4 Lessons on How NOT to Order Office Lunches from the 2014 Xtreme Eating “Awards”
Posted by Sara on Tuesday, August 5th, 2014 with Comments Off on 4 Lessons on How NOT to Order Office Lunches from the 2014 Xtreme Eating “Awards” Comments
Last week, the Internet had a field day with the release of the 2014 Xtreme Eating award winners. Every year, the non-profit Center for Science in the Public Interest cherry-picks a handful of the restaurant world’s worst offenders— dishes that pack in astonishing calorie counts, days’ worth of saturated fats, and enough sugar to make your teeth hurt just by reading about it.
But is there anything useful to learn from these “awards”? Is there any science that can actually be applied in the public interest? Because let’s be honest, most of us aren’t ordering up a huge fried seafood platter for our daily office lunch, or even treating ourselves to a steak “garnished” with Italian sausage links every Friday.
A simple pasta with cream sauce can pack in an extreme amount of saturated fat.
Image source: Flickr user jeffreyww
While the “winning” dishes of the Xtreme Eating awards are eye-popping, they aren’t anything that most of us would consider to be a regular, reasonable meal… and it’s the food we eat every day that has the biggest impact on our health.
So, let’s take a look at what tips and tricks real people can glean from these eye-catching awards… and how you can apply them when you’re ordering your daily office lunches or heading to a catered event.
Lesson 1: Skip the cream sauce
The most ordinary-looking meal on the Xtreme Eating awards list was the Cheesecake Factory’s “Farfalle with Chicken and Roasted Garlic.” Bow-tie pasta with chicken, mushrooms, tomato, peas, caramelized onions, and pancetta in a roasted garlic-parmesan cream sauce– maybe a little rich, but full of lean proteins and veggies, right? Well, the dish won its spot on the list with its 63 grams of saturated fat– more than three times the daily recommended amount. The culprit is the cheesy cream sauce. The takeaway for you? Stick to red sauce on your pastas and pizzas to keep Italian fare a little lighter.
Lesson 2: Avoid combo platters
Two combo platters made the list– one from a Mexican restaurant and one from a seafood chain. While it’s debatable whether most diners plan to eat an entire combo platter by themselves, it’s still worth mentioning that combined meals often contain way more food than you need— and often include a few “filler” items you aren’t really that excited about (but will likely end up eating anyway). A better approach is to assemble your own personal tasting menu from the a la carte section: a side of black beans, a side of guacamole, a chicken tostada, a fish taco… you’ll have plenty to enjoy without piling on as many calories as in a pre-set combo plate.
Lesson 3: Be intentional about indulgences
The highest-ranking Xtreme meal in the calorie column was a double-decker burger topped with fried onion strips, served with bottomless fries and a huge milk shake with a refill tin. How could that meal not be incredibly decadent… and not leave you feeling incredibly overfull and uncomfortable by the end? Instead, next time you want to indulge in a burger or fries, go ahead– but keep the rest of your meal reasonable. If you’re craving a burger, skip the bacon strips and get a salad on the side. If you’re craving fries, have them alongside a turkey sandwich with mustard on whole-wheat bread. You’re more likely to really enjoy the more decadent item, and not slip into a food coma by the time you’re done.
Lesson 4: Yes, you really need to watch your portion sizes
There’s no healthy-eating lesson more boring than portion control, but there’s also nothing more useful when it comes to eating out, ordering takeout for office lunches, or even hitting up the catering table. Out-of-control portions at restaurants have been singled out as a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic by some researchers, and the Xtreme Eating awards really drive that point home. A steak topped with sausages or a burger with bottomless fries are truly extreme examples, but they’re still the apex of a trend of oversized entrees. So treat your takeout container like a family-size serving platter: serve yourself only a half-portion of the food, eat it on a real plate, and put the rest away for tomorrow (or share it with a coworker).
The real lesson here? Don’t be extreme (or Xtreme) when it comes to dining out or ordering in takeout for office lunches. Order a reasonable amount of food made with reasonably healthy ingredients, and eat a reasonable portion (and indulge on occasion – reasonably). And when it comes to everyday dining in the office, Waiter.com makes it easier for you to order healthy food, share with colleagues, and have everything delivered right to your break room for a healthier, more wholesome meal at the workplace.
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
