Northeastern Pennsylvania has such a wide variety of great restaurants to enjoy. The question is, can you dine out at a restaurant and still eat healthy? Fortunately, we have found the answer to that question is a resounding YES. Yes, you can enjoy nights out at the many restaurants in our area and still find healthy alternatives.
    From simply visiting the restaurants that advertise in IndependentNEPA magazine, we found many delicious meals that are healthy and low in saturated fat, trans fats, and cholesterol. Avoiding a diet that is high in saturated fat, trans fats, and cholesterol is good news for your cholesterol, since high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
    The way to find these healthy alternatives is to simply ask. You do not need to be shy about asking questions or making special requests. The other good news about locally owned, independent restaurants, as opposed to chain restaurants, is that they are very accommodating and much more willing to prepare foods your way. It helps to call ahead or check out their menus online or at www.menusnepa.com.
    Customer Jan Wells, who needs a gluten-free diet, discussed eating out and eating healthy.
     “I find that local restaurants that have chefs who cook from scratch are very accommodating and willing to make sure I enjoy my meals.”
    As a vegetarian, Wells added, “Vegetarian meals are easy to find when it comes to eating out. Most restaurants have some kind of vegetable option, and many common dishes are already vegetarian, like pasta primavera, eggplant parmesan, cheese or vegetable pizza, or an egg salad sandwich.”
    One way to help control your weight and still enjoy eating out is to control portion size. Ask for smaller portions, share entrees with a companion, or request a “doggy bag” or container to take leftovers home.
Healthy Choices

    Some other things to note when making choices at restaurants:

• Choose steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached, or roasted rather than fried or sautéed, which could be higher in fat and calories.
• Ask that your food be prepared without salt or MSG.
• Ask if the restaurant has fat-free or 1% milk instead of cream.
• Ask for fat-free salad dressing or dressing on the side so you can control the amount.
• Opt for fruit or sherbet instead of high-fat pastries for desert.
• Ask for sauces and gravies to be served on the side.
• Choose bread or pita pockets rather than croissants.
• Choose a baked potato or vegetable side dish instead of French fries.
• Choose broth-based soups rather than cream soups.
• Ask about how food is prepared and cooked. For example, food that looks acceptable because it’s baked or grilled might include a high-fat sauce or salty seasoning.
• Avoid bacon and sausage.
• Try to avoid all-you-can-eat buffets because you’re more likely to over eat.
• Avoid dishes with lots of cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise.
• Plan ahead. Try to select a restaurant where food is cooked to order, rather than a fast-food or buffet-style chain where the food is pre-cooked. Many restaurants will honor requests for low-salt, low-saturated-fat versions of certain dishes.
• Get to know the owner and servers. This will make it easier to ask questions.
• Watch out for before-the-meal “extras” like cocktails, appetizers, and bread and butter. These are often a source of extra fat and sodium.
• Read the menu carefully.

Dietician’s Advice

    Marjorie Redan, registered/licensed dietitian and resident of Tunkhannock, offered her opinion about eating healthy at local restaurants.
    “Yes, it is definitely possible to eat healthy at local restaurants. I think one of the keys to that is eating increased amounts of raw foods when you eat out, such as a salad with many vegetables in it- beans, seeds, sprouts- and smaller portions of meats, similar to the Mediterranean diet,” she said. “There are numerous benefits of raw foods in the diet, but most importantly the benefits are in providing enzymes that aide in the digestion and absorption of food, which helps to keep you feeling better with more energy. Adding more raw foods to your diet provides less sodium and dangerous trans fats, and more beneficial potassium, fiber, folate (folic acid), and health-promoting phytochemicals (plant products), such as quercitins, to ward off risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.”
Healthy Alternatives At Local Restaurants

     Here are a few examples of healthy alternatives that some of our local restaurants offer.

    Beer Deli
Bob and Frank Roccograndi, owners of the Beer Deli in Forty Fort, offer healthy alternatives such as their garden burger. Customers have been known to say, “It’s the best garden burger I’ve ever had.” Beer Deli also offers homemade specialty soups, such as its Italian vegetable and Pasta Fogioli, which are 100% vegetable soups made from scratch. Choose one of the Deli’s salads, such as its chef salad or grilled chicken Caesar. There is also a variety of fruit juices and vitamin waters.
570-288-8141  |  www.beerdeli.com

    Ollie’s Restaurant
At Ollie’s, in Edwardsville, if you want to change the portion or order something that is not on the menu– no problem– you can always order something unique, and your waitress will do her best to accommodate you. Those with special dietary needs particularly appreciate this service. Ollie’s offers fresh fruit, juices, Egg Beaters (cholesterol-free egg substitute), and bagels. The Ollie’s salad bar features specialty salads such as the cranberry orange walnut salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, mandarin oranges, walnuts and fat-free raspberry vinaigrette. The Caesar salad and oriental salad are also popular.
570-288-6609  |  www.olliesrestaurant.com

