You don’t have to give up eating out after weight loss surgery, but you do need to be prepared to apply some nutrition education when choosing from the menu.
Here are a few tips that can help you choose wisely at your favorite steak house restaurant.
- It’s best to choose the leanest cuts of meat when ordering your steak, and the most lean is filet mignon. Just make sure you ask the kitchen to hold the bacon.
- The second leanest cut is top sirloin. If you order it, skip the steak sauce or other sauces served on the side. They are high in calories and have little nutritional value.
- Skip the ribeye and anything with the word “prime” in it. Ribeye and prime rib both are heavily marbled with fat, which means you can’t trim it off the sides and leave it on your plate.
- If you prefer seafood like lobster or crab legs, you can indulge. Just skip the butter. Lightly dipping your entrée in the butter is not an option. Butter is fat and should not be consumed. Period.
- Many people choose a salad for the beginning of the meal to help them fill up so they won’t eat as much of their entrees or sides. It’s a theory that doesn’t hold up in practice. Iceberg or wedge salads have the least nutritional value and are usually paired with high calorie dressings or toppings like blue cheese. If you like a salad, it’s best for you to choose a mixed green salad with a vinaigrette on the side.
- Vegetables are a good choice–if they are prepared in a healthy way. Choose steamed or grilled vegetable, as long as they are not prepared with butter or oil.
- For most of us, steak has a natural accompaniment -- potatoes. Your healthiest option is to choose a baked potato without the butter, sour cream, cheese or chili. Mashed potatoes may be okay, depending on how they are cooked. Forget the hash browns, fries or the gratins. They are high in fat and low in nutritional value.
- Finally, don’t hesitate to make a special request from the kitchen. If your waiter says your choice is cooked in oil, ask the chef not to use oil. It may take a little longer for you to get your meal, but nutrition is worth the wait.