Restaurant Portion Control Tips
How to enjoy your favorite restaurant, buffet, fast food, or takeout meals without the guilt or discomfort of overindulging.
Use our pro tips to enjoy your favorite restaurant meals and feel your best once you’re done!
Request a takeout box when you order
Ask for a takeout box when you place your order. When the food arrives, place half of your entrée in it. With the second half of your entrée out of sight, it will be less tempting to eat, and you’ll also be able to enjoy leftovers the next day!
Remove your plate immediately
As soon as you’re finished eating and feel content (not hungry or overly full), have the waitstaff remove your plate from the table.
If your plate sits on the table in front of you while others finish eating, chances are you’ll continue to pick at it or add shared food to it (bread, chips, etc.), even if you’re not hungry.
If you’re finished eating and haven’t seen the waitstaff, make your food less tempting or less convenient to consume by:
Moving your plate away from you (even if it’s just a few inches).
Placing a napkin over your food to cover it up.
Etc.
One of my clients used to pour water over her french fries once she felt content and wanted to stop eating. She knew if her fries were soggy, she would no longer be tempted to eat them.
Pay attention to your hunger
Check in with yourself a few times throughout your meal to gauge your level of hunger and fullness. Continue to eat if you’re hungry, and stop when you feel content.
5 Differences Between Physical and Mental Hunger
Paying attention to how you feel during a meal can help limit your food intake to just the right amount and prevent eating to the point of feeling uncomfortably full.
Eat mindfully
Slow down and pay attention to the following details about your food:
Aroma
Flavor
Texture
Color
Etc.
Engage all five senses in your eating experience and truly appreciate your meal and where it came from.
Share a meal or dessert
Split an entrée or dessert with someone. Sharing a dessert can be a great way to enjoy a sweet treat while limiting your intake of added sugar. It can also be a social gesture and save you some money!
Order a half portion
If you want to limit your food portions but don’t have the option to share a meal or take food home with you, consider ordering a half portion of food (if the restaurant allows).
You may have to pay the full price of a meal, but it could be worth avoiding the potential consequences of overeating (feeling uncomfortable, bloated, guilty, etc.).
Stay away from ‘bottomless’ beverages
Other than water or herbal tea, skip drinks that come with free refills. Common bottomless beverages at sit-down restaurants include iced or sweet teas, lemonade, soft drinks, and brunch beverages.
It’s too easy to over-consume caloric and sugary beverages when you’re guaranteed a refill. In fact, the waitstaff might not even ask if you want more; they might just refill your glass.
Opt for a single glass of a caloric beverage. Let the waitstaff know ahead of time that you don’t want a refill or place a hand over your glass to signal no refill…unless of course it’s water!
Order an appetizer or kid’s meal
Consider ordering an appetizer or kid’s meal for your entrée if the restaurant allows it. Chances are these choices are closer to a reasonable portion of food than an entrée. They’re also likely to be less expensive.
Skip appetizers altogether unless you’re ordering one as a meal. Otherwise, you might start to feel full before your meal arrives, yet still want to eat your entire entrée.
Fill up on veggies
If you want to eat something before your meal, choose a small salad with lots of vegetables and a vinaigrette salad dressing. Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are important for health, and also contain fiber to help keep you satisfied.
Simple Ways to Eat More Vegetables
Sip on water
Take a sip of water between bites of food. Not only will this help keep you hydrated, but it can also serve as a chance to check in with your level of hunger or fullness.
If you don’t like plain water or find it too boring for a restaurant meal, order sparkling water and/or ask for a lemon or lime wedge to put in your glass. You could also try cucumber or fruit slices if that happens to come with your meal.
Don’t go to the restaurant starving
If you know you’ve gone too long without eating, have a light and healthy snack before you get to the restaurant. This can help you make a healthy and thought-out choice when ordering instead of making an impulse decision due to your hunger level.
A small snack to tide you over can also prevent overeating or “scarfing down food” once it arrives.
Remove the basket of bread or chips
Ask the waitstaff to remove the basket of bread or chips after you’ve had a small amount, or ask them not to bring the basket out at all. If you’re busy eating from the bread or chip basket (which usually gets refilled), it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll feel full before your meal arrives.
If you’re at a large table or with a large group of people and others want to the food to stay, see if you can keep the basket at the other end of the table, or at least as far away from you as possible.
The closer and more visible something is, the more likely you are to eat it.
Limit alcohol
Limit your alcohol intake before and during a meal. Alcohol can lower your inhibitions and make it harder to practice portion control and pay attention to internal hunger cues.
Your plan to make healthy choices might go right out the window after consuming an alcoholic beverage.
Skip the buffet
Avoid buffets and “all-you-can-eat” meals when possible. Practicing portion control in these situations is difficult with so many choices and temptations, unlimited food, and with people around likely consuming large amounts of food.
If you do eat at a buffet, here are some tips to follow:
Avoid an “I have to get my money’s worth” mindset.
Limit your trips or number of plates to one or two, and decide on the number ahead of time.
Look at all of your food options and decide what you’ll eat before filling your plate.
Use a salad plate to serve yourself instead of a dinner plate.
Keep space between the food on your plate.
Stop justifying overeating
Listen to your internal dialogue and notice things you might be telling yourself to justify overeating. Common excuses or justifications to overeat include:
“I’m on vacation.”
“I don’t want the food to go to waste.”
“I had a rough week. I deserve it.”
“My friends (or family) are in town.”
“It’s Friday (or any other day).”
“I’ll get back on track tomorrow.”
Once you’re aware of your internal dialogue, see if you can rephrase what you’re telling yourself in a way that feels supportive and aligns with your health, wellness, or weight loss goals. Think about how you could approach the situation differently.
For example:
If you had a rough week, and want to treat yourself, how might you do that without food?
If you don’t want to waste food, could you take part of your meal home to enjoy the next day?
Etc.
Follow healthy dinner plate rules
Order a meal that resembles a healthy and balanced plate of food:
Half of your plate is filled with non-starchy vegetables (broccoli, salad greens, etc.).
One quarter of your plate contains a starchy vegetable or grain (sweet potato, pasta, etc.).
The remaining quarter of your plate contains a protein source (meat, eggs, etc.).
Intentionally leave food behind
Resign from the “Clean Plate Club” and practice leaving food on your plate on purpose. Leave one bite of food behind at one meal, and then progress to two bites the next time. Practice so that it becomes easier to do over time, and know that it’s okay!
Know that you can always take this food home with you.
Be the last one to finish eating
Aim to be the last person at the table to finish eating. This strategy can help you slow down your eating and give you time to check in with your level of hunger and fullness throughout the meal.
A few tricks to help you eat slower include eating with your non-dominant hand, setting your food or utensil down between bites, and pacing yourself with the slowest eater at the table.
You can still enjoy your favorite restaurant meals and successfully achieve your health, wellness, or weight loss goals without following strict diet rules and without counting calories or points.
Use your favorite portion control tip during your restaurant visit, and your body will thank you!