• Twenty years ago a bagel was three inches in diameter and had 140 calories. Now the average bagel is more than twice that—around 350 calories.
• Americans take food away from a restaurant more than they stay and eat.
• Around 20% of restaurant meals are purchased at a drive-thru (or curbside).
• Fast-service/fast food restaurants account for almost 75% of all restaraunt visits.
• Three of the top five purchases at restaurants for children under the age of six are french fries, hamburgers and chicken nuggets

Who doesn't like to eat out? For most of us, it's not just a meal, it's our lifestyle. Whether that's a night out with dinner and friends, a quick stop at the local fast food place to pick up something, or room service during the business trip. The fact is we are out and about—eating here, there and everywhere.

It can be a challenge to eat right and eat well at the same time, especially on the go or out.  We can choose where to eat, but sometimes there aren't many choices. Or we can't actually control what is served or on the menu. Meeting friends out may mean you don't get to choose where to eat.

But there are things we can do each time we eat out that can make a big difference in both eating well and weight management (or weight loss, depending on your aim).

Portion size

It isn't just the fast food places that are super-sizing. Many restaurants serve much more than what are considered normal portion sizes (based on a 2000 calorie diet). But that's of little help when the plate arrives at the table. And for many of us, what we see is what we eat.

Calorie chaos

The number of calories you take in is very important; also important are the types of calories you're taking in.  The nutrients and substances contained in what we eat can help or hinder our goal to eat well. Many if not most fast food places now have posted the nutritional values and composition of their meals. 

Take a look and make informed choices. Fountain drinks (those sweetened with sugar, fructose, corn syrup and the like) have many calories with little nutritive value. Fats provide flavor and nutritive value, up to a point. Too much fat  in the wrong forms (saturated fat, trans fat) is not good, both in terms of calories and the negative health issues associated with them.

What you can do

Armed with a few good tips and strategies, we can make the most of eating out and still eat well. While some of the tips are also important at home, when you are out and eating they can really help you avoid putting on extra pounds. 

• Look and ask for lean, low-fat (or fat-free). Most fast food restaurants have these options today. Restaurants may not point out which menu items are lean or low-fat, but the type of entree (fish, pork loin, a lean sirloin) and how it is cooked (fried vs. baked or grilled) are usually good indicators. When in doubt, ask how the item is prepared.
• Include good calories and nutrients. Look for whole grains. Add and include vegetables and fruits, many of which have good fiber and will help you feel full without a lot of calories (unless the broccoli is slathered with cheese sauce and butter).
• Watch the salt and sugars. At a fast food restaraunt, take a look at the sodium content. You might be surprised just what items are higher in salt—sometimes the sodium content is a result of how an item is prepared. Look for the nutritional labeling and the Daily Value (DV) percentages included (ideally, DV should be less than 5%). Skip the sugary drinks (including juice drinks) and go for the diet version. Better yet (nutritionally), go for a low-fat milk. The protein in milk helps satiate, or make you feel full.