Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Look Around
• Part 2 of 3: Watch Your Serving Size
• Part 3 of 3: Choose Healthy Foods

If you eat at the buffet, then you always have the opportunity to try new dishes and just enjoy delicious food with friends, colleagues or relatives. With this choice of dishes and the ability to repeatedly return for more food, it can be difficult to make healthy decisions at times. Next time at a conference, wedding, or dinner with friends at buffet restaurants, plan your diet and skip unhealthy, high-calorie meals. The first step is to consider the options available, choose wholesome, balanced foods, and monitor portion sizes to ensure the food has health benefits.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Look Around

1. 1 Find a table farther from the sideboard. The average person goes to the buffet three times, but if you sit further away from the food counter, you won't be going around for more supplements. For lunch in a buffet restaurant, ask the waiters to find you a table away from the buffet counter. For weddings and events with a free choice of seats, prioritize seating on the other side of the room.
2. 2 Sit with your back to the sideboard. If it is impossible to sit further away, then turn your back to the pantry. As long as tables of slices or desserts are out of your sight, the chances of resisting temptation increase. Sit with your back to the sideboard to control your impulses and avoid getting up for more refills.
3. 3 Explore all the options available. Take a few minutes to take a full look at the available meals and only then get in line. If you have an idea of ​​the range, it will not be so difficult for you to restrain yourself and not overload the plate with small portions of each dish that looks delicious.
   • Take a look around the entire buffet and notice the location of the dishes. Find a rack of vegetables and fruits first, then choose meals with lean vegetable or animal proteins.
   • Next, consider an assortment of whole grain side dishes like parboiled brown rice or quinoa and whole wheat pasta.

Part 2 of 3: Watch Your Serving Size

1. 1 Decide in advance how much you plan to eat. With our eyes we can often “eat” more than our stomach can hold, so make a decision and only then consider options. Determine how many times you will go to the buffet. Think about the plan that you will follow, and only then feel free to take the line.
   • For example, opt for a cold appetizer, a healthy main course with a side dish, and a small serving of dessert, or choose two small portions of your main course.
2. 2 Divide the plate into imaginary quarters. As you start to lay out the dishes, imagine your plate is divided into four parts. This will make it easier to imagine a healthy meal. Two quarters should contain vegetables and fruits, and two quarters should contain lean protein and a side dish of whole grains.
3. 3 Choose vegetables and fruits. Half or even three quarters of the plate should be reserved for vegetables and fruits. It is better to opt for low-calorie vegetables and fruits with a lot of nutrients to limit calories and replenish your energy reserves.
4. 4 Determine your protein portions. Explore the buffet for healthy sources of lean protein such as fish, turkey, or chicken. Limit red meat and avoid processed meats, bacon, and cold cuts. To keep track of your portion, choose cuts of meat the size of a deck of playing cards. Such dishes should take up one quarter of the plate.
5. 5 Choose from a variety of whole grain side dishes. The last quarter of your plate should be filled with whole grains such as quinoa, whole grain pasta, or brown rice. Don't choose processed grains like white rice, white flour pasta, or white bread. These dishes take up the last quarter of the plate and should be the same size as a hockey puck.
6. 6 Eat slowly to avoid overeating. All these mouth-watering pantry dishes create a feeling of intense hunger and a desire to return to the table as soon as possible, but try not to eat too quickly. When we satisfy our hunger, it takes another 20 minutes for the brain to receive the satiety signal. The slower you eat, the more precisely your brain and stomach synchronize. This makes it easier to limit calories and skip unnecessary supplements.

Part 3 of 3: Choose Healthy Foods

1. 1 Start your lunch with a bowl of soup or a small serving of salad. Treat yourself to a low-calorie soup or small bowl of salad at the start of your meal to satisfy your hunger and keep calories in check in subsequent meals. Vegetable soup or chowder is low in calories, and a small serving of salad with fresh, unprocessed vegetables makes a great cold snack.
   • Avoid seafood cream soups as they are always high in calories. For starters, choose a light tomato soup or broth with a boiled egg.
   • At the salad bar, look for dark, leafy vegetables. Add raw or steamed vegetables like broccoli and green peas, but avoid cheese, croutons, and fatty creamy salad dressings.
   • Return to the table and enjoy a cold appetizer before the main course.
2. 2 Choose from grilled, steamed, or over an open fire. Avoid fried fish, chicken legs, or deep-fried fish and potatoes. Choose healthy herb grilled chicken breast or fish and vegetables cooked over an open fire. For a Chinese buffet, steamed broccoli, green peas and carrots are the best choice for fried vegetables. Also, do not look in the direction of noodles or pasta that is cooked in a wok.
   • Fried foods absorb a lot of hot oil, which is calories and fat. Over time, such dishes can cause excess weight and a number of diseases.
   • Food that is baked or grilled is lower in fat and calories and retains more nutrients.
3. 3 Avoid eating foods with a lot of marinades, thick sauces, and salad dressings. For example, marinades, dressings, and thick or cloying sauces are often surprisingly high in calories, fat, sodium, and sugar. It is better to give preference to dishes that are seasoned with herbs and contain steamed vegetables. Avoid salads without a choice of dressing.
   • For example, a serving of creamy carbonara spread can contain nearly 400 calories and over 400 milligrams of sodium. Instead, opt for pasta with tomato sauce.
   • A tablespoon (15 ml) of Ranch sauce can contain up to 16 grams of fat and 143 calories. Better to choose a vinaigrette sauce or season the salad with a little extra virgin olive oil.
4. 4 Avoid carbonated drinks. Typically, one glass of sugary soda contains about 300 calories and 19 grams of sugar, and lemonade and other fruit drinks are not limited to this amount. At dinner, order a glass of water or iced tea without sugar from the buffet to minimize your calorie intake.
5. 5 Balance flavors and aromas. A meal that has different flavors and aromas can whet your appetite and make you eat more. Try to balance and simplify the flavors on your plate so you feel full sooner. For example, instead of broccoli with cheese, salad with ranch sauce, and beef with red wine sauce, it is better to choose salad with citrus dressing and fish with lemon or other citrus marinade.
   • It is not at all necessary for each dish to have the same shades of taste - it is much better to diversify breakfast and lunch. The aroma of each dish should be simple and balanced.
6. 6 At breakfast, walk past the waffle or pancake stands. Buffets in hotels and inns often serve waffles and pancakes for breakfast. Despite the great taste, these dishes are often high in sugar and carbohydrates with minimal nutritional value. If you add 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of maple syrup to this, that's about 52 more calories.
   • Better to choose a protein omelet or a serving of oatmeal to recharge with protein and fiber for the whole day ahead.
   • If you want to treat yourself to a delicious meal, but do not want to consume so many calories and sugar, then choose waffles and pancakes made from whole wheat or mixed flour with a minimum amount of syrup.