We’ll admit that we tend to focus on the more outrageous end of the restaurant menu, both because it’s fun and it’s what we (well, at least I) eat. But leave it to our more sensible cousins at Consumer Reports Health to come up with a list of ways to eat out at a restaurant while saving money and watching your waist.

Here are a few noteworthy notes for spending less, eating less and sometimes both:
Order two appetizers instead of a main course. You’ll get more variety, smaller portions, and you may pay less than you would for an entrée.

Let ’em know your age. Many family restaurants have reduced-price menus for older customers, usually defined as 55 and up. Most have lower-priced menus for kids, too, and some have “kids eat free” days.

Look it up. Some chains make their nutrition information available on their Web sites or on menus in states or cities that require it. At those that don’t, ask your server. You can also look up healthier dishes at nearly 60,000 restaurants on the website HealthyDiningFinder.com. (The recommendations don’t take sodium into account, so be sure to check it yourself before choosing.)

The full list is available over that the Consumer Reports Health Blog:
12 ways to save calories and money when eating out

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