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Dining Out Fast Food & Diabetes: Yes You Can Dine Out!

How can you include fast food if you have diabetes? If you think about it, eating out is something most of us do on a routine basis, so why should we have to give that up when dieting? Learning how to make good choices in the restaurant will be beneficial when you are monitoring your weight and/or glucose levels.

Before You Dine Out

We’ve all heard the old saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail”. Think about it, it’s true. If you go into a situation with no plan, you will most likely fall back to your usual routine. If that routine is ordering a double cheeseburger, then that’s probably what will happen. Next thing you know, it’s 10 PM and you’re thinking “I blew my diet again today”. So how can you have fast food with diabetes and stay on track?

Check the website of your favorite restaurant or pick up a copy of the menu nutritionals. Compare your favorite choices to your current eating plan. Pay special attention to the carb levels listed if you are on a diet for diabetes or otherwise monitoring carb intake. You may need to eat a smaller portion/share or pick a different menu item. Here’s a list to help you get started:

FAST FOOD:

SIT DOWN DINING:

PIZZAS

SWEETS/DESSERTS/DRINKS

Call ahead and ask the restaurant if they will honor special requests including:

type of cooking oil used
trim fat from poultry or meat
leave butter, gravy or sauces off or serve these on the side
salad dressings on the side
sharing entrees or ordering an appetizer as a main dish

At The Restaurant

BREAKFAST-

Multi-grain pancakes – leave off butter and add fruit
Oatmeal with low-fat milk and fruit
Egg white veggie omelet
Whole grain cereal with low-fat milk
Lower fat yogurt

BEVERAGES-

Sparkling water
Unsweetened iced tea
Juice and sparkling water mix
Water with lemon

APPETIZERS-

Fresh Fruit
Shrimp Cocktail
Tossed salad with light dressing or lemon juice

MAIN DISH/ENTREE-

Grilled poultry, fish and vegetable dishes
Pasta with vegetables (Primavera)
Limit excess use of butter and salt used at the table
Order sauces and dressings on the side

SALAD BAR-

Fresh veggies/lettuce
Beans- chickpeas, kidney beans, edamame
Avoid creamy pasta salads and non veg items like ham, cheese,etc.
Choose lemon juice, vinegar or other lower cal dressings

SIDE DISHES-

Veggie side dishes are usually good choices and can be combined to form a lower calorie entrée
Order butter or sauces on the side (baked potatoes, etc)
Order yogurt (if available) in place of butter

DESSERTS-

Fruit Sorbet
Fresh fruit
Split dessert with others at the table

FAST FOOD-

Small hamburger versus the larger size
Roast beef can be lower in calories than some burgers
Try a carton of milk instead of milkshake- even a carton of whole or 2% milk will be lower in calories than a milkshake
Grilled or broiled fish or chicken
Make a salad at the salad bar or order a side salad instead of fries- watch the salad dressing
Try extra lettuce/tomato on your sandwich instead of cheese
Pizza with thin crust and lots of veggie toppings

Visit the Health Resource page for more information including a fast food guide. With just a small amount of planning you can enjoy a delicious meal and stay on track!