Giada De Laurentiis' Favorite Way To Order A Salad When Eating Out

Before parting ways with the Food Network in 2023, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis became concerned about the hectic lifestyle she was living as a television star. Excessive travel was just part of it, and grabbing meals on the go and lots of eating out were often necessary. So, she developed some strategies for restaurant dining. In an article on her Giadzy website, the Emmy Award winner shares some tips for eating out, including a unique approach to ordering salad.

She's unapologetic when it comes to how she makes food choices in restaurants. For instance, there are certain pasta dishes that De Laurentiis will never order when eating out. When she chooses from the salad section of a menu, she takes control of the flavor and texture of the dish by requesting that her dressing be served on the side, rather than mixed into the greens. The famed restaurateur also sometimes foregoes in-house dressing altogether and, instead, instructs the waiter or waitress to simply bring wedges of lemon and olive oil. This allows the cooking star to apply her own expert skills to topping the salad, and it ensures that she knows exactly what she's eating.

The star spent her career sharing rich Italian cuisine with the masses, including the recipes that made De Laurentiis famous. However, she's faced some major lifestyle changes in her forties that centered on food. In her book, "Eat Better, Feel Better," the star talks about the food overhaul she embarked on after years of high stress, hectic schedules, and consequent poor eating habits began taking their toll in ways she couldn't ignore.

"I realized that if I didn't prioritize my health above the hundred other things vying for my attention, I would only continue to feel worse, not better," the chef says in her book. So, Giada began making big alterations to the way she was eating to promote gut health, boost immunity, and reduce inflammation. Among the abundant tips shared in her book, the celeb chef admonishes paying attention to one's body and identifying foods that are particular triggers. If a person feels unwell after eating cow-milk-based parmesan cheese, for instance, she advises exploring alternative options like goat and sheep cheese.