Going out to eat is a nice treat. You don't have to worry about cooking or cleaning and you get to choose from plenty of options. The bad part is that you can usually be tricked into taking in twice the calories you usually do. It's possible you were duped by the menu-design experts who dream up sneaky ways to entice you into ordering cheap, not-so-healthy foods that yield big profits.  Here are a few ways to outsmart those clever menus!

1. Don't Trust The Pictures - These pictures are created to make that meal choice look as appetizing as it could possible look, which is probably not how you will get it. They want your eyes to fall on that item specifically because it yields a higher profit. Look through the menu and we bet you won't see many pictures of the really healthy items. 

2. Don't Be Fooled By A Well Written Description - The words that describe each meal are very carefully chosen to grab your attention and to persuade you that the item listed is more than it actually is. The writers use words that trigger your cravings and try to burry your rational side. 

3. Putting The Fatty Foods Right Next To The Healthy Ones - You wouldn't think this would work if the reader of the menu is on a quest for a healthy meal but it does. Reading about a salad makes you think that it's time to indulge in something a little less healthy. 

4. Don't Play The Veggie Card - Just because it comes with "steamed" vegetables doesn't make it a healthier meal. When we see produce as a side we tend to justify eating a less healthy main dish. Don't give in!  Most restaurant veggies are slathered in butter and/or cheese and maybe even deep fried. Even if they're not, you should focus on the big picture or the entire plate. 

5. The Sampler Is Not The Healthier Option - Instead of eating an entire appetizer, you think that you might just try a little bit of a few different things. Research shows that when you have more choices you actually eat more. If you NEED an appetizer, try to just pick one and keep the others on your "to-try" list for next time. 

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