5 Tips For Cutting Fat Grams And Calories At Your Favorite Bar And Grill

Posted on: 8 July 2015

There are so many things to love about a nice bar and grill. Not only do they often serve delicious food, but they're also a great place to hang out and have a few drinks with friends. If you're watching your fat gram and calorie consumption, however, you may have been staying out of your favorite bar and grills. Luckily, your social life doesn't have to suffer just because you're on a diet. If you want to enjoy food and drinks at your favorite neighborhood spot, follow these tips to do so without consuming too many fat grams and calories.

1. Skip the Appetizers

Although there are generally plenty of healthy options at most bar and grills, the healthy options generally aren't found on the appetizer menu. Popular appetizers like hot wings and mozzarella sticks are often deep fried and contain tons of fat grams. Skip the appetizer to save your fat grams and calories for your main meal. Even better, try munching on a big salad instead of ordering an appetizer -- then, you can fill up on yummy fresh vegetables so that you won't overindulge when your entree arrives.

2. Stay Away from Soda

There's no reason to waste your calories on soda when there are so many other options. Order a glass of water to sip on instead of downing soda; then, you can save a few calories to order a light beer or a waist-friendly cocktail, such as a vodka and tonic, instead.

3. Know Which Bad Words to Look Out For

Some menus contain "bad words" that will let you know that your entree is going to be fat- and calorie-ridden. Foods that are fried, battered, creamy or cheesy are generally fattening. Look instead for words that indicate healthier dishes, such as "grilled" or "broiled."

4. Pick the Right Sides

It's not always a bad thing to order a delicious steak or other entree, but you can easily kill your otherwise reasonable meal with the side dishes. French fries, onion rings and baked potatoes that are stuffed with butter, cheese, sour cream and bacon bits are common at bar and grills but can be more fat- and calorie-ridden than many people realize. To enjoy your main dish without feeling guilty, try eating it with a side of steamed vegetables.

5. Pack it Up

When you receive your entree, it's a good idea to go ahead and package half of it up in a to-go box. Restaurant meals are usually huge, but eating a more reasonable portion can help you keep your fat grams and calories in check.

Eating at a bar and grill can be a total diet killer, but it doesn't have to be. If you follow these five tips, you can enjoy the atmosphere and fun at your favorite local spot without ruining your diet.

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