Made to Order
Whether you’re among the ladies-who-lunch crowd or just don’t want to blow your diet while enjoying a romantic dinner out, here are some tips – not on what to order – but how to order to keep your resolution to be fit and healthy.
“But I’d like the pie heated and I don’t want the ice cream on top I want it on the side and I’d like strawberry instead of vanilla if you have it, if not then no ice cream just whipped cream but only if it’s real, if it’s out of a can then nothing.” – When Harry Met Sally
Before you adopt Meg Ryan’s ordering style from When Harry Met Sally, keep in mind that you should always be as polite as possible. You’ll be asking servers and chefs to go out of their way for you, and while you might think that it’s their job to serve you, they don’t get paid enough to put up with irritating customers. With that caveat in place, it’s time to get picky.
The easiest calorie saver at breakfast, lunch, and dinner is to either drink your coffee black, or request milk instead of cream to be served alongside it. You might not be able to order 1% or non-fat, since some restaurants don’t carry them, but you can request the lowest-fat milk they have.
At lunch and dinner, look for steamed vegetables and grilled meats first and stay away from the carbs. That includes the bread basket, which few of us can resist once it’s on the table. These days, some servers will ask if you want the bread basket, but if not, it’s an easy request to have them leave it off the table. Now, you might think that ordering grilled meat and vegetables is safe, but many restaurants drench everything in a layer of butter.
Don’t be afraid to ask how your food is prepared, and if they use butter, request that they leave it off. Speaking of leaving things off, ask for salad dressing and sauces on the side. This way you can still have the flavor of Hollandaise on your asparagus, but in a more manageable quantity.
You won’t always want to play it safe by ordering steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached and roasted foods, so if you must have the fettuccine Alfredo and veal Parmigiana, ask if you can have a smaller portion. If reduced portions aren’t available, ask for a to-go box to be brought out with your food so you can immediately put half of the plate out of sight, out of mind, and off your thighs.
When the dessert course comes around, look for fruit-based desserts that don’t involve cream. Sharing is caring, and it’s a great way to cut calories on the most sinful sweets, but if no one else wants the lemon meringue pie, leave the crust on the plate and you’ll do fine.
Life’s too short not to eat the food you love with the people you love – just hold the butter.
Linda Baldwin
Linda Baldwin, is a Credentialed Diet & Nutrition Expert and a Professional Catering Executive (CPCE) whose skills have been honed by 25 years in the catering, restaurant, and event production industry. She is know as local foodie, ultra healthy prepared foods specialist, educator – columnist and creator of Amore and Amore To-Go a lifestyle company, based in South Tampa since 2006. She leads a team of professionals that include chefs, and educators in the field of health and wellness.
An absolute must-order when you go to Grand Plaza Café are the rice balls, a Sicilian favorite also known as aranchine. The balls are filled with a little bit of Sopresata, Genoa salami and Mozzarella, and then deep friend to crisply perfection. Quite possibly, it’s the most perfect little bite ever created.
Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m back in Junior High. Much to my dismay, the rad fashions of the 80’s are back, the unemployment rate is in the double digits and frozen yogurt is en vogue. Incidentally, if you see me in my jeggings, it’s Ms. Melton, if you’re nasty.
