Avoid Anything Fried
There are many words for "fried." Many menus feature terms that downplay less-healthy cooking methods. "Frizzled" or "crispy" is code for fried, and "dredged" means battered and fried, says Kate Edwards, restaurant consultant and executive coach.
Be Mindful of Price Points
Price matters-but not how you think. Research shows that diners tend not order the most expensive and least expensive dishes on the menu, so restaurants will often use those items as decoys. "We want to sell the second-lowest-priced item and the second-highest-priced item because that has the best margin for us," says Edwards.
Avoid Food Items in a Box
The menu is rigged. Studies show that the eye is naturally drawn to the upper right side of a menu, Edwards notes. So restaurants place the items they want you to order on that part of the page. In related glance-predicting news: Our eyes are naturally drawn to dishes that are boxed on a menu, says Edwards. If it's boxed, they want you to buy it!
Go for Farmed Salmon
Wild isn't always best. When people see "wild salmon" on a menu sustainability and taste often come to mind. But that's not necessarily the case. Wild Atlantic salmon has been fished to dangerously low levels, according to Langford.
Be Cautious of the Word "Farm"
Even cream, bacon, and butter come "from the farm." Just because the menu tells you a dish or ingredient is locally sourced or comes from the "farmhouse" right next door, it's not a guarantee of a healthy entrée, says Langford. And here's a scientific fact: Evocative and descriptive names on menus (think "Homestyle Chicken Parmesan" vs.
Splurge on the Wine
The cheapest wine on the menu might be the worst deal. "The lowest priced wines are often marked up the most, sometimes four or five times cost," says Laurie Forster author of The Sipping Point: A Crash Course in Wine.
Go for Anything That Says "Whole Wheat"
Whole wheat always trumps whole grain. "Whole wheat" means the dish is more likely to be a significant source of dietary fiber than something billed as "whole grain," says Stacy Goldberg, CEO & Founder, Savorfull and Nutritionist for the Cleveland Cavaliers. "Whole grain can be white bread with a suntan."
