Treat yourself to a meal out this summer

By Marilyn Barber | newseditor@dorsetview.co.uk

“I just can’t face either making or eating another salad,” a friend said during the recent very hot weather.

Well there’s an answer if that’s how you feel. Get someone else to do it.

During the pandemic we all missed eating out so much that takeaways were the only option – the alternative being tied to the kitchen every lunchtime and evening.

But now we have so many pubs and restaurants to choose from, many of whom are running special offers to encourage people to get back into the habit of eating out – or enjoying a treat for a special occasion. It isn’t just the fact of having food prepared for you, the chance to enjoy dishes you’ve never had before, and not having to do the washing up, it is the sociability.

We have become a café society, a factor that has been recognised by tourist attractions, garden centres and even retail outlets. We all like to enjoy refreshments with friends and family if only for a coffee – and maybe a cake.

And with the number of people living alone in the UK having increased by four per cent over the last 10 years, meeting up in a café or restaurant is important for interaction with others.

If you worry about the health aspects of eating out, the British Heart Foundation has some good advice:

One of the best ways to ensure you make good choices is to check the menu before you arrive and don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant to adapt dishes.

And if you find that usually the portions are too large for you, you can always order a starter with perhaps a side order of vegetables.

According to a report commissioned by a restaurant chain last year, 75 per cent of families are choosing to eat out more frequently than they were five years ago.

And one of the reasons is being able to enjoy quality family time.

Thai, Chinese and Indian restaurants are a popular choice for diners, because the dishes produced contain a myriad of spices that are not contained in most home store cupboards.

And if you must have a salad – isn’t it good to have one prepared for you, with most likely the addition of some special ingredients that you might not have thought of?