What to order at a restaurant without giving up what you love

Look at the menu before you go

Choosing calmly helps more than deciding while you’re hungry. If the menu is online, look at it beforehand and think about what you feel like: you arrive knowing what you want.

In the app you snap the menu, or share a screenshot from the place’s Instagram, and Yema tells you which dishes fit what’s left of your day best, and the best moment for dessert.

Look for protein and vegetables

A dish with protein fills you up more and gets you closer to your goal: chicken, fish, lean meat, eggs or beans. A meal with 20 to 40 g of protein is a good goal.¹

If it comes with vegetables or salad, even better. And if the side is fried, you can ask for half and half with salad: it’s still your dish, with a bit more color.

What you barely see: oil and sauces

A tablespoon of oil has about 120 kcal.² That’s why a fried or sautéed dish adds up to more than it looks, and asking for the sauce or dressing on the side lets you decide how much you use.

Grilled, baked, steamed or roasted are usually good picks. It’s not a rule: if you’re craving something fried, enjoy it and fit it into the rest of your day.

Drinks and dessert

Alcohol has 7 kcal per gram, almost as much as fat.³ If you drink, alternate with water; and if you want dessert, sharing it is a good way to treat yourself.