Inside Info About Eating Out

¿ "Eat This, Not That!" by Men's Health editor in chief David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding (Rodale, $19.95).

This little book is so slick and filled with mouthwatering photos that you may find yourself drooling on the pages. Once you open it, just try to put it down. It will show you how to find smart options at Arby's, Cold Stone Creamery, Five Guys, Panera Bread, Wendy's and a host of other chains. It also gives tips on how to order wisely everywhere from white-tablecloth restaurants to vending machines, and even offers guidance for buying groceries.

Follow its advice, and you could save hundreds of calories at your favorite restaurants.

At Smoothie King, for example, order the skinny, 20-ounce Amaretto Coffee Smoothie, which has about a third of the 277 calories found in the skinny Mo'cuccino Smoothie.

And at Panera, order the tempting and cheesy BBQ Chicken Crispani (380 calories) with less than half the calories of the Sierra Turkey Sandwich (840 calories). Get that information and more from this book. It's a winner.

¿ "Eat Out, Eat Right" is by a registered dietitian, Hope S. Warshaw (Surrey, $12.95), and it gets high marks from some noted nutrition experts, including one of my former graduate school professors at Columbia University's Institute of Human Nutrition.

With 450,000 copies produced since it first appeared in 1992, this slim volume clearly appeals to consumers, too, although it's not very flashy. You'll find solid restaurant information, help in knowing when to ask for more healthful substitutions when dining out and handy nutrition tips.

¿ "Restaurant Confidential" by Michael F. Jacobson and Jayne G. Hurley (Workman, $12.95) remains a reliable standby six years after its publication. It was written by the Center for Science in the Public Interest team that regularly gives an eye-opening reality check to consumers with roundups of restaurant food.

Find great nutrition nuggets here, including why ordering chicken Caesar salad is not a wise choice and how Mexican restaurant meals often pack more unhealthy fat and calories than their Chinese and Italian counterparts.

The only thing that has changed since publication are trans fat gram counts. A growing number of fast-food chains are eliminating that artery-clogging fat, thanks in large part to petitioning from these authors and their colleagues, who also led the charge to get trans fat labeling on food nutrition facts labels.