We all love eating out. But, is it bothering you because you are on a diet and have to dine with a friend? Sure, you will be concerned about the amount of calories, fat or salt in a restaurant's menu items. 【小题1】

Choose the right place.

Always plan ahead when you know that you have to dine out. Look for the restaurants that serve delicious meals that are low in fat. 【小题2】 You’re more likely to overeat there. Once you’ve decided the place, get familiar with their food menu. Decide what you re going to order before you go.

Start with a soup.

One easy approach to stick to your diet when eating out is starting with a soup. Order vegetable or bean-based but avoid cream-based soups. This will keep you from sitting hungry and fill you up. 【小题3】

【小题4】

Salt improves food’s flavour and is often used heavily in restaurant meals. When you dine out, ask the attendant to prepare food without added salt. Ask about the ingredients to see if there are items that may be higher in salt. Moreover, it is better to limit the use of condiments (调料) such as mustard, ketchup, pickle and sauces as they may contain salt that you don' t need. Instead of salty appetisers (开胃小吃), choose fruit and vegetable salad.

Don’t eat it all.

【小题5】 To avoid overeating, you can split a meal with a companion or put half the meal in a plate and leave the rest.

Sticking to a healthy diet doesn't mean you have to turn down everyone’s offer when asked to eat out.

No matter how old your kids are, you can take steps to improve a healthy diet and to encourage good eating habits.

【小题1】Children like to guess what they are going to have and parents get the chance to introduce new foods to children. Parents can also use the mealtime as a chance to talk with their kids about their life.

【小题2】That’s why it’s important to have enough healthy snacks, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, yogurt and whole-grain biscuits.

The best way for you to encourage healthy eating is to eat well yourself. Kids will follow the lead of the adults they see every day. By eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding fast food and sweet drinks, you are sending the right message.

Parents might find themselves shouting at children to get them to have healthy foods in front of them. 【小题4】You need to work a bit on different cooking methods.

【小题5】Talk to them about making choices and planning a healthy meal. It can help them to make good decisions on their own about the foods they want to eat.

Fast food chains have tried for years to appeal to customers who care about their health. They have added lighter food to their menus, such as salads and yogurt. Of course, the lighter food goes with the usual burgers, fried chicken and shakes.

Menus have changed over the past three decades. According to a recent study, fast food menus are less healthy than they were 30 years ago. The study suggests the problem is getting worse. The fat, salt content and size of fast food meals are the problem. They are often the reason for the rising obesity (肥胖) rate among adults in the United States. The researchers found that the average main dish weighed more in 2016 than in 1986. It also had more calories and more sodium (钠). One expert said, “The restaurants have not done enough. The big picture is that there have been some positive changes, but they are small. Overall, the changes have gotten worse.”

The average fast food dessert had more calories in 2016. It also weighed more than the average fast food dessert thirty years earlier. Restaurants are counting on bigger sundaes and cookies to increase the amount spent on each order. For example, McDonald’s recently introduced “donut sticks” dusted with sugar. Six sticks have 280 calories. But you can also order 12 sticks for less than the cost of two single orders.

The researchers found that, over the 30 years, there were more calories in items like chips, soup, and French fries. Sodium content rose even though portion(一份) size did not grow much. When consumed together as a single meal, the study found that the average main dish and side order account for nearly 40 percent of a 2000-calory daily diet.