Just ask the cook to use less oil when preparing stir-fry and other dishes and to leave out soy sauce, MSG and salt. Main dish portions are often quite large, so try ordering fewer entrees than you have dinner companions. Substitute chicken for duck, when possible. Instead of fried oysters, or fried fish or chicken, choose boiled spiced shrimp, or baked, boiled or grilled fish or chicken. Choose bread or pita pockets over croissants.
Salads make great meals but be careful of the dressing.
If you must have a high-fat entree, split it with another family member. Fast food used to mean fried food, but today food franchises are offering people more low-fat alternatives than ever before. Chef salads, grilled chicken sandwiches and frozen yogurt are just three examples. Pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, mustard and catsup add flavor without the fat. Steer clear of fried fish sandwiches.