Q: Don’t you think that consumers are starting to be more “nutritionally smart” when eating out?

Q: According to the Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter in February 2008, consumers are trying to be more nutrition savvy when dining out. And, we should be – in 2000, we as Americans ate out an average of five meals a week.

The good news is that more restaurants are providing nutritional information to help diners make smart food choices. The biggest problem is restaurant serving sizes. A description of an entree may sound healthy, but it can be a nutritional trap because of large serving sizes that are an average of six to eight times the USDA standard.

To find out more about healthy choices when eating out, you are invited to a program that I am presenting at 9:30 a.m. Friday at the Douglas County Extension Office. This program will enable participants to better understand marketing techniques that restaurants use to encourage diners to order more food, plus make healthful selections among menu items when making choices.

Pre-register for the free program by calling 843-7058.