{"id":16824,"date":"2020-06-17T16:39:16","date_gmt":"2020-06-17T20:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/finding-more-fiber-rich-foods-when-eating-out\/"},"modified":"2020-12-08T16:34:55","modified_gmt":"2020-12-08T21:34:55","slug":"finding-more-fiber-rich-foods-when-eating-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caloriecontrol.org\/finding-more-fiber-rich-foods-when-eating-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding More Fiber-Rich Foods When Eating Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

Robyn Flipse, MS, MA, RDN<\/strong><\/p>\n

Research on the eating habits of Americans shows that our consumption of \u201cfoods away from home\u201d* has been steadily rising since 1987. The amount of household food budgets spent on foods away from home surpassed the amount spent for \u201cfood at home\u201d in 2010 when it reached 50.2 percent. (1) It has held that lead ever since.<\/p>\n

Sources for the meals, snacks and beverages Americans eat away from home include quick-service, fast-casual and full-service restaurants; cafeterias, canteens and concessions; convenience stores, mobile food vendors and vending machines; and delis, bakeries, and drinking places. While a wide range of menu options are available in these outlets, the nutrient quality of the foods selected when eating in them traditionally has been higher in calories, fat, sodium and sugar than food from home. (1)<\/p>\n

More recently, the quality of foods eaten away from home has become more similar to that of foods eaten at home due, in part, to the greater availability of healthy options on menus and the declining quality of the choices being served at home. (1) \u00a0Unfortunately, our intake of dietary fiber, an \u201cunderconsumed\u201d nutrient according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020, is still not at recommended levels in either setting. (2)<\/p>\n

Wellness professionals can help their clients close this gap by guiding them to fiber rich options when eating away from home in addition to those they can readily find in the grocery store for meals prepared at home.<\/p>\n

One way to add more fiber-rich foods away from home is by making Smart Swaps and Substitutions<\/em>. For example, rather than ordering the most popular \u201ccombos\u201d on the menu, consumers can swap out something in those combos for one more serving<\/em> of \u00a0fruit, vegetable, whole grains, beans, nuts or seeds as illustrated in the chart. If they don\u2019t see the swap they want on the menu, they should be encouraged to ask for it since the more requests a restaurant receives for an item the more likely it will be to provide it in the future. The establishment may also suggest an alternative. Additionally, consumers may find higher fiber options by looking for the \u201chealthier choice\u201d icon featured on many menus today.<\/p>\n

SMART SWAPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS TO INCREASE FIBER WHEN EATING AWAY FROM HOME<\/strong><\/p>\n

BREAKFAST:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
SUBSTITUTE THIS<\/strong><\/td>\nFOR THIS<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fruit cup or sliced tomato<\/td>\nHome fried potatoes or hash browns<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Half grapefruit or citrus sections<\/td>\nOrange juice or grapefruit juice<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whole wheat toast or seeded rye toast<\/td>\nWhite bread toast, English muffin or biscuit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Oatmeal with fruit or quinoa porridge<\/td>\nCream of wheat or grits<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pancakes or waffles with berries or bananas<\/td>\nPancakes or waffles with syrup or whipped cream<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bran muffin or corn muffin<\/td>\nDonut or pastry<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vegetable omelet or burrito<\/td>\nHam or sausage omelet or burrito<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fruit and yogurt parfait with granola<\/td>\nFruit smoothie<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Avocado on toast or bagel<\/td>\nCream cheese on toast or bagel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Huevos Rancheros (eggs, beans, salsa, tortilla)<\/td>\nEggs Benedict<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

LUNCH:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cole slaw or apple slices<\/td>\nFrench fries or potato chips<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whole wheat bread, roll or wrap<\/td>\nWhite bread, roll or wrap<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Black bean, lentil, or split pea soup<\/td>\nChicken noodle, chicken rice or matzo ball soup<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Minestrone or mushroom barley soup<\/td>\nCream of potato, broccoli or mushroom soup<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Salad topped with nuts, beans or seeds<\/td>\nSalad topped with croutons, bacon bits or cheese<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Extra lettuce, tomato, onions or peppers on a burger or sandwich<\/td>\nExtra cheese or meat on a burger or sandwich<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brown rice with Chinese food or in sushi<\/td>\nWhite rice with Chinese food or in sushi<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Salsa or guacamole with corn chips<\/td>\nQueso dip or nacho cheese with corn chips<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Double vegetables with entree<\/td>\nWhite rice or mashed potato with entree<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Baked potato topped with salsa or chili<\/td>\nMashed potatoes with gravy<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Peppers, onions or broccoli on pizza<\/td>\nSausage, pepperoni or meatballs on pizza<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Roasted asparagus or Brussel sprouts appetizer<\/td>\nFried zucchini or onion blossom appetizer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Corn on the cob or baked beans side order<\/td>\nFried onion rings or macaroni and cheese<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Meatless bean or veggie burger<\/td>\nBeef or turkey burger<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Beans and rice side dish<\/td>\nBiscuits and gravy side dish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

SNACKS:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Popcorn, trail mix, or nut and seed packs<\/td>\nPotato chips, cheese crackers, or pretzels<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Granola bar or fig-filled cookies<\/td>\nCandy bar or sandwich cookies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Freeze-dried fruits or dried fruit<\/td>\nFruit roll-up or gummy fruit<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hummus or guacamole with vegetables<\/td>\nCheese dip or spread with crackers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fiber One\u00ae bars, brownies, or snack cakes<\/td>\nRegular cookies, brownies, or snack cakes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Whole fruit\u00a0 or non-browning apple slices<\/td>\nFruit cups or applesauce<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Another way people can find more fiber when eating away from home is by patronizing ethnic restaurants featuring more plant-based cuisines.\u00a0 This is also a good way to sample different fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, grains, nuts and seeds when they are properly prepared and seasoned. Once tried away from home, that may increase the likelihood of their being purchased for home consumption when seen in the grocery store.<\/p>\n

While everything on the menus in these restaurants is not high in fiber, there are many more plant-based choices than found on standard American menus and the chefs are often more willing to accommodate special requests. The key is to ask!<\/p>\n

ETHNIC CUISINES WITH MORE PLANT-BASED CHOICES ON THE MENU <\/strong><\/p>\n