It's hardly surprising to read that Americans are gaining weight at an alarming rate. In the last 20 years, the problem has almost become epidemic. In parallel, we are also eating out at restaurants more of the time. Surveys suggest that as much as half of our food dollars are spent outside the home.

One of the big problems with eating out so much is making healthy food choices. It's not always easy to know which menus on the item are high in fat or low in calories. Some items aren't obvious at all, such as salad dressings, which can have a surprisingly large number of calories in them. Still, eating out doesn't have to be a recipe for weight disaster, as long as you follow a few simple guidelines.

To begin with, think about the portion size you order. We all like to get a bargain, and it's hard to resist the super-sized option which only costs a little bit more. Combo deals are the same - who can resist ordering desert as well for very little extra? But it's important to only order as much food as you really want or need to eat. It's easy to order far too much when you're hungry, so start with a small portion, and if you’re still hungry afterwards, get something else. Bargain hunting may be a good idea in a clothing store, but it's a bad idea in a restaurant.

If you're going to order a salad dressing, find out how many calories it contains. Some salad dressings can contain as many as 300 calories, and yet look exactly the same as the 80 calorie option. Condiments, sauces, dips and spreads are similar. These include options such as mayonnaise, gravy, tartar sauce and syrup. It's amazing how quickly these additions rack up the calories.

What about sharing? Surprisingly enough, the whole restaurant won't turn and stare at you in disapproval if you share a desert with a friend. Most restaurants are happy to provide an extra spoon, often even an extra plate, so that you can easily share an appetizer or desert. This helps you to cut your portion size and calories with a minimal amount of effort.

Be careful of restaurants that offer an "all-in-one" type of deal. For example, starter and desert are part of the package. If you don't want 3 courses, say so. Just because it's included, that doesn't mean you have to force yourself to eat extra. Serving staff are taught to always offer extras, and it's important to learn to say no to them as well.

If it's available, check the nutrition information provided by the restaurant. Most major chains now have this sort of information available, quite often online. Print this off and take it with you next time you dine at that restaurant.

Eating out healthily can be easy to do, if you just spend a little bit of time doing some research and make careful food choices. So go out and have a great time, without having to worry about your waistline.