Oui, Oui, You Can Eat French

Butter? Steak? Egg dishes? Fatty sauces? What's not to like? Although many dishes at French restaurants are loaded with fat and cholesterol, there are also wonderful salads, grilled lean meats and seafood dishes from which to choose. Usually, portions are small, so that can be helpful if you're watching your waistline.

At a French restaurant, try to choose these foods more often:

• Dinner salad with vinegar or lemon juice dressing (or another reduced fat dressing)
• Vegetable soup
• Top loin (strip) or tenderloin (with sauce on the side, if desired)
• Fresh grilled fish, shrimps, scallops or steamed mussels (without creamy sauces)
• Grilled chicken breast (skinless)
• Fresh fruit for dessert

Source: So What Can I Eat?! How to Make Sense of the New Dietary Guidelines for Americans and Make Them Your Own (Wiley 2006), Elisa Zied, MS, RD, with Ruth Winter, MS.