To many people, eating out seems like a hindrance to your health goals. As a Registered Dietitian & Sports Nutritionist, Christina hears clients say over and over, “if it weren’t for eating out, I’d feel better and lose weight.” Food for thought: you can support local businesses and meet your health goals. Whether it’s having sustained energy, improving hormone balance and immune support, or weight management, you can still hit your goals without depriving yourself of a nice meal out.
Here are some principles you can practice while eating out.
- – Start listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Many of us find it easy to eat when we’re hungry but stopping when we’re full can be quite the challenge, especially when dining out. A simple strategy is to not save all your calories for that dinner meal and make sure you’re eating throughout your day. Eating every 3-4 hours can prevent you from getting to the point of feeling uncontrollable hunger, where all your goals go out the window. During your meals, it’s good practice to check in with yourself. You can use a scale from 0-10 to assess fullness, 0 being ravenously hungry 10 being uncomfortably full. Generally, you want to end at a 6-7.
- – The satisfaction factor is key. Make sure all meals are satisfying, don’t just get a salad if you’re craving a burger. This type of eating style can backfire and cause you to binge eat later on. There’s a big difference between being full and being satisfied. You can feel full eating 3 cups of salad, but if you’re not satisfied it may cause you to keep eating.
It doesn’t get much better than eating delicious food while supporting local, small businesses. Read on for a list of must-try dishes in Montclair that are jam-packed with flavor, provide sustained energy, and help keep you satisfied.
Halcyon
In the mood for seafood? Add Halcyon to your weekend to-do list. Most people fall short of the recommended two servings of fish per week. From scallops to crab and salmon, fish and shellfish are a great way to boost your intake.
The Char-Grilled Octopus
{Photo credit: @halcyonmontclair}
When you hear omega 3’s many jump straight to sardines and salmon, but octopus is another excellent source. Omega 3’s not only help to reduce inflammation associated with chronic disease, but they also help to reduce blood pressure and triglycerides, they also help to increase HDL {i.e. your “good” cholesterol}. Octopus is lower in calories and super filling from its high protein content. This dish is served with crisp potatoes, red teardrop pepper, olives, salsa verde, pimenton ruille. Looking to complete the dish? Try it with the mashed potatoes and leeks, it’s delicious!
Read More: Delicious Plant-Based Dishes in Montclair, According to a Local Dietitian
Mesob
If you’re looking for a new experience in dining, Mesob, an Ethiopian restaurant in Montclair, is a must-try. Injera is a fermented flatbread made from teff, a nutty gluten-free grain that’s packed with b vitamins, iron, copper, electrolytes (magnesium, potassium, calcium), selenium, zinc, and fiber. Compared to your typical carbs like bread, rice, and pasta, teff is high in protein and offers the amino acid lysine which has been shown to support immune function and calcium absorption.
The Doro Tibs
This dish is served over injera. The main is cubed chicken breast marinated and sautéed with onions, garlic, tomatoes, fresh rosemary, and spices. Be sure to specify mild, medium, or spicy. The dish also comes with two veggie sides as shown in the picture, here are two awesome must-tries:
The Ingudai Tibs
This tasty side is portobello mushrooms marinated and sautéed with onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. This can be prepared mild, medium, or spicy.
The Gomen
{Photo credit: @mesob_restaurant}
Fresh collard greens cooked with mild spices and herbs. Skip the utensils! Ethiopian food is traditionally eaten with your right hand and injera. Simply use injera to scoop the mains and sides, and you’ll be enjoying a truly satisfying meal.
MishMish
MishMish is a must-try in town offering Mediterranean dishes that are seasoned to perfection.
The Lamb Meatball Shakshuka
A basic shakshuka is eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce served with grilled bread. MishMish offers a delicious spin adding in lamb meatballs with perfectly spiced tomato sauce and a drizzle of olive oil. This Israeli dish has all your components to a filling meal, protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and veggies. Lycopene is an antioxidant found in tomatoes, watermelon, and other red produce. Your body absorbs much more of this powerful compound when you cook the produce and pair it with healthy fat, like the olive oil in this dish. As for the benefits, Lycopene has been associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer and heart disease and can protect against cell damage.
See More: Where to Get Delicious Pierogis in North Jersey
The Pulled Chicken Sandwich
An awesome spin on pulled pork, this pulled chicken sandwich is oh so satisfying and may leave you at the perfect level of fullness. Try it with the red cabbage slaw, which isn’t mayo-based, but instead is a blend of apple, carrot, red cabbage, and cider vinegar.
