How to eat right at the Mall Food Court

What to Eat at the Food Court

(From Diabetic Living magazine)

 

When your hunger bell rings in the halls of the mall, the food court is ready with all kinds of tempting morsels. Unfortunately, the less-healthful picks usually outweigh the nutritious choices. At most malls, you're faced with menus that boast burgers, fries, pizza, subs, sweet rolls, and pretzels. When you're attempting to eat healthfully, what should you order?

 

By Hope S. Warshaw, M.S., R.D., CDE, BC-ADM

 

Finding Healthful Options

"Mall food courts can be danger zones that serve up plenty of deep-fried or cheese-topped offerings," says Anne Daly, M.S., R.D., CDE, BC-ADM, director of the Springfield Diabetes and Endocrine Center in Illinois. "A key to success is having a plan of attack for finding healthful options." With a handful of strategies, you can put together nutritious meals to match your diabetes eating goals, as well as fuel your power shopping.

 

Healthful Menu Options

For lunch or dinner, opt for the following and you'll be striking a good nutrition bargain:

·         Main-dish salad with a low-calorie dressing on the side. Then go light on the dressing.

·         Pizza loaded with veggies rather than high-fat meats and cheeses. Limit yourself to one large or two small slices. And thin crust keeps the carbs down.

·         6-inch sub with turkey, lean ham, or roast beef on whole grain bread. Pile on the vegetables -- lettuce, tomatoes, peppers (green and hot), and onions -- and other low-fat toppers. Request mustard and vinegar, but skip the oil and mayonnaise.

·         Grilled chicken sandwich with a garden salad or baked chips.

·         Roasted chicken quarter with two steamed-vegetable side dishes.

·         Vegetable plate or stir-fry with brown or white rice.

·         Baked potato stuffed with broccoli or chili and a little cheese sauce.

 

Nutrition Lowdown

·         Many national restaurant chains offer nutrition information for their menu items on the Web or at the counter. Plan ahead to meet your meal-plan targets. Before you dine out, search the restaurant's Web site or refer to a restaurant dining resource to find healthful menu items and combinations. Add the nutrition numbers to make your choices. Try to stay within your car, sodium, and saturated fat limits.

·         If you approach shopping for snacks or meals as strategically as you do shopping for gifts, you'll soon discover the best nutrition values by comparing numbers.

 

10 At-the-Mall Eating Tips

Keep these suggestions in mind the next time you head for the mall:

1.    Don't let yourself get too hungry, which can lead to over-ordering and overeating.

2.    Pick your restaurant and determine your order before the sights and smells influence you. "Odds are that you know the restaurants and menu items already," Daly says. "Have an order at the tip of your tongue, and don't hesitate."

3.    Enjoy a salad or broth- or bean-base soup as a starter so you'll feel full and eat less overall.

4.    Order a couple of small items to share. You can eat small amounts from two or three vendors and enjoy a medley of tastes without overindulging.

5.    Take advantage of a la carte ordering -- try an appetizer, a side item, a bowl of soup, or a piece of fruit.

6.    Look for smaller portions. Panda Express offers two-item versus three-item entree plates. Order pizza by the slice or half of a sandwich. Ask for child-size portions, whether it's a main course or a frozen dessert.

7.    Don't spend your calories on sugar in beverages unless those calories offer nutrition, such as fat-free milk or 100 percent juice. Or opt for water, sparkling water, or unsweetened iced tea.

8.    Bring along thirst-quenching, low-calorie fluids to save on pocket change, quell hunger, and stay hydrated. "I never leave home without my water bottle," says Jean Ortman, who is aiming to prevent type 2 diabetes.

9.    Spend some extra steps. Walk as much as you can while shopping to burn more calories.

10.  Steer clear of food courts altogether. "If I'm shopping for hours, I bring along healthful snacks or enjoy a balanced meal at a sit-down restaurant," Ortman says. "If it's a short excursion, I eat before I leave home."

Hope Warshaw, M.S., R.D., CDE, BC-ADM, wrote the American Diabetes Association's Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating and is on the editorial board of Diabetic Living Magazine.