Why Weight

How To Master The Bread Basket

By Rebekah N

Every year, more people are eating more meals outside the home. And most sit-down lunches and dinners start out with the same predictable appetizer: the bread basket.

While it poses a major problem for Un-Fit Foodies, the bread basket doesn't have to be a goal-destroyer. Don't worry -- you'll find no nonsense about "asking for a plate of cut-up veggies" in lieu of bread (it's a complimentary service, for goodness sake... and... bread is more enticing, anyway). But you CAN lower the bread basket impact without lessening your dining-out enjoyment. Here's how.

1. If you're gonna eat bread, eat BREAD. I always steer clear of pasty fake white bread (PFWB)... so... it's easy to push aside the bread baskets with hamburger-bun textured slices. I hope you do the same. There's nothing tasty, nothing exciting, nothing satisfying or worthwhile about so-called bread that turns to wallpaper paste in your mouth. Such moneycentric watering-down is despicable; it's rendered an entire generation (or two, or three) of people embarrassingly clueless as to what real, good bread actually looks or tastes like.

So if you do bread at all, it better be good. No over-yeasted, mass-produced, fine-textured, uniform, bleached, air-pumped imitations. Why? Because it does not add to the satisfaction factor of your meal. Fit Foodies don't eat just because it's food, and it's there -- they know that meal satisfaction is key to appetite and weight control.

But I'm a sucker for good bread. And if you're going to eat bread at all, you should be, too. Crusty, chewy, dense breads, in which a strong tear through the center reveals a delightfully webby maze of holes in random shapes and sizes. I rarely eat white breads at home; they're brutal with the glycemic impact and they do turn to paste in your intestines, causing poor digestion and everything that goes along with it. So when I do eat bread at home, it's all about the sprouted wheat. Good restaurant bread, however, is a delicious, if occasional, departure.

Did you know... a good, handmade loaf of white bread made with organic unbleached flour, sea salt, and water, is healthier for you than caramel-tinted "wheat bread" at the grocery store?

It's true.

Note: You can almost always judge the quality of a restaurant by the quality of their bread. Restaurants that "get it" in the high-quality bread department, "get it" in the high-quality ingredients one.

2. Use butter or olive oil. Protein and some mixed types will respond to plain bread with spiked blood sugar levels and an increased appetite. I've read accusations that restaurants deliberately serve free appetizer bread to make you hungrier, and therefore order more. That seems to me a lofty charge, considering it's a common practice in many countries throughout the world; from big chains backed by savvy marketing forces to mom-and-pop joints who haven't a clue about the bread and appetite link.

If there's any truth in this, my guess is that the bread trend started with the savvy marketing guys... and... became so expected that restaurants everywhere adopted it as the normal thing to do.

The paradox of the bread basket is that while half the table is groaning about being full by the time the first appetizer arrives, it does heighten appetite and trigger an eat-more response.
So pair the bread you eat with a little butter or a little olive oil to lessen the glycemic impact. If they don't give you any, ask!

3. Don't go to a restaurant hungry. If you're a dieter, there's a good chance you take the starve-yourself-all-day-so-you-can-gorge-at-the-restaurant approach. That's not a good idea. Not only will you be struggling to keep your button from popping off your pants later that night, but you'll end up eating a lot more food than you would if you didn't start out in a ravenous state. Fit Foodies let themselves get mildly hungry, but not ravenous.

Ravenous people eat the entire bread basket, plus the second and third refills. Mildly hungry people enjoy a roll, then sit back and enjoy good conversation till the food arrives.

It may seem contradictory to eat before eating, but if you predict you'll be overly-hungry by the time you arrive, get seated, and have your entree brought out to you, eat a small snack like 1/4 of a chicken breast, 4 almonds, and a couple apple slices before you leave home. Or whatever holds you over till dinner and doesn't further stimulate your appetite.

4. Commit to satisfaction. Even fresh-baked artisan breads lose their satisfaction factor when mindlessly eaten to pass the time till entrees arrive. Survey the scene and choose the most tempting roll or slice (especially important for restaurants with multiple bread options).

For example, my friends and I dined at Tavern On The Green in New York City recently -- an overpriced but deliriously charming hideaway in Central Park -- and their delectable bread assortment included shiny, crackly-skinned sourdough rolls. I happily broke my no-shellfish rule and ordered the lobster bisque (in a word: divine), and who isn't aware of the impeccable pairing of lobster bisque or clam chowder with authentic sourdough? The sourdough and bisque combination offered the ultimate in meal satisfaction.

Bottom line: Quality, not quantity, counts.

5. Forgo Refills. If the waiter tries to refill your basket, simply thank him or her and say you've had enough for tonight. It's easier than it might sound; when the bread isn't there in front of you, the urge to "keep it coming" loses its pull.

Fit Foodies use these tricks of the trade to indulge and enjoy their meals... without losing the weight and health game. Put them to work for you on your next restaurant outing, and join the ranks of healthy food lovers everywhere.

Rebekah is the food-and-fitness loving editor of Fit Foodies, the FREE newsletter for people who know eating great food doesn't have to mean sacrificing great health. If you're a food lover, subscribe at http://www.fitfoodies.com now!

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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 1:46 PM