One of life’s guilty pleasures is spending a couple of hours indulging yourself at a buffet. If you’ve been to the Bellagio buffet, you know just how exciting it can be to feast on endless amounts of dishes, including mouth-watering desserts. But of course, you also have to remember that a lot of foods on the buffet table aren’t healthy – fried dishes, cholesterol-laden meats, high-sugar cakes, high-carb pastries, and so on. To ensure you don’t compromise your health and weight, you should prioritize the items on the list below:
Omelets
Omelets that are made to order are usually among the highlights of a breakfast buffet. You have control over how much cheese, protein (ham, eggs, etc.) and veggies to put in the pan.
Dark leafy greens
The salad bar is one of the sections you should go to at a buffet but instead of filling your plate with all sorts of veggies and dressing, go for dark leafy greens instead and simply squeeze fresh lemon over them.
Fresh veggies
Go for fresh veggies like sliced tomatoes, cucumber and carrots and skip the fried ones.
Seafood
If you have to get something fried, then go for fish, shrimp and other seafood. Of course, it’s always better to choose grilled or baked dishes.
Homemade bread
A homemade bread (go for plain rolls instead of sugared or glazed breads) is a healthier option than store-bought bread or sugary pastries.
Salsa
If you’re at a buffet that has Mexican food be sure to get plenty of salsa. Salsa is made of veggies and it’s also low in calories.
Carved meats
The tastiest and most expensive meats are always found at the end of the buffet spread so be sure to look around before filling up your plate. You can get carved turkey or roast beef as these aren’t friend and have less fat than other meats.
Dishes with less sauce
Dishes with thick sauce are not always healthy as these things contain lots of calories, sodium and other ingredients that are best kept in moderation. Allow the sauce to drip off the meat or veggies before putting it on your plate.
Foods you don’t make at home
One of the things that attract people to buffets is that there are unique items that people don’t eat on a regular basis because they’re expensive. So indulge your tastebuds on these items by trying them in small portions. That way you can have enough room in your tummy for other dishes you might want to try as well.
Fruits
A dessert of fruits like berries can be refreshing to the palate. If they only have canned fruits on the spread, try not to consume the liquid that these things come in.
Dessert
The desserts are one of the highlights of a buffet and often, they come with layers of baked goods and other sugary treats. If you must know though, most desserts at a buffet aren’t really special. They just look very tasty but they often fall below expectation. If you need to try the decadent chocolate cake on display, only get a small slice – just enough to satisfy your craving.