Practicing Healthy Restaurant Eating While at Disney World

While on vacation, many families love to eat out at the various restaurants. Even though it's fun and relaxing, you may think it's also a hindrance to healthy eating. In many cases, that's true, but you can still enjoy eating out at restaurants while maintaining healthy eating habits. In fact, during the last few years restaurants have made it easier for the health-conscious person to do so. However, it starts with making good food choices and knowing the kind of nutrition you need to feel physically and mentally stable, healthy, and active.

When you go a Disney World restaurant and pick up the menu, don't look at the drink section right away. You may be tempted to enjoy a mixed or alcoholic beverage with your meal, but those usually have empty calories which don't help your body at all. (The only exception to this might be a single glass of wine, particularly red wine as it can help prevent heart disease for some people). Stick to a glass of water to wash the food down.

Also skip over the appetizer selections, unless you're choosing a side salad. Restaurant appetizers usually contain a high amount of fat, and you'll very likely end up craving more high fat foods after you're done. So say no to the mozzarella sticks, wings, potato skins, etc. Focus on the main course, or if you have to have an appetizer, share a single serving with at least one other person at the table.

Keep in mind the portion size. Try to order off the lunch menu if you can because they tend to have smaller portions. Or ask for a doggie bag when you order; then when you get your meal split it in half before you start eating so that you're not tempted to eat the entire thing. You might end up eating two or three times as much as you really need.

When you finally do order your meal, look at the ingredients of the dish. Be wary of anything with cream sauces or high fat meats. Also, opt for side dishes like vegetables or ask for just the main course instead of going for potatoes or onion rings.

And when you get to the end of the meal, you can choose to ignore the dessert menu like you did the drink and appetizer menus, or you can share a single desert with the rest of the table if you must order something. Or you can split your portion in half and take it home if it's feasible to do. Keep in mind that the dessert in your chosen Disney World restaurant may have more calories than your entire meal, so think about it carefully before you flag down the waitress!

Of course, it's fine to indulge every once in a while... you'll drive yourself crazy and end up falling way off the wagon if you don't treat yourself every now and then. However, overall healthy restaurant eating requires resisting a lot of temptation around you.