We asked the folks who tell others how to eat, what is that they have for breakfast when dining out. You can be sure that bacon, Fruit Loops, and doughnuts are not ordered.
“I go to City Limits Diner and order the vegetable frittata or a light omelet with a side of fruit or salad greens. I don’t do the egg-white-only thing as egg yolks contain most of the nutrition offered in a whole egg, including essential fatty acids, carotenoids (which are antioxidants), and many vitamins and minerals. I also like the seasonal fruit bowl with fruit, berries, yogurt, and, in lieu of granola, nuts. I have celiac disease and need to eat gluten free, so no granola for me.”
—Rachel Begun, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
“I like the Pleasantville Diner. I ask for a three-egg omelet, prepared using very little oil or butter and using one yolk only. I request all of the veggies that the restaurant offers—spinach, zucchini, onions, tomatoes—to bolster the taste, color, and nutritional value. I order whole-wheat toast and make my own little omelet sandwich. Add a glass of grapefruit juice; it doesn’t get any better.”
—Christen Cupples Cooper, founder of Cooper Nutrition Education & Communications in Pleasantville
“I prefer to go to places that support local farms, like Crabtree’s Kittle House in Chappaqua. I start off with berries, then try to have a good combination of proteins and carbs—usually poached eggs and their steel-cut oatmeal.”
—Dina Khader, founder of The Khader Center in Mount Kisco
“When I do go out, I get a Belgian waffle with fresh strawberries—no whipped cream. I always have fruit to balance out the other things because they fill you up. Fruit is better to have than fruit juice.”
—Kilwanna Jordan, registered dietitian at Phelps Memorial Hospital Center
in Sleepy Hollow
“I love to start my day with a green smoothie to give my body energy and a burst of nutrients. Andy’s Pure Food in Rye is a perfect place to go green with a kale shake—apple, pineapple, banana, lemon, and, of course, kale. Le Pain Quotidien, also in Rye, is another favorite place for breakfast. I like steel-cut oatmeal with berries and bananas; brown rice pudding with soymilk and agave, or organic tofu scramble with tomatoes and mushrooms. Delicious!”
—Renata Petecka, certified nutrition and health coach at La Dolce Vita Nutrition in Tarrytown
“At breakfast, I eat very sparingly. Out, I usually just have scrambled eggs and a fruit cup. My favorite place is IHOP. You actually can get low-calorie breakfasts there like egg-white omelets.”
—Jack Rosemarin, MD, gastroenterologist/nutritionist at White Plains Hospital
“I like to go to Chat American Grill in Scarsdale. They have a create-your-own-omelet, so I get a tomato and goat cheese egg-white omelet.”
—Daria Ventura, registered dietitian at Scarsdale Medical Group
