Hungry Girl Goes... Out to Brunch!

Heading out to a midday meal with pals or the family? Here are Hungry Girl's tips for successful brunching.

Drink water before you dig in.
This one may seem obvious but it's a great tip. (And every now and then we need to be reminded of things, no?) Down a full glass or two of water before you get started. It'll take the edge off of your hunger, so drink up! This doesn't just apply to brunch, either. The old “guzzle a glass of water” trick works before any meal.

Watching what you eat? Mums the Word!
This one is very important. Try not to make a big deal out of the fact that you're counting calories or PointsPlus® values. Trust me, the second you announce that you're going to be careful with what you eat, people will be all over you trying to convince you to indulge, and/or going on and on about how great you look and telling you to live a little. Keep it on the DL. (For those of you not familiar with the fancy lingo, DL is short for "down low.")

Menu vs. Buffet: The Ultimate Battle
Even if you're going to a brunch buffet, there's a good chance the restaurant will be happy to serve you something from the regular menu. So read that first and then decide what you want to do. And if you know you're the type to overeat at a buffet, make your decision carefully.

Buffet the Right Way
If you decide to go for the buffet, there's a right and wrong way to attack this food fest, this I know. Do not simply join the line and head on your merry way, picking and choosing items as you see them. This is a mistake because you'll likely be tempted to load up your plate with the wrong foods early on. Before you start, walk around and look closely at everything that's being offered. Make a mental note of all the good and bad choices, and think about the things you'll want to add to your plate and the portion sizes. Then get in line and start building your meal. This little exercise has helped save me from many brunch-time disasters—and it's fun!

Where will Hungry Girl go next week? Check back next Monday to find out!

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Hungry Girl, aka Lisa Lillien, distributes her tips, tricks and takes on new food products through her daily emails and Web site. Check out Hungry-Girl.com

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