Eating Out

It isn't easy eating healthy at restaurants. You never know how things are cooked or what ingredients are used. How much and what kind of fat? Salt? Sugar?

But when your girlfriends want to meet for lunch, of course you go. I went to one such lunch with the library ladies on Monday. We meet at a Chinese buffet that has more choices than I've seen anywhere else.

So how does one navigate through the rows of steaming dishes? I skip the American aisle of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, French fries, pizza, etc. I also skip the egg rolls, fried sweet breads, and other deep fat fried foods.

The salad bar has good choices: bowls of greens, raw vegetables and fresh fruit. I avoid the puddings, Jello and pasta salads that are on the same table.

Our restaurant has poached salmon. Not my favorite way to cook salmon but it's most likely a healthy choice. On Monday I went through the rows of combination foods like beef and broccoli, and picked out a few veggies from each. I tried to get as little sauce with the veggies as possible since there's no telling what was in them. I got a bunch of crunchy green beans out of a bowl of their own and a mushroom dish that was so tasty I'm sure it was cooked in something decadent. Water to drink and a fortune cookie for dessert made a satisfying meal.

I had a great time catching up with friends. It's important to put more focus on the people while choosing what you eat with care.

.