Smothered, creamy, gooey, melted, stuffed, loaded, rich and velvety. Menu descriptions are written to entice diners to say, “Oh, that sounds good!” But, read carefully and you’ll find food facts to decode details revealing the nutrition content, too. Red flag words for recipes, which are higher in fat and calories, include ingredients such as cream, butter and cheese sauce or preparations such as deep-fried or battered. Green lights for terms indicating leaner choices include grilled, broiled or with broth. Now you’re ready for some more advanced menu sleuthing.
What if the word “fried” is nowhere to be seen but you spot “crispy”? That can be a code word for battered and deep fat fried. A “silky sauce” is a sign that butter is lurking. Even “poached” isn’t always the light way to go. Some chefs poach seafood in butter or oil, not the expected water-based broths.
Desserts are an obvious sweet treat. But savory dishes labeled as teriyaki, BBQ, glazed, sticky or honey-dipped could also be high in added sugars. Even salad dressings, vinaigrettes and salty sides such as coleslaw or braised greens can be sweetened with a lot of sugar.
Diet detective work doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the occasional tempura battered fried shrimp or side of creamed spinach. When you see a splurge on the menu, take nutritional note. You can choose to limit the portion size or limit the number of times you order these higher calorie treats.
Fat by any other name
Aioli: translation: mayonnaise with garlic
Au gratin: topped with cheese, butter and breadcrumb mixture
Beurre: butter's French name
Bisque: most often a cream-based soup
Béarnaise: watch the "-aise," which indicates egg-based mayonnaise
Crusted or encrusted: coated with nuts, bread crumbs or potato, pan fried until crispy
Frito misto: fried pieces
Leaning toward leaner
Au jus: pan juices often reduced with no fat added
Braise: slow cooked with little added fat
Coulis: often a no-fat-added puree of vegetables or fruit
Provencale: South-of-France style sauce with tomato and other vegetables
Relish: savory mix of fruits and or vegetables
Salsa: low-calorie classic with fresh tomatoes, onion, cilantro and chiles, but can be made with fruit and even black beans
Ask Questions
Preparations such as grilled, sauteed, roasted and steamed can vary in the amount of butter or oil a chef might add during cooking or to “finish” the dish. If you want your grilled fish or steamed vegetables prepared as simply as possible, ask your server to help make that happen.
