If you are planning on eating healthy when you dine out, you need to do your homework before you arrive at the restaurant. Many restaurants, especially chain and fast food restaurants, have their menus and nutritional information per serving listed online, so you can check on these at home before you dine out. Google in the name of the restaurant and nutritional information on your home or work computer. A good Web site to visit is HealthyDiningFinder.com. This Web site is partially funded by the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and is staffed by registered dietitians. Simply type in your zip code and price range and it is free.

The following strategies will help you stick to your goal of eating healthier when you dine out also.

Keep portion sizes small and don’t supersize. The Burger King meal consisting of a Whopper, large fries and large soft drink contains 1,422 calories, 67 grams of fat and 149 grams of carbohydrate. If you substitute a Whopper Junior, small french fries and a Diet Coke or water,  that meal contains 640 calories, 37 grams of  fat and 62 grams of carbohydrate. To make that meal healthier, you can substitute a side salad with reduced fat dressing in place of the small french fries.

The Whopper Junior with a side salad and one packet of Ken’s light Italian dressing contains 505 calories, 33 grams of fat and 31 grams of carbohydrate.

If you request the Whopper Junior without mayonnaise you may subtract 100 calories and 10 grams of fat.

It is tempting to order a meal deal at fast food restaurants because it is quick and easy but these deals are often much higher in fat and calories. Ask your server if you can substitute a side salad and low-fat dressing in place of the french fries and order a sugar-free beverage or ice tea when ordering these. The McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, medium french fries and a medium soft drink containing sugar contains 935 calories, 39 grams of fat and 122 grams of carbohydrate.

The Quarter Pounder with a side salad with one packet of light balsamic dressing and unsweetened ice tea contains 470 calories, 22 grams of fat and 37 grams of carbohydrate. Instead of a meal deal you can also order menu items separately.

You could order a yogurt parfait at McDonald’s in place of french fries. Burger King offers a Motts strawberry applesauce or apple fries which are real apples cut to resemble french fries with a caramel dip. Kids enjoy the apple fries. It is just a matter of changing eating habits by making some healthier substitutions! Subway and Quiznos also offer healthy selections. Order the six-inch Subway and add lots of fresh vegetables. Tell them not to add the additional mayonnaise and oil and this will save you many calories and be much lower in fat content.

Don’t drink your calories. Coffee Drinks, Soda and Sweetened Tea can add up in calories and carbohydrates fast, especially if you are ordering the large drinks. Order water with a lemon slice or unsweetened tea instead. There are some lower calorie, lower fat and carbohydrate options available at Starbucks and similar coffee shops. A grande-size Caffe’ Americano contains 15 calories and 0 grams of fat and carbohydrate and you can order this iced as well. Skip the cream and add skim milk if desired. A grande-sized Cappuccino is 120 calories, 4 grams of fat and 12 grams of carbohydrate per serving . A skinny latte, which comes in assorted flavors, is made with skim milk and no added whipped cream and only contains 130 calories, 0 grams of fat and 12 grams of carbohydrate. You can add one pump of sugar-free syrup to these and that adds 0 calories. The grande-size white chocolate mocha with whipped cream contains 410 calories, 15 grams of fat and 56 grams of carbohydrate so buyer beware if you are trying to limit your calories, carbohydrate and fat since this drink is much higher in all three.

Become a fat finder. When reviewing the menu items, avoid high fat selections which are deep fried, smothered in cheese or have added gravy or high fat sauces added. Limit high-fat meats such as sausage, bacon and prime rib to occasional use. Canadian bacon or a sirloin steak are much leaner. If they serve you too much take half of the meal home with you and heat up in the microwave the next day. Kentucky Fried Chicken is now offering a grilled chicken which is much lower in  fat, calories and carbohydrates than the regular or crispy chicken.

If you are ordering a wrap and it has ranch dressing in the wrap, order the dressing on the side and ask for the reduced-fat version of the dressing. This can save you at least 100 or more calories.

Make healthy selections at buffets and try to avoid second portions. If you are eating there, scan the selections before you choose. Most buffets offer healthy foods such as salads also so start out with some salad and fresh fruit to help fill yourself up so you won’t eat so much of the main menu items. Limit fried foods to one small serving such as one egg roll. Soups which are not creamy or cheesy are good selections also unless you have to limit  your sodium intake. At Chinese restaurants, choose the stir fried dishes with many vegetables but avoid those in which the meat has been deep fried. Rice and lo mein are low in fat content but watch your portion size due to the calorie and carbohydrate content of these foods.