Relying on restaurants is an expensive option for travelling athletes.  However, you may find yourself in a situation where you can cater for your own breakfasts and lunches and eat out in the evenings.  Restaurants offer a variety of choices, the trick is to make sure you pick the right restaurant and the right menu item in order to stay on track with your nutrition goals.

Plan Ahead

• Where possible, restaurants should be investigated before leaving home.  The meal options, cooking styles, opening hours and hygiene of the establishment should be considered.  The internet, travel agencies, competition organisers, embassies or other athletes who have travelled to the destination before can be used to gain valuable information.
• When travelling as a large group, it is useful to book restaurants ahead of time as many businesses are unable to cater for specific requests or large groups at short notice.
• Discuss the proposed menu with restaurant staff in advance to minimise problems at meal time.  This is particularly important when athletes have special dietary needs (e.g. vegetarian, food intolerances).

Basic Rules for Eating Out

• Make sure that your water glass is topped up regularly to help with hydration goals.  When extra carbohydrate is needed, soft drinks or fruit juice may also be a good option.
• When fuel needs are high, order a basket of plain bread to boost the carbohydrate in your meal.
• Choose meals that focus on carbohydrate choices such as rice or pasta.  Opt for sauces without cream and with small amounts of cheese and oil.
• If you are having a main course based on meat, fish or poultry, choose a medium sized portion and don’t forget the fuel foods such as a baked potato or a side dish of rice. 
• Order side serves of vegetables or salad if they don’t come with the meal.  Ask for black pepper, tomato sauce or salsa rather than buttery sauces, and lemon juice or balsamic vinegar rather than salad dressings.  You can always order dressing on the side so you can add the desired amount to suit your needs.
• Desserts are not mandatory – keep your overall nutrition goals in mind.  If you’re watching your total energy intake, finish up with a fruit platter or a skim milk hot chocolate.  For carbohydrate rich desserts rice pudding, bread and butter pudding, sorbet, fruit salad or fruit crumble and custard can be included. 

Mexican Restaurants

• Stay clear of high fat fried options such as corn chips and tostadas. 
• Enchiladas and burritos are often a good choice however check the fillings for high fat ingredients such as cheese and cream.  Some enchiladas and burritos can be drowned in cheese and then cheese filled – this is something to avoid. 
• Be mindful of sour cream and guacamole.  Ask to have these on the side so you can adjust the amount to suit your needs.
• Fajitas are generally a well balanced option, especially when served with rice and frijole (mashed beans).
Italian Restaurants
• Plain Italian bread is a great accompaniment with your meal.  Be careful not to over indulge on flavoured breads such as garlic, pesto, sundried tomato or herb if you need to keep your fat intake low.
• Tomato based pasta sauces such as napoletana, marinara and bolognese are all great options.  Be wary of high fat sauces based on pesto or cream (e.g. carbonara).
• Pizzas can be a great option especially when you choose your own toppings.  If you’re aiming to reduce the fat content in the meal, avoid excess amounts of added cheese.
• Traditional menu items such as fried calamari and veal parmagiana are high fat options – stay clear if you are aiming to keep your fat intake down.

Indian Restaurants

• Add plain steamed rice to your plate to ensure your meal is based around carbohydrate. 
• Accompaniments such as roti, paratha or chapatthi (all varieties of flat bread) provide a fuel boost to meals.
• Many curry sauces can be high in fat.  Control the fat content of your meal by serving a small amount of sauce with plenty of rice.  Be sure to order some vegetable dishes.

Asian Restaurants

Authentic Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, and Korean restaurants offer a great range of nutritious choices for the athlete.  Be aware of heavily influenced Australian Chinese restaurants as these tend to offer more high fat choices.
• Steamed rice or noodles should make up the bulk of your plate.  Wheat noodles such as hokkien tend to be higher in carbohydrate than rice noodles.
• Opt for combination dishes that include a good variety of vegetables.  Otherwise order some separate steamed vegetables to balance your meal.
• Avoid dishes that are deep fried or battered.
• Be wary of entrees as many of these are deep fried (e.g. spring rolls, dim sims, tempura and chicken wings).  Sushi and rice paper rolls are good options.

Cafes

• Sandwiches based on regular bread, Turkish bread and Italian bread are all good starting points to build a great meal.
• Hamburgers can be another excellent choice.  Make sure they are grilled and have plenty of salad added.  Choose tomato sauce rather than mayonnaise or creamy dressings, and avoid extras such as double meat, fried eggs, bacon or cheese.
• Soup with bread is a good choice provided it does not contain a lot of cream.
• Be careful with Caesar salads and quiche – these are often the highest fat choices.
• Most cafes offer a selection of milks – always specify if you want full cream, reduced fat or skim.
• Be careful with the selection of muffins, cakes, slices and pastries available at cafes.  Most are high in fat and the serving size is usually very large.

Takeaways

Takeaway food can be a cheap and convenient option while travelling.  Often, takeaway outlets are the only shops open, or the only place offering familiar and hygienically-prepared food.  Although many takeaway food choices are high in fat and low on fuel, there are some good choices available:
• Look for chains or outlets that let you make your own order instead of those which serve standard products.  Salad bars are ideal, but avoid ‘meal deals’ which, although cheap, see you eating extra fries or fatty desserts that you don’t really need.
• Make good use of the nutrition information provided at many franchises.
• When ordering pizza, choose your own toppings.  Include plenty of vegetables and go easy on processed meats and cheese.
• Baked potatoes are an excellent takeaway choice.  Avoid butter or sour cream toppings and opt for toppings such as tuna, baked beans, salsa or bolognese sauce.
• Kebabs or souvlaki are one of the better takeaway choices.  Take care with some of the creamy dressings.
• Fish and chips are a high fat choice.  However a fish burger made with grilled fish and plenty of salad can be a good option.

This fact sheet is based on AIS / National team athletes and is therefore specific to these athletes. Written by AIS Sports Nutrition, last updated December 2009. © Australian Sports Commission.