As obesity levels in America rise to obscene levels, more and more individuals are cutting back on restaurant dinners and opting for more home cooked meals where they have control over the ingredients they put in and the portion sizes. This is because of the growing knowledge that the foods served in restaurants are high in sodium and fat content. Serving portions are also excessive, which almost always assures you that dining out can add pounds to your frame. Those on a diet know that eating at restaurants can wreck havoc on their weight loss efforts that they shun it like the plague.

But let's face it. You can't avoid the restaurant. At some point in your job or career, you will be called upon to arrange a business meeting in a restaurant. You will have to meet clients in a fine dining establishment so you can close a deal. You and your family will have to celebrate birthdays or special events with dinners out. You will be invited by close friends to eat out and you can't put off these invitations forever.

Thankfully, healthy restaurant dinners do exist. The key is knowing which foods to order and which ones to stay away from. Now you can put back the joy in eating out back into your life with this list.

Grilled chicken or beef are healthy restaurant dinners. Compared to entrees that are fried or served with cream sauces, grilled meats are definitely healthier alternatives. To cut back on the calories, you can ask that your order be grilled minus the oil or butter. You can also share your meat with your friend, particularly if the serving is too large for you. Even if the serving is just enough, you can still share your portion to prevent excessive caloric intake. To balance the nutrient intake, make sure you order vegetables, and rice to meet your fiber and vitamin and mineral requirements.

Salads area also healthy restaurant dinners for as long as they do not have the fat toppings like bacon, crispy chicken, croutons and huge chunks of full fat cheese. Also, choose vinaigrette dressing over mayonnaise-based dressings and ask that the dressings be given to you so that you can dress it yourself. Be careful not to apply too much.

Soups are inherently healthy food ideas. But not all soups are healthy. Choose one that is made with chicken, beef or vegetable broth over those with cream. Paired with a salad, soups should give you a healthful dinner. Japanese miso soup is particularly nutritious. Together with soups, appetizers and side dishes complete your healthy restaurant dinner options. Steamed vegetables and shrimp cocktails are just some examples.

When it comes to dessert, skip the blueberry cheesecake or the chocolate ice cream. You can simply order fresh fruit in season. This way, you don't unnecessarily add calories to your midsection or worry about ruining your diet. And when we say fruit, we mean plain fruit, not strawberries lathered in thick chocolate sauce.