Top Tips for Eating Out
Many of us enjoy eating out in a restaurant, café, work canteen, or from a takeaway regularly. While we can check labels in the supermarket, there is usually no information available on the menu to let us know how much salt there is in the food we are eating. Some larger chains have websites which give nutritional information for their meals. However, while checking these websites in advance before you eat out may help you identify low-salt options, it is time-consuming and often not very practical.
You may be surprised how much salt there is in some of your favourite meals that you eat in a restaurant or from a takeaway. Here is a quick guide to eating less salt out of the home:
• What to choose from the menu? - Choose items from the menu that tend to be lower in salt such as plain meat or fish and steamed vegetables, rather than obviously salty food such as ham, bacon, salami, smoked fish, or anything with the words 'salt' or 'soy' in the name.
• Make it your choice - Don't be afraid to ask the chef for little or no salt to be added to your meal. Most chefs will be willing to add less salt to food if you ask, after all they wouldn't dream of adding sugar to your tea or coffee without asking you, so why should they add salt?
• Keep it simple -Asking for less salt to be added to food is easier with some dishes like steaks, grilled fish or chicken which can be prepared and cooked with less salt. Ask for no salt to be added by the chef and then give it a squeeze of lemon and a grinding of black pepper at the table and you will have a perfectly tasty dish.
• Beware of hidden salt in 'healthy options' - Salads often have many salty additions, such as: croutons, olives, cheese, dressing, marinated meat/vegetables, cured meat, smoked salmon etc
• Know your marinades and sauces - Ask for any sauces served with your meal to be 'on the side' so that you can taste them and choose how much you want with your food. For more information on sauces please click here: Link to sauce page
• NEVER add salt to your food without tasting it first - Salt is often added by the chef as well as the food manufacturers, therefore adding it at the table is unnecessary and rarely required.
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