Try to eat the same portions you would at home. If the restaurant meal is larger, put the extra food in a doggie bag before you start eating, share it with your dinner partner, or ask for a split order. The same goes for fast food. Instead, go for a regular or junior-size sandwich. You don't have to order an entree.
Appetizers often come in low-calorie options.
Add a salad or soup, and you've got a meal. If you must have dessert, order one with a fork for every member of your dinner party. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition offers a fact sheet on nutrition information for restaurant menus. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has a tip sheet on eating healthy when dining out. All rights reserved.