Going out to dinner is a great time to relax with friends, celebrate accomplishments and enjoy a meal you don’t have to cook or clean up after.

Unfortunately, if you are budget-conscious, going out to eat may sometimes lead to stress because a lot of people end up ordering too much. A great, easy way to stick to your budget is to limit yourself to an entree and only one other item whether it is a drink, appetizer or dessert.

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Drinks

Most people who enjoy an alcoholic beverage before, during or after your meal can safely choose this option without any regret. One of the best benefits of choosing to order a drink is having something you can savor throughout the meal. At the very least, most restaurants offer a selection of beer and wine and many offer some amount of cocktail options as well. If everyone in your party is ordering drinks, but you don’t want alcohol, ordering a virgin cocktail is also a good option.

Appetizers

Starting with appetizers Fredericksburg TX is a great choice if you want to get food quickly, which is especially helpful if you have fussy kids or if you skipped lunch that day. Appetizers are usually big enough to share, so consider getting friends to split items with you for lower costs. Some of the most popular appetizers for American cuisine are fried pickles, onion rings and nachos.

Dessert

If you are someone who typically finishes eating and then says, “now I need something sweet,” ordering dessert is going to be your best option to satisfy that sweet tooth. The great part about dessert is that if the restaurant makes the items fresh in-house, there are often daily specials or a rotation of options.

Of course, depending on your budget and the restaurant, ordering one of these things on top of your meal may not work for you. Another great option would be to forgo the main entree and order two items from this list instead since these items tend to cost less.