Just because you’re on a diet or watching what you eat doesn’t mean you can’t still treat yourself to a delicious dining out experience and make the most of your tastecard membership! Healthier options can be just as mouth-watering and irresistible as even the greasiest of burgers, and we’ve got plenty of restaurants with menus to prove just that! So let us help you give the green light to your greens with our tips on how to eat healthy when dining out.
Tom Pressman
27-07-2024
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way, shall we? The first step most people have to take towards a healthier diet is making sure they get their vegetables down them. But hear us out, this doesn’t have to be the chore that most people seem to think it is! You can always rely on an Indian restaurant to boast an extensive vegetarian menu with plenty of healthy dishes, stacked with veggies and equal amounts of spices and flavours.
1580 in Birmingham is a personal fave of ours, with plenty of lentil-based daal dishes and spiced aubergine plates. With so much flavour, you won’t even notice the absence of meat in these filling meals.
We’re not necessarily advocating for Atkins, but it’s no secret that eating excessive carbs can lead to weight gain. There are ways around this, however, with plenty of restaurants serving whole grain carb meals, rather than your regular pastas or bread-based dishes. Keep an eye out for quinoa or brown rice substitutes at some of your favourite international spots for a healthier alternative.
As good as it can make your meals taste, frying food is unfortunately one of the most unhealthy ways to cook meat. Instead, we would recommend opting for dishes that are either grilled or steamed. Mediterranean dishes tend to mostly feature a range of vegetables, but can often include a flavoursome selection of grilled meats, making for an undeniably healthy combo.
Ambience is a delicious Turkish Mediterranean restaurant with an irresistible selection of healthy grilled plates for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. With 25% off your total bill, you can enjoy a Charcoal Grilled Chicken Salad, or a veggie stuffed Imam Bayildi as well as plenty of delectable Cold Mezes plates.
We all know how tempting it can be to wash down a meal with a cold pint or a fruity cocktail. We don’t know about you, but the lovely staff here at tastecard struggle to stop at just the one! And when it comes to their calorie count, it isn’t always worth it. So why not save yourself the guilt (and the money) by dining with a refreshing glass of tap water and really let the flavours of the food speak for themselves? There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a cheeky bevvy every once in a while, but if you’re wondering how to eat healthy when dining out, cutting out the alcohol is a strong place to start.
Sharing is caring and tapas is a great way to enjoy some of your favourite dishes in much smaller portions. So why not head to a restaurant that serves a sumptuous selection of small plates and share that slightly unhealthier option with a friend? Then fill yourself up on a few other tasty and slightly more green options as your main event.
La Bandera is a perfect example of a delightful Spanish tapas spot with plenty of healthy small plates that are so good, you won’t even feel the loss of those unhealthier dishes! Try out the Lubina Al Mojo Verde for a tantalising grilled fish dish with the Ensalada Mixta for a refreshingly good veggie option.
Italian, American, tapas - it’s all available to you at tastecard. Get ready to enjoy the flavours of the world without even having to leave the UK with tastecard!