    The Bakehouse
The Bakehouse, in Kingston, offers Frank Deviva’s delicious hearth-baked Artisan bread. All Bakehouse breads are hand-rolled, hearth-baked, and made with all natural ingredients, with no preservatives added. Soy or skim milk alternatives are available as well as herbal teas and low-fat cream cheese.
570-714-2253  |  www.bakehouse-cafe.com

    Leggio’s Italian Ristorante
Leggio’s, in Plains Township, is a family owned and operated restaurant. Lori and her husband, Sal, agree that it is much more than a pizzeria. It offers both authentic Italian and American entrees, including a variety of delicious healthy salads.
570-822-0828  |  www.leggios315.com

    Villa Foglia
Villa Foglia, Exeter, is where “the food is prepared to order,” said Bernie Foglia. “We use 100% extra virgin olive oil and prepare the dishes in traditional authentic Italian style.” It also serves pastas, seafood, steaks, and many other dishes.
570-654-1206

    Beccaina’s Cafe & Catering
Beccaina’s, in Dallas, is where you can’t help but notice the freshness of the delicious food Rebecca Janerich serves. Even the orange juice is fresh squeezed as a healthy alternative. “I am big on homemade and preparing from scratch. It makes a big difference,” Rebecca said.
570-674-4395  |  www.Beccainas.com

    Café Rinaldi
Café Rinaldi, of Old Forge, is consistent in its exceptional customer service and homemade dishes. Generations of fine Italian cuisine show in Café Rinaldi’s extensive menu. While recipes are consistently creative, only fresh ingredients are used to bring the ideas to life. And, Café Rinaldi offers a wide variety of daily specials, including veal, pasta, chicken, steaks, seafood dinners, and Old Forge-style pizza.
570-451-0433

    The Atrium Restaurant
The Atrium, in Kingston, is the place to go if you are looking for wholesome, fresh lunch served quickly. Debbie believes that her customers deserve a healthy alternative to the food served in fast-food restaurants. The Atrium Restaurant serves delicious and healthy soups, salads, sandwiches, and baked goods made from scratch. Debbie uses fresh ingredients, and when the Farmer’s Market opens for business on Public Square, in Wilkes-Barre, she enjoys shopping there for local, homegrown fruits and vegetables. Salads are a big hit with the customers. One of the favorites is the Atrium Salad, which is made with grilled chicken served over a bed of greens, with feta cheese, craisins, and walnuts, topped off with raspberry vinaigrette. In addition to the regular menu, the Atrium offers daily specials that feature some of the most unique ingredients.
570-287-5766 www.theatriumrestaurant.com

    Hops & Barleys
Hops & Barleys, in Luzerne, offers a wide variety of delicious foods, and for the health conscious, carrot and celery sticks can be substituted for french fries. Hops’s Some Like it Raw vegetable plate is not only HUGE and fresh, it features unique as well as favorite vegetable choices.
570-288-2987 | www.hopsandbarleys.com

    Arcaro & Genell
Arcaro & Genell, in Old Forge, has been serving customers for the past four decades and has retained its tradition for great quality food and friendly service. Its caprese salad (with fresh tomato and mozzarella slices, onions, and olives) is simply scrumptious!
570-457-5555 | www.arcaroandgenell.com

    Sugar’s Tearoom & Gift Shoppe
Sugar’s offers more than 70 different kinds of tea and a variety of treats, from scones to cucumber sandwiches (which are far more delicious than their reputation suggests).
570-714-4832 | www.sugarstearoom.com

    Cafe Toscana
Cafe Toscana, on Public Square, in Wilkes-Barre, has food offerings that include appetizers such as Cozze Posilipo, a snack made from Prince Edward Island mussels, poached in a light marinara, and entrees like Vitello Fiorentina, a kind of veal prepared with spinach and fontina cheese.
570-208-1252 | www.cafetoscanarestaurant.com

    Bistro On The Ave
Bistro on the Ave, in Kingston, has unique pizzas and lean, hand-cut steaks with sweet potato wedges, chicken tempura, and lobster risotto.
570-714-8725 | www.BistroOnTheAve.com

    Lizza’s Mezzo Mezzo
Lizza’s Mezzo Mezzo, in Pittston, offers Italian– American  cuisine– its dough and pasta items are homemade. Diners also enjoy fish, soup, and salad options.
570-883-1991 | www.lizzasmezzomezzo.com

    Thinking about eating out and eating healthy do not have to be polar opposites, but instead a happy blend. Stay healthy as you enjoy dining out in our independent, locally-owned NEPA restaurants.