Why is eating at restaurants or getting take out not a healthy eating habit?

October 22, 2025 •

2 min read

According to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, individuals who eat out frequently show an increased risk of chronic diseases and overall mortality. This makes eating at restaurants or getting take out not a healthy eating habit for long-term wellness.

Quick Summary

Frequent dining out contributes to poor health by increasing calorie intake, relying on unhealthy fats, sugar, and sodium, and promoting larger portion sizes that make maintaining a balanced diet difficult.

Key Points

Hidden Ingredients: Restaurant and takeout food often contain excessive, hidden amounts of sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats to enhance flavor, far beyond what you would use at home.
Portion Distortion: Commercial kitchens serve significantly larger portion sizes than necessary, promoting overeating and making calorie control difficult.
Nutrient-Poor Meals: Takeout often lacks the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber abundant in fresh, home-cooked foods.
Food Safety Risks: You lose control over food handling and hygiene standards, increasing the potential for foodborne illness from improper preparation or storage.
Increased Health Risks: Frequent consumption of outside food is linked to higher rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and other metabolic issues.
Environmental Impact: The takeout industry generates a massive amount of single-use plastic and packaging waste, contributing to environmental pollution.

The Hidden Nutritional Pitfalls of Restaurant and Takeout Food

Dining out and ordering takeout offer convenience, but this often comes with nutritional compromises. You lose control over ingredients, cooking methods, and portion sizes. Restaurants frequently use high amounts of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats to enhance flavor, which can be detrimental with frequent consumption, potentially leading to weight gain, high blood pressure, and metabolic syndrome over time.

The Salt, Sugar, and Fat Overload

Restaurant meals often contain excessive amounts of sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats. High sodium intake, frequently found in restaurant food, can contribute to high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease. Similarly, added sugars and unhealthy fats used in cooking and sauces contribute to various health issues.

Nutrient Deficiencies and Processed Ingredients

Restaurant and takeout meals are often high in calories but low in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Pre-prepared foods used in many establishments may contain additives and preservatives. Common less nutritious elements include excessive oils, refined grains, processed meats, and artificial flavor enhancers.

The Problem with Portion Distortion

Restaurant portions are typically larger than healthy serving sizes, encouraging overconsumption and making calorie management difficult. Larger portions can lead to consuming hundreds of extra calories compared to home-cooked meals, contributing to weight gain.

Food Safety and Environmental Impact

Beyond nutrition, dining out and takeout can pose food safety risks due to variations in kitchen hygiene and handling, increasing the chance of foodborne illness. The takeout industry also significantly contributes to environmental waste through single-use packaging. For more information on the environmental impact, you can explore resources like this article from Blulabs: Navigating the Environmental Impact of Takeout Packaging.

Home-Cooked vs. Restaurant/Takeout: A Comparison


Feature	Home-Cooked Meals	Restaurant/Takeout Meals
Nutrient Control	Full control over ingredients, fresh produce, and cooking methods.	Limited control over ingredients, with reliance on pre-prepared foods and additives.
Portion Size	Easily manageable to meet personal dietary needs and goals.	Often oversized, leading to unintentional overeating and weight gain.
Ingredients	Use of fresh, whole foods without preservatives or flavor enhancers.	Frequent use of processed ingredients, high sodium, and unhealthy fats to boost flavor.
Cost	Generally more cost-effective, with better use of bulk ingredients.	More expensive, as the price includes labor, rent, and overhead.
Health Risks	Lower risk of foodborne illness with proper home sanitation.	Higher risk of contamination and temperature-related bacteria growth.
Environmental Impact	Minimal packaging waste and reduced carbon footprint.	Significant waste from single-use containers and packaging.

Conclusion: Reclaiming Control Over Your Health

While convenient, frequent eating out or getting takeout negatively impacts long-term health due to large portions, hidden unhealthy ingredients, and lower nutrient density. Prioritizing home cooking offers better control over your diet, portion sizes, and reduces health risks. Occasional dining out can be enjoyed, but regular home cooking is crucial for maintaining a healthy eating habit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Restaurants often use high amounts of salt, sugar, and oil for flavor, making it difficult to judge a meal's healthiness just by looking at it. Look for cooking methods like 'grilled,' 'steamed,' or 'baked' over 'fried,' 'crispy,' or 'creamy,' and ask for sauces and dressings on the side.

Not necessarily. While ingredients might be of higher quality, fine-dining restaurants can still use excessive amounts of butter, salt, and cream-based sauces. The portion sizes can also be misleadingly large, encouraging overeating.

You can request a half-portion, split an entree with a companion, or ask for a to-go box with your meal to pack away half before you start eating.

Some cuisines, like certain types of pizza and Chinese food, have been found to be particularly high in salt and saturated fat. However, unhealthy options can be found in any cuisine, and healthy choices exist everywhere.

One of the biggest risks is the consistent, hidden consumption of high levels of sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats, which can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, and chronic diseases over time.

Food additives like flavor enhancers and preservatives, often used in pre-prepared restaurant ingredients, have been linked to digestive issues, chronic inflammation, and other long-term health risks.

Home-cooked food is generally healthier because you control the ingredients, cooking methods, and portions. However, a homemade meal can be unhealthy if it's prepared with excessive fats and sugar, so conscious cooking is key.