DAYTON EATS
Turn to us every Sunday in Life & Arts for the latest menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes, and culinary adventures brought to you by contributing writer Alexis Larsen. Bon appetite!
Deal of the week!
Last week, we featured the 40 reasons we love Jay's Seafood. And now they've given us one more — The Oregon District restaurant is running a promotion now through Feb. 29, that offers a free promotional certificate for $19.76 with the purchase of a $40 gift certificate. Certificates cannot be used the same day as purchase, are only valid with food purchases and cannot be used with happy hour. They may not be used with other gift certificates. The promotional certificate expires on Nov. 30. For more information call (937) 222-2892 or visit www.jays.com.
February is the new January.
Over the last several years, parties from the holidays have bled into the first month of the new year … catching up with friends we couldn’t connect with in December has increasingly been taking place in January.
And it’s not just me — many of the folks I have spoken with say January has become an extension of the holidays.
It used to be that in January I would get motivated to count calories, work at improving my eating habits, drink more water and have laser focus on trying to be healthier.
This year, the first week of February marked the beginning of this exercise in smart, more informed caloric decision making for me. Appropriately, it’s also the start of National Heart Month.
In the end, it’s an exercise that more of us need to attempt.
Last year, for the first time ever, Americans’ spending on dining out overtook grocery sales, according to Commerce Department data. And research published less than a month ago in the Journal of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that an overwhelming 92 percent of dishes on restaurant menus exceed the calories required in a meal before you’ve ordered a drink, appetizer or anything else.
With hidden calories lurking around almost every corner, it’s more critical than ever that we watch what we are eating — especially when dining out — spending our calories on dishes that are truly worth it.
It’s not realistic to think that I’m not going to eat out this month … or next month … or the month after that, but there are things I can be doing to make better decisions during February that hopefully extend into the rest of the year.
The bulk of my strategies for the month come courtesy of The American Heart Association, which offers the following smart tips when ordering a meal when dining out:
• Avoid ordering before-the-meal “extras” like cocktails, appetizers, bread and butter.
• Ask for butter, cream cheese, salad dressings, sauces and gravies to be served on the side, so you can control the quantity you consume.
• Instead of fried fish or chicken, choose baked, broiled or grilled fish or chicken.
• Steer clear of high-sodium foods – including any food that’s served pickled, in cocktail sauce, smoked, in broth or au jus, or in soy or teriyaki sauce.
• Avoid dishes with lots of cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.
• Be selective at salad bars and be careful of the dressing. Choose fresh greens, raw vegetables, fresh fruits, garbanzo beans and reduced-fat, low-fat, light or fat-free dressings.
• Don’t be hesitant to ask your server how particular foods are prepared or what ingredients they contain and don’t be shy about making special requests.
• Ask whether the restaurant can prepare your food to order — for example, by leaving off or going very light on dressings, butter, cheese or other high-fat items.
• Ask whether healthy substitutions are possible. For example, if a dish comes with French fries or onion rings, ask whether you can get a baked potato with vegetables, and low-fat or fat-free sour cream or soft margarine on the side. Although some substitutions may cost a little extra, the health benefits are well worth it.
• Help control your weight by asking for smaller portions, sharing entrees with a companion, or putting half of your meal in a to-go box to enjoy another time.
• Fried, au gratin, crispy, escalloped, pan-fried, sautéed or stuffed foods are high in fat and calories. Instead, look for steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached or roasted foods.
• Request that visible fat be trimmed from meat and skin be removed from poultry before cooking.
I’ve always loved the quote change your life, change your habits.
With guidelines like these, hopefully I can put some good habits in place over the next month.
It’s not about eliminating great food, it’s about being more informed and choosing wisely when you want to splurge.
Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Send me your menu updates, special dinners and events, news about new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? E-mail Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.
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