Dining Out & Diabetes: Yes You Can Dine Out!
If you listen to most dieters, you are told to avoid eating out. I don’t know about you, but to me, eating out is a treat I don’t want to give up when I’m watching what I eat. 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 what can you do to 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:
- Arby’s
- Blimpie
- Burger King
- Chick-fi-A
- Chili’s
- KFC
- Hardees
- Long John Silver’s
- McDonald’s
- Nathan’s Famous
- Quiznos
- Sbarro
- Schlotzsky”s Deli
- Sonic
- Souper Salad
- Starbucks
- Subway
- Taco Bell
- Wendy’s
- White Castle
SIT DOWN DINING:
- Atlanta Bread Company
- Applebee’s
- Bob Evans
- Denny’s
- Olive Garden
- Outback Steakhouse
- Pizza Hut
- Ruby Tuesday
- Steak ‘N Shake
PIZZAS
SWEETS/DESSERTS/DRINKS
- Baskin Robbins
- Cold Stone Creamery
- Dairy Queen
- Dunkin Donuts
- Great American Cookie Company
- Krispy Kreme
- Smoothie King
- TCBY
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!