Dining Out Eco & Organic

As much as I truly enjoy cooking, I also really like to eat out.  There is something about being waited on and not having to do dishes that gets me every time :)
Since moving to NY I have been overwhelmed by the amount of local and sustainable restaurants with organic offerings.  It has been a delightful change and I absolutely  love exploring all the options!
This is so new to me because up until two months ago, I lived in Las Vegas, NV and it was extremely hard to find organic, sustainable restaurants that were also affordable there.  Las Vegas hosts some of the best restaurants and chefs in the world and a lot of these fine dining restaurants that don chef's names pride themselves on being organic, sustainable restaurants that only use the best ingredients, which I love...but can't afford them on a regular basis.  In Las Vegas we would go out for a nice dinner and dine at these fancy restaurants about once a month, but just couldn't justify it much more than that.
Other than the fine dining restaurants there are only a handful of organic, sustainable, more reasonably priced restaurant options.  And when I say "a handful", I mean like 4...at least that I knew of. 
So, in a situation like that, what do you do...Never eat out?!?  Absolutely not!
Below are some of the things I consider when I'm eating out and organic, sustainable options are not available.

1. Eat Vegetarian - Personally it is more important to me to make sure that the meat and dairy I eat is organic over anything else.  So, when I am eating out and I know the restaurant does not offer organic or sustainable meal & dairy options I will eat vegetarian.  Most restaurants offer a variety of vegetarian options or you can always order a dish sans the meat.  I am not a picky eater and I LOVE vegetables, so I can usually always find something I will like! I love the slogan: Eat Less Meat, Eat Better Meat.
2. Order Lamb - If eating vegetarian is not an option for you, lamb is always the best non-organic option.  Lamb is not factory farmed in the United States in the degree other animals are.  They live on a much more natural diet and are typically free to roam and graze.  Lamb is obviously not as widely available at restaurants as other types of meat, but it is a really good option when it is available!
3. Never Assume - If the restaurant doesn't explicitly say something is organic, sustainable, non-gmo, farm to table, etc....it isn't.  Trust me, a restaurant will ALWAYS advertise where their food comes from and when it is safe, healthy and raised with no chemicals, pestisides, antibiotics, hormones, etc.  If you are ever unsure, ask your server or the manager...if they don't know, its not organic!
4. Seafood Guide- I love seafood, but I am also very conscious of the seafood I eat.  I have definitely stopped eating some types of seafood that I used to really love after researching overfishing, farm-fishing, fishing techniques, mercury levels, etc.  A fantastic resource is the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch WEBSITE where you can download a Regional Seafood Watch Pocket Guide, download a seafood app for your smart phone and find tons of information on which seafood items are "Best Choices," "Good Alternatives," and which ones you should "Avoid" and why.  I use the app on my iPhone all the time!
5. Remember the Dirty Dozen - Visit the EWG's website HERE to find out which fruits and vegetables have the most pesticide residues and are the most important to eat and buy organic.  The website also includes a list of the Clean 15 (which fruits and vegetables have the least pesticide residue).  This is a fantastic resource to use not only at restaurants, but when shopping for produce in general.  You can also download their app to your smart phone!
6. Know Before You Go - Check out the following websites to find organic, local and sustainable restaurants in your area:  
• Local Harvest       
• Organic Food Database        
• Eat Well Guide    
• Urban Spoon   (Search "Organic")

Below are some other healthy and great tips to keep in mind when eating out:

• Bring your own take-out containers with you.  You bring your own bags to the grocery store, so why not your own reusable containers to a restaurant?  Put a glass Tupperware-type container in your purse before heading out and instead of asking the server to wrap up your food in wastefull, possibly Styrofoam container, wrap it up yourself! Don't forget your re-usable beverage tumbler when you go to the coffee shop too...you might even get a discount at some places!
• Support sustainable businesses - When you find local restaurants and chefs that do care about the ingredients they use and want to make change, support them and tell other people about how great they are!  One of my all time favorite sayings is "Vote with your Wallet" because it is so true...we all have the power to make change through the way we decide to spend our hard earned money!
• Take public transportation, walk or ride a bike - This is really just a great tip no matter what your doing!  According to practicallygreen.com, "When you take public transportation, you reduce congestion, emissions, and energy. It’s also kind on the wallet; APTA says an individual can save $9,293 annually commuting via mass transit."
• Drink from the tap -  Order tap water instead of bottled water or bring your own water from home in a reusable container.  Save another bottle and order beer from the tap :-)

What are some of your tips for being healthy, sustainable, organic and eco-friendly when eating out ?