You have finally managed a healthy diet.  However, it is difficult to eat out, whether it is fast food, lunch or dinner.  There are many tips that you can follow, as listed below.

First, don’t be shy about making special requests at a restaurant.

You may be able to ask for your food to be prepared with low-fat ingredients and less salt.  Additionally, there are many restaurants that are offering heart healthy choices.

Another important step with diet and cholesterol control is portion size. To help, it is recommended that you share entrees with a companion or by immediately planning half of your meal in a to-go box upon arrival.

Here are some other easy food changes you can make:

• Fried, au gratin, crispy, escalloped, pan-fried, sautéed or stuffed foods are high in fat and calories.  You should consider foods that are steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached or roasted foods. If you’re not sure about a certain dish, ask your server how it’s prepared. You can request that visible fat be trimmed from meat and skin be removed from poultry before cooking.
• You should request that your meal be prepared with vegetable oil (made from canola, olive, corn, soy, sunflower or safflower) or soft margarine instead of butter.
• Avoid high-sodium foods including those that are pickled, in cocktail sauce, smoked, in broth or au jus.
• Have gravy, sauces and dressings served on the side, so you can control the amount you eat or skip them completely.
• Ask if the restaurant has fat-free or 1 percent milk instead of whole milk.  You can use this if you need cream for your coffee.
• As for dessert, you may not have to skip it.  Even if it is not on the menu, many restaurants have fruit or sherbet instead of high-fat pastries and ice creams.
• Avoid dishes with lots of cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.
• You should choose bread or pita pockets over croissants.
• Salads can be deceiving with all the extra ingredients.  Be careful with the heavy dressings.
• Split a large entree with another family member, not only will you save calories and cholesterol, you can also save money.

These tips can be followed at home and while eating out.  It is important to monitor your eating on a daily basis if you are trying to control your cholesterol.