Wherever you may be dining, keep this general rule in mind when ordering: choose a protein and veggies while making sure your plate has several colors on it. Also, choose vinaigrettes for dressings and grilled/steamed proteins or vegetables. This will ensure you have made the healthiest choice available. Your body will thank you!
Eating Out Well
“Eating out” has a bad reputation for sure… Most restaurants, fast-food to fine-dining, are only about making the most money possible. This mission usually compromises the food’s integrity by opting out of using fresh or organic ingredients. There are also usually several fillers and preservatives in the food selections, which can wreak havoc on our liver and heart and have the potential to lead to many cancers (among many other things).
Thankfully, several restaurants today are noticing the growing epidemic of poor food choices and are creating healthy, real-food options for their consumers, so when you’re “out-and-about”, know that you have some safer, healthier places to stop by.
Nation-wide Choices:
Whole Food
To Love: Almost everything. They pride themselves on using only the best natural and organic ingredients. Great variety of cuisines to choose from as well—Indian, Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean!
Danger Zone: Bakery. Thankfully, it has its own area, so you can easily bypass the sweet treats.Trader Joe’s
To Love: Pre-packaged, affordable, healthy salads and wraps. Organic fruits and veggies are reasonably priced for a great snack.
Danger Zones: Aisle treats. The check-out aisles are filled with chocolate goodies.
Chipotle
To Love: Organic cilantro and hormone-free meats… all ingredients are fresh and natural!
Danger Zone: Adding too much sour cream or cheese. If either is a must, tell them to add just a little. They tend to be very generous with their helpings.
Panera Bread
To Love: Healthy breakfasts, salads, soups and sandwiches. Panera has won awards for kids’ meals, offering organic yogurt and organic cheeses.
Danger Zone: Pastries, desserts and other temptations on display. You have to have a good bit of self-control to step foot into this bakery, honestly. If you know coffee cake or cookies is your weakness, stay clear!
Jason’s Deli
To Love: One-fifth of Jason’s Deli ingredients are organic. You can build any sandwich on an organic whole wheat wrap. There are also many gluten free options as well.
Danger Zone: Some sandwiches have a pretty high sodium count, so read the nutrition facts before purchasing. Free ice cream also talks to you the whole time you are dining. Get your food to go if ice cream is a weakness for you.
Starbucks
To Love: Teavana teas, wholesome-organic snacks, and healthy breakfast choices (oatmeal & breakfast sandwiches); Try their breakfast sandwiches for lunch if you’re traveling!
Danger Zone: Frappuccinos--way too many calories and sugar to excuse!
Local Eats In Boise:
Wild Root Café & Market
To Love: BONE BROTH!! If you haven’t tried bone broth, it is a must…. Amazing healing properties for the gut and tasty.
Locavore Bistro
To Love: menu focus is scratch-made, wholesome, heathy, and farm fresh; they speak gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, and vegetarian. Try their beautiful breakfasts!!
Juniper
To Love: Farm to table options; great ingredient combinations; bison meat available also.
Bleubird
To Love: Fantastic, fresh, and healthy ingredients in every item on menu. Most come from local farms and are not your normal ingredients for a sandwich or salad—yellow roasted tomatoes, olive caper salad, fig preserves, Russian relish, tupelo honey, brie, gruyere. Yum!
Boise Co-Op
To Love: Organic, vegan, and gluten-free options. Try their burrito bowls or soup!
Café Vicino
To Love: Works with Idaho’s Bounty to source produce, meat, fish, eggs, honey and other ingredients produced within 200 miles of their front door.
Pho Nouveau
To Love: Homemade broth with all the “good stuff” for their delicious pho!
Jenny’s Lunch Line
To Love: features fine, healthy foods with eat-in, carry out, or delivery options… it’s like having lunch at your mom’s if she was a gourmet chef!
Mai Thai
To Love: Vegetarian, Vegan and Gluten Free options available…. And who doesn’t love Thai?
Red Feather
To Love: 100% Grass Fed Burgers and Lamb Burgers. Try it with their seasonal vegetables.
12 Weeks Total Recharge
Our 12 Weeks Total Recharge blog series is dedicated to help bring your body to a place of rejuvenation, a strong and lively place. Each week we will focus on a specific topic and provide key information to help achieve the best YOU. You can use the links below to view the previous and next post in the series or you can view all posts here.
Body Basics offers personal training, remote personal training and nutrition counseling at our facility in beautiful downtown Boise. Contact us to discuss how we can help achieve your goals for a better you.
Christine Kling
Co-owner and trainer at Body Basics
Christine's love for life, health and people effects everything she says and does. As a trainer, she strives to truly know her clients in order to encourage and motivate them in their own specific way. As a studio owner, she thoroughly enjoys laughing with her husband while creating a very welcoming atmosphere... Instructing others in the realm of fitness is not just her job but a privilege.