Avoid Restaurants to Avoid Weight Gain!

Do you often dine in restaurants? If you're watching your waistline, restaurant meals may be sabotaging your diet. In fact, a study performed by researchers at The University of Texas found that women consumed an average of 200-300 calories more per day on the days they ate in a restaurant instead of eating at home.

The results aren't particularly surprising, since studies have shown that restaurant portions just keep increasing in size. There are some tricks you can try to limit the amount you eat when dining out, such as ordering two appetizers instead of an entrée, or asking the server to bring only half your meal to the table.

However, one of the best ways to cut back on restaurant calories is to simply avoid restaurants! It may sound impossible, but you can make it easier to eat at home with a few tips. Here are some common reasons folks eat at restaurants, and how to turn these situations into eat-at-home evenings:

I don't have time to cook.
Have freezer meals handy! If you have a family, try doubling or tripling recipes whenever you do have time to cook, then freeze the leftovers. On busy nights, you simply need to pull a meal out of the freezer, defrost and reheat. That's quicker than gathering up the kids, driving to a restaurant, and waiting for your meal. You can do the same thing if you're single, or just stock up on some frozen TV dinners. (Just be sure to check the sodium content before you buy them.)

It's convenient.
Shop at the supermarket! Sure, restaurants meals are easy. But you can put together a full meal from prepared supermarket foods, too. Check out the hot bar/deli for things like baked chicken breast, cooked vegetables and rice pilaf. Visit the salad bar to create a meal-sized chef salad. Many supermarkets also feature huge food bars with tasty dishes like bean salad, grilled vegetables, marinated olives and even sushi.

It's cheap.
Buy store brands! Restaurant meals may seem cheaper, but you'd be surprised at how inexpensive groceries can be when you choose whole foods and store brands. A box of whole wheat pasta, a can of beans and a bag of frozen vegetables cost about $4 if you buy the store brands. Add a little olive oil and basil for an inexpensive meal that will easily feed a family of four.

We're celebrating.
Host a potluck! Celebrate at home by hosting a potluck dinner! Your guests will probably enjoy showing off their culinary skills, and this gives everyone a chance to contribute something to the meal. If you want to make it even more special, create a theme like "Around the World" and ask everyone to bring an ethnic dish.

It's tasty.
Copy the recipes! Maybe your favorite restaurant has a certain dish that always tempts your tastebuds. Perhaps you crave a special menu item at the local diner. Search online to find recipes that copy the dishes they serve at famous restaurants. You'll be able to recreate all your favorites at home!