserts. "You save money, and you're not going to make yourself a huge sandwich like the one you might buy. Whether it's dinner or lunch, when you're unprepared, you eat more."