| This month’s longevity tip shines a light on another one of those cultural shifts that’s happened over time and quietly taking its toll on your health – “Eating Out.”
Eating out used to be something reserved for special occasions for most people. Now it’s an ingrained part of our culture and a significant part of many people’s regular diet.
In the mid 1970’s home cooking was dominant and 10% of income was spent on groceries and 5.5% on eating out.
Today, American’s spend half of what was spent in the past (5%) of disposable income on groceries and 5.6% of disposable income on food away from home – in restaurants or take out.
Most, if not all choices on menus usually lead to increased calories due to portion size, sugar, salt, and fat content, not necessarily helping your health and weight.
Whether the statistics from the 70’s are well known, we all know this shift has occurred, but it’s incredibly challenging to resist when dining out offers a convenient way to socialize with friends, or takeout saves time and meal planning.
Longevity tip: If you’re eating out more than you’d prefer, even for social reasons, try ordering from the appetizer menu instead of a full-sized meal. It’s a great way to manage portions and cut down on unwanted calories. Appetizer sizes often reflect what a main meal used to be. Side orders of vegetables are also another option as well.
The recommendation to cook more at home — giving you full control over ingredients and portion sizes — often isn’t followed, but it’s a practice worth adopting.
Making that small shift to home cooking truly benefits both your health and your wallet. |
