When you're on a diet, dining out can be a very stressful situation. Most people love going out to dinner, but dieters can have a difficult time deciding on what they can have and what they can't have. Well, you don't have to give up going out to lunch or dinner entirely. Everyone needs a splurge now and then. Of course, you should be smart about it. Splurging does not mean overeating to the point of being uncomfortable.

There's no doubt that you're going to be tempted by all of the wonderful food on the menu at your favorite restaurant. And, most of those foods are so fattening you can almost gain weight just by looking at them!

Eat a salad or some soup before the main course. These foods will help fill you up so that you aren't so tempted to eat more of the high-fat foods. Be careful though: just because it's a salad doesn't mean it's not fattening. Some dressings have a calorie count that is outrageous. Some soups can also be very high in fat. Stay away from creamed soups.

It is so easy to go to a restaurant and choose your favorite highest fat foods and tell yourself, "It's just this once." But, then tomorrow it's "Just this once" all over again. Go to restaurants on an occasional basis - not every day.

When you do dine out, you can make your meal healthier by changing just a few of the items on the menu. For example, order a side salad instead of the French fries that most likely come with the meal. When you order a hamburger, get it without cheese. And, of course, stay away from the jumbo burgers!

Many dishes in fancy restaurants come with sauces that are very rich and high in fat content. Here again, the creamy sauces are the ones to stay away from. They are much higher in fat and are a bad choice for your diet. Sauces that are broth based and "light" salad dressings are better choices for you. If you don't have those choices, get your sauce or salad dressing "on the side." You don't have to eat all of the sauce or salad dressing that is on your plate. Just use enough to flavor your food.

Restaurants are also known for serving huge portion sizes. You shouldn't eat the whole thing, but share part of it with your spouse or a friend that you are eating with. Or you can take the rest of the dinner home so that you can eat it the next day. This way you can get two meals for one. It not only saves your diet but it also saves you money.

You do not have to give up going out to dinner just because you are on a diet. But, you do have to pay attention to what - and how much you eat. Choose lower fat foods if you can and don't eat every bite on your plate. After all, the main reason we dine out is to be with friends and family, isn't it?