I heart Valentine’s Day

Sticking to the dieting rules is harder when you don’t write the menu. Gourmet dining can be fat-laden, sugar-packed and salt-crusted too. Chefs are charged with the sole purpose of making your mouth water and tastebuds roll over in defeat. But that’s not to say that you can’t book a romantic dinner for two, side order of brownie points please ...

The secret lies in making the right food choices, reining in portion sizes and keeping the booze in check. Restaurants provide extremely generous servings, far bigger than a standard portion, so don’t feel the need to clear your plate.

Choosing the healthiest option can be tough – especially if suckling pig is on the menu – and the last thing you want is to spend the first part of dinner dithering about which appetizer has the fewest calories. But follow our fuss-free guide to eating out and you can cut the fat without bypassing taste.

1. Ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side so you’re in control of how much you use.
2. Opt for grilled fish or meat and ask the waiter not to dress it with butter or oil.
3. Choose seasonal vegetables or fresh salads instead of hot chips – chips typically provide the most calories and fat of the meal.
4. Say ‘no thanks’ to crumbed or fried foods or those served with creamy or buttery sauces.
5. Ask for skim milk with your tea or coffee.
6. Finish your meal with fresh fruit or gelato rather than sugary, high-fat desserts and cheeses.
7. Watch the alcohol – a small glass or two is fine, but too much will stack on the calories and weaken your willpower. Start with water or a diet drink and alternate one alcoholic drink with one glass of water.

Pace yourself

Eating out and the enjoyment of food is all part of romance but the buzz and atmosphere of candle-lit dining can blunt your weight loss efforts. Research has shown that if you dine with another person you’ll eat about 35% more than if you eat alone. Here are some other tips to help you avoid getting caught up in the moment ...

• Wait for your date to start eating first.
• Slow down and try to be the slowest eater.
• Avoid large plates, use smaller plates.
• Stop eating before your date does.

Side issues

Order a side of steamed vegetables or a salad and you’ll not only be adding bulk to your meal but notching up some of your recommended five serves of vegies and two serves of fruit a day. Research by the Californian Department of Health Services associated eating out regularly with a lower intake of fruits and vegetables, particularly when it was fast food.

Eat this, not that

You’ll want to spend your Valentine’s date starry-eyed, not staring at the menu. So skip the head work and gen up on the green light and red light foods across the different world cuisines with our pass notes to eating out ...

Thai

Opt for	Avoid
Clear soup	Spring rolls
Plain satay skewers	Curry puffs
Mixed veg stir-fries	Massaman curries
Curries without coconut milk	Coconut milk curries, such as green/red curry
Tom Yum soup	Anything fried
Steamed rice	Rich satay sauces

Italian

Opt for	Avoid
Tomato-based sauces, such as Napolitano and arrabiata	Creamy pasta sauces, such as carbonara
Salads with sauce on the side	Cheese-filled pasta/ravioli
Thin-crust pizza with extra veg toppings	Garlic bread
Sorbet desserts	Pesto sauces
	Rich desserts, such as tiramisu

Indian

Opt for	Avoid
Lentil dishes, such as dahl	Deep fried starters, such as samosas
Tomato-based curry sauces, such as bhuna	Creamy Korma curries
Yoghurt-based sauces	Coconut-based curry sauces
Steamed rice	Butter/ghee
Plain naan or roti	Fried onion toppings
Tandoori dishes

Chinese

Opt for	Avoid
Steamed fish/seafood	Dim sum
Steamed dumplings	Fried rice
Stir-fries	Prawn toast
Chow meins	Spare ribs
Dishes in chilli, soy or oyster sauce	Prawn crackers
Black bean sauce dishes	Crispy duck
Jasmine tea	Sweet and sour pork
	Rich satay sauces

Spanish and Mexican

Opt for	Avoid
Frijoles (beans)	Cheese
Tomato-based dips	Guacamole
Grilled fish and meats	Sour cream
Fajitas, burritos and enchiladas (with fish, chicken or beans)	Fried potato skins
Chilli con carne	Fried meats and cheeses

Greek

Opt for	Avoid
Stuffed vine leaves	Fried cheese, such as halloumi
Grilled fish and meats, such as souvlaki	Moussaka
Tzatziki	Honey-laden pastries, such as baklava

Japanese

Clearly the healthiest option!

Opt for	Avoid
Sushi	Tempura and other fried dishes
Sashimi
Nori rolls
Miso soup
Udon noodles
Yakiatori (grilled chicken skewers)
Soba (buckwheat) noodles