Marias Italian Cafe

Tip for eating out healthy in Rockford, Illinois:
Think about what you're drinking with your meal. By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.

Tip for eating out healthy in Rockford, Illinois:
Make the right entree selection. Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you'll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

Tip for eating out healthy in Rockford, Illinois:
Learn to control your portions. Many rockford restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overindulge.

Tip for eating out healthy in Rockford, Illinois:
Indulge your sweet tooth wisely. Many of the chain rockford restaurants now offer a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

People who do not have the ability, time or will to cook at home now only have to pick up the phone book or click on the Internet in order to find their local rockford restaurant or rockford fast food retailer that will be more than happy to deliver the freshly prepared hot food ready to eat straight to their door with minimum fuss.

Although the rockford fast food retailers compete with each other fiercely, using their special offers and cheaper and healthier alternatives to entice us to their premises, the main stay of traditional rockford restaurants still hold an important part in our lives.