Paying attention to what you eat is one of the keys to good health. Making good choices about your food is especially important when dining outside of the house.

Eating out once in a while can be a nice treat that saves you the hassle of cooking, but it isn’t always the best choice for your diet. Thankfully, there are many ways that you can eat healthier even when dining away from home. Here are some easy and effective tips that you can try.

1. Pay attention to portion sizes

One of the main problems with dining out is that restaurants tend to offer larger portion sizes than you would eat at home. You might then end up eating a lot more in one meal. When you have a choice, opt for a smaller or a half-size portion at sit-down restaurants. At fast food places, resist the offer to supersize your meal even if it seems like a great deal.

2. Consider how your food is prepared

Another way to reduce the amount of fat and calories in your meal is by basing your selection on how the food is prepared. Foods that are pan-fried, deep-fried, or breaded tend to have the highest amount of fat and calories. Instead, you’ll want to choose foods that are grilled, baked, steamed, broiled, roasted, or poached.

3. Ask for sauces on the side

Sometimes, the main culprit behind extra fat, calories, and sodium in a meal is the sauce or gravy. While sauce adds flavour, it is often used quite liberally. Once it is on your food, there isn’t an easy way to separate it out. By asking for any sauces and condiments on the side, you can control how much you use.

4. Say “yes” to vegetables

Restaurants typically offer many different options for sides, with at least one usually consisting of vegetables. By substituting a salad or a side of vegetables for sides like fries, you can enjoy a more nutritious and lower-calorie meal. Vegetable toppings are also usually available for foods like pizza, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches.

5. Choose whole grains

Many restaurants offer whole grain foods like brown rice, quinoa, barley, or oats on their menu, as well as whole-grain pasta dishes. You will also often have the option of choosing whole grain tortillas or whole grain bread to go with your meal. Whole grains have a lot of important nutrients that white grains are missing.

6. Stick with water

Perhaps the easiest way to cut extra calories and sugar out of your meal when eating out is by choosing to drink water rather than pop. Sweetened alcoholic drinks like cocktails are also full of sugar. If you need something a little more flavourful, then consider unsweetened tea or a low-calorie, fruit-flavoured sparkling beverage.

With these six simple tips in mind, you can keep your diet on track whether you are sitting down at a restaurant or picking up fast food. Making better food choices when dining out will quickly become second-nature.