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As restaurants in many states begin to reopen, there will be more than just curbside pick-up or takeout available for the first time in months. With dining rooms and patios opening for service, albeit limited and with new restrictions, it might start to feel like pre-COVID life in many ways.
But before you go and make reservations all over town, remember that there are some obvious pitfalls to restaurant dining that may lead to further spread of the virus, experts warn. Here’s what you need to know:
"Avoid the restroom," warns professor of public health at Ball State University, Jagdish Khubchandani, when asked which parts of the dine-in experience should be avoided at all costs.
"These are high-traffic area and host the most infectious disease agents," he explains. That make sense!
READ MORE: The One Thing Experts Say You Should NEVER Do When Grocery Shopping
What else do experts warn against when it comes to restaurant dining in COVID-19?
Consider skipping the dine-in experience altogether and sticking to take-out a little bit longer, Dr. Stephen Loyd, M.D. and Chief Medical Director at JourneyPure, suggests.
"Ordering takeout is a much safer option than dining in a restaurant right now," he advises.
Additionally, nutrition is still a factor and expert warn that you shouldn't go off the deep end when it comes to eating restaurant food in general. Even though it's tempting to order the most delicious items on the menu, proper nutrition is always something that health experts advise.
"We are trying to support our local restaurants to keep them in business during this pandemic, and that is not a bad thing," certified health and wellness coach Lynell Ross says. "However, balancing healthy home cooked meals with eating out is wise to make sure we get all the nutrition we need."
