Ten Simple Ways to Eat Out Smarter This Healthy Restaurant Week
Mind Over Meals creator Michelle Petties offers strategies to help Marylanders make every meal a celebration of health, not guilt.
By Michelle Petties, Food Story Coach and Author of “Leaving Large – The Stories of a Food Addict”
Let’s be honest — most of us love to eat out. It’s social, it’s satisfying, it’s convenient, and sometimes, it’s even therapy. Whether it’s Sunday brunch, Taco Tuesday, or date night, restaurants are woven into how we celebrate, connect, and unwind.
But for many people, dining out can also feel like walking through a minefield of temptation. We know how good the food tastes — and how easy it is to leave with a full belly and an even fuller sense of regret.
With an obesity rate of nearly 40% nationwide, and more than two million Maryland adults living with obesity, it’s clear that we have serious health challenges to tackle. In Baltimore City, the obesity rate hovers between 38 and 42%, and in nearby counties, the numbers aren’t much lower. That’s why I’m excited that The Baltimore Times is launching Healthy Restaurant Week, November 1–9.
It’s an opportunity for all of us to rethink dining out — not as a guilt trip, but as a celebration of mindful eating, community, and self-care.
The Real Secret: Decide Ahead of Time
As a recovering food addict and someone who spent decades “doing business over dinner,” I understand the struggle. For years, I lived in restaurants, meeting clients, friends, and colleagues over plates piled high with comfort and calories. So, when clients say to me, “I gain weight because I eat out all the time,” I nod and think, “Dining out isn’t the problem — what you decide to do while you’re dining out is.”
The secret to eating out the healthy way starts long before you ever step foot inside a restaurant. It begins in your head, your heart, and your home.
Ask yourself:
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How do I want to feel when this meal is over?
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What choice will honor my health and my life?
When you decide ahead of time, you take back ability to choose. You arrive at the table clear, calm, and confident — not controlled, confused or consumed by cravings.
Use Food as a Tool, Not a Trap
Food is not the enemy. It’s fuel. It’s energy. It’s medicine when used wisely. But too often, we give food more emotional power than it deserves. We use it to fill voids, numb pain, celebrate, reward, or forget.
Healthy Restaurant Week is a reminder that food can be something more — a tool that supports your goals, not sabotages them.
And the best part? We can still enjoy food without making taste the only star of the show. Try dining with your other senses:
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See the beauty and creativity in the presentation.
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Smell the herbs, spices, and warmth rising from the plate.
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Hear the laughter, the music, the hum of connection.
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Feel the joy of being fully present in your body.
When you eat this way, food becomes a full-body experience — not just something you taste, but something you feel, appreciate, and respect.
Focus on the Plate, the People, and the Purpose
Healthy Restaurant Week isn’t only about calories or carbs. It’s about consciousness — paying attention to the why behind our choices.
When you sit down to a meal, ask yourself three simple questions:
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What’s on my plate? — Choose foods that love you back: colorful, nourishing, and portioned for the real you.
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Who’s at my table? — The people matter more than the plates. Use meals as moments of connection, conversation, and care.
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What’s my purpose? — You’re not eating to escape; you’re eating to engage with your best life. Every bite can either drain your energy or help you live more fully.
When you focus on the plate, people, and purpose, dining out transforms from a diet challenge into a sacred act of self-respect.
Ten Mindful Dining Strategies
Here are ten strategies that can help you dine out the healthy way — and still love every minute of it:
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Create a Safe Meal. Choose a “go-to” option that keeps you grounded — like a soup and salad combo.
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Plan Ahead. Look up the menu online and decide what you’ll order before you go.
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Eat a Little First. Have a small, healthy snack so you don’t arrive ravenous and impulsive.
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Skip the Appetizer. Those little bites count — and they add up quickly.
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Practice Saying “No, Thank You.” It’s not rude to refuse extra bread, desserts, or drinks. It’s you exercising power over your palate.
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Hydrate Early. Drink water before the meal to reduce false hunger.
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Bring a Reminder. Keep a photo or outfit that represents your health goals on your phone — and look at it before you order.
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Ask for a To-Go Box Early. Split your entrée in half as soon as it arrives.
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Enjoy the Experience. Focus on conversation, laughter, and connection more than consumption.
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Remember Why You’re There. To nourish your body, strengthen relationships, and honor your life.
A Celebration of Choice
Healthy Restaurant Week is more than an event — it’s an invitation to live with intention. Every meal out is a chance to affirm who you are and what you value.
So, the next time you dine out, take a deep breath, look around the table, and say to yourself, “This meal is about more than food — it’s about me, my health, and my purpose.”
Enjoy the moment, celebrate your progress, and remember when you honor your health, you’re not missing out on pleasure — you’re making room for a deeper kind of joy.
Michelle Petties is an award-winning author, food story coach, and creator of Mind Over Meals. Through her writing, coaching, and workshops, she teaches people how to heal their relationships with themselves and gain mastery over food by uncovering the stories that shape their habits and beliefs. You can get her latest guide, How to Start Eating & Shopping Healthy, here.
