7 Tips for Healthy Eating in Social Situations

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Going out to eat can be stressful when you have healthy goals or dietary restrictions. Walking into a restaurant unprepared can lead to throwing in the towel for that day, that week, or all together. It's so easy to adopt the "diet starts tomorrow" mentality when you see a menu full of tempting foods and you aren't prepared for it.

Social situations don't have to be stressful! I've done my fair share of "cheat meals" and throwing in the towel when I got tempted by foods. Sometimes it was worth it, but most of the time I wished I had stuck to my healthy eating habits. Over time (and after several rounds of Whole30), I've figured out how to plan ahead and stay on track when eating out. Here are my best bits of advice for navigating social situations like a pro!

Get your mind right

This is the first and most critical step. You have to decide that you're doing this for YOU, not for anyone else. Remind yourself daily of your "why" -- why you're cutting out certain foods, why you're trying to lose weight, why you're trying to eat healthy.

Maybe you're trying to lose weight so you have more energy to keep up with your kids or you're cutting out dairy to keep your allergies at bay. Keeping your mindset in a healthy place will help you make decisions around food more confidently.

Look up the menu ahead of time

It's pretty rare that I don't google the menu for a restaurant before I go there for a meal. You can find the menu for just about anything on the website of the restaurant. Look at it ahead of time and find a few healthy options when you're in a good mindset.

Tip: Restaurant doesn't have a website? Look on Yelp! A lot of times people will post photos of the menu on there.

Pick the restaurant

Let's face it, 9 times out of 10 people say "I don't care" when you're trying to pick a restaurant. This is the perfect opportunity to suggest a restaurant that you know has good quality food that will align with your healthy eating patterns. Some of my go-to healthy restaurants in Arizona are True Food Kitchen and Tocaya Organica. If I'm doing a Whole30, I opt for the compliant bowl at Chipotle or kabobs at Zoës Kitchen.

Have a healthy snack before you leave

There are times that I look at menus and don't find anything that aligns with my goals and also appeals to my taste buds (like bar food). If that's the case, eat before you leave so you aren't starving and tempted to order something off plan.

A lot of people think it's better to eat light earlier in the day to "save up calories" for later -- I think this is a big mistake! Eat bigger meals for breakfast and lunch when you have access to whole, nourishing foods and you won't be as tempted to overeat at the restaurant later.

Tip: This is also when healthy purse snacks come in handy! I always have packets of almond butter, meat sticks, and small packs of cashews and almonds in my purse for emergencies.

Ask for healthy swaps

If you really want part of a meal but it comes with something you don't care for, ask them to swap it for something else! You can swap sides, sauces, toppings, you name it. Some restaurants will also swap their cooking oil to olive oil at your request. Most restaurants are super accommodating, you just have to ask for what you want.

One water for every alcoholic drink (or offer to drive)

This is one you've probably heard time and time again, but it's genuinely helpful! For every drink, it takes an additional 12-16 oz of water to keep your body hydrated. For larger social gatherings, order a sparkling water with a lime and people won't even ask questions. I've also been known to offer to drive so I have the perfect excuse if I'm with people who might not understand my health goals, but only do this if you trust yourself to be responsible with it.

A little side note on this one: people sometimes get defensive if they're having a cocktail and you decide not to. Just keep in mind that other people's reactions have nothing to do with you. If you don't want to drink, be confident in that decision and don't feel left out if you opt for something else. Which leads me to my last point...

Don't be afraid to say a stern "no, thank you"

This is a tip that I got from Melissa Urban, co-founder of Whole30. A simple "no, thank you" with some eye contact can go a long way. You really shouldn't feel obligated to explain yourself if you choose not to eat or drink something that you know won't make you feel good. You're doing this for yourself and that's all you need to know!

This isn't to say you can't share your goals if you're excited about them or if another person is genuinely interested. In this case, share your why! If you're doing a specific program like the Whole30, practice your elevator speech so you can gracefully describe the program and why you're doing it. You might just inspire someone else to make healthy choices as well! Just remember you don't need to justify your actions by explaining them to someone else. You do you and be proud of it!

The Takeaway

You absolutely can go out to dinner or attend your work happy hour while staying on track with healthy eating. It just takes some planning ahead! I also feel it's important to share that while these tips have helped me in the past, I don't follow my own advice 100% of the time.

Sometimes I feel like indulging when I'm going out to eat and it took me a long time to be okay with that. I don't restrict my calories to prepare, I don't throw in the towel because I ate one thing off plan, and I don't beat myself up for it. I enjoy the meal while I have it and then I get right back on track with my next meal. If I can do it, anyone can!