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Eating Low Carb out and about

Richram

Active Member
Hi

Really struggled today, took the family out for lunch

In the local garden Centre I could not make a no carb meal

Either a curry with rice or fish cake or a lasagne or a pizza

The salads weren't really salds.. too posh

Ended up having a croque Norwegian.... well that did nothing for my CBG.

Is there any advice for eating out Low Carb when faced with a difficult menu


Normally I get meat and salad and manage to have no carb easily

Difficult to not eat once sat down and I have a young family

Thanks
 
Hi @Richram

Lol, I get what your saying regarding eating out at certain establishments.. It's like they have a nutritional formula that they just won't waiver from..

The only thing I can think of is a carb swap for the protein with your fellow diners.. Sort of "barter" your potatoes for more chicken.?
 
I find most places will allow you to mix if your up front with them about the reasons. I have had some strange concoctions, in your case today maybe curry and salad.
 
IT is tricky but it's worth persevering. I had a roast dinner at a garden centre I asked for no potatoes, roast or boiled . When it arrived they had added a Yorkshire pudding. The waitress said, " We added a Yorkshire to make up for the potato? " I thanked her but fortunately my partner ate it. I've found many restaurants will add things to make up for the requested omissions. For example additional vegetables to make up for potatoes. Breakfasts are handy to look out for and ploughmans minus the bread.
 
@Richram If you have a Zizzi near you, that is a good family place with many options. Your daughter might like their dairy free options, including pizza and gelato! They have lots of salads and omnivorous foods too so something for everyone. Very cheap if you use Tesco Clubcard points too.
 

Yes, the rest of the world can manage carbs.

That's why I made the decision to focus on reversing my diabetes, rather than avoiding carbs altogether.
 
douglas99 said:
Yes, the rest of the world can manage carbs.

That's why I made the decision to focus on reversing my diabetes, rather than avoiding carbs altogether.
Click to expand...
Hi @douglas99 ,

I applaud your personal accomplishments.

However, others have adopted a different aproach....
Great to to see you though!
 
After a very bad experience with what is supposed to be a prestigeous restaurant we have given up eating at restaurants other than steak houses and a few local ones we knew before. Not handy for a young family but Wetherspoons have always been great and we have just discovered Sizzling pubs which is M&B. Both have their nutritional guides online so I have a list of choices that suit me. Wetherspoons will tweak the menu to suit and the very nice waiter at our sizzling said they do too. I cannot think of a local garden centre that could handle the off menu complexity. I volunteer at a nationally recognised garden and the only item I could have is the all day breakfast. Tbh it is the same at our local hospitals. I pack a very nifty picnic though.

I have been assured that everywhere will do an omelette if asked but other than the really nice people that run a local cafe I have never felt inclined to risk it. Most places around here cannot cope with me having something off the starter menu for dessert. It might be different for you as I guess most of our staff tend to be students from the local universities.
 
douglas99 said:
Yes, the rest of the world can manage carbs.

That's why I made the decision to focus on reversing my diabetes, rather than avoiding carbs altogether.
Click to expand...
How can you 'reverse' diabetes? I'm not sure I understand what that means
 
Jaylee said:
Hi @douglas99 ,

I applaud your personal accomplishments.

However, others have adopted a different aproach....
Great to to see you though!
Click to expand...

Eating out, or anywhere normally where you can't personally prepare your own food, or take it with it often comes up as a problem
It'll always be a fact of life that the majority can happily eat, and want to eat carbs, so that's what will be served in the majority of places.
Having said that, I often swap chips for a salad.
 
When we understand what most carbs does to us...it loses much of its appeal.

Even if I were to be given a brand new pancreas, I would not abuse it with carbs the way I had over the last few decades...
 
Don't go out a lot but you could manage a cheap low carb at a Toby without pots and sweet! It's a bit expensive but took wife out for anniversary meal last Friday to place in country and had a 13oz sirloin ( fantastic meat up here) two vegs with multiple stuff in each option available without potatoes so my meal didnt have many carbs, still full next morning. atb D.
 
Mind you I have a difficult time at home to get to the local co-op I have to pass two Chinese take a ways a pizza place a chip shop a cafe and a sandwich bar the only low carb place on the street is the florists.
 
Richram, in your shoes, I'd have gone for the curry, but passed on the rice; all the tasty stuff, without the grains.
 
Just a few days ago a friend and I met up, had a coffee, did some shopping (all still in the same shop) then back to the shop cafe (small) for lunch. Unfortunately, I hadn't planned this in advanced so was stumped by the choice of sandwiches, paninis, chocolate shortcake, flapjacks, tea cakes etc etc. However, I spied a limited menu on the board. Yes, you've probably guessed - soup of the day, baked potatoes with a variety of fillings, so well stumped.

With my cheeky grin, I explained to the lad behind the counter what I could eat as 'low carbing'. I asked if it were possible to have some chilli with cheese, no potato! So, he charged about half the price of a baked potato with filling When it was brought over, I had a huge bowl of chilli and another bowl with a very generous portion of grated cheese. The lad and the supervisor were both rather taken aback that that was my meal

I have to say, I was picking out the chilli beans but my friend had them!!! All in all, a very pleasant, low carb meal

If you don't ask, you don't get ... my motto
 
Energize said:
If you don't ask, you don't get ... my motto
Click to expand...

I agree, even if the answer is no sometimes at least asking boosts the success rate
It is such a mixed bag eating away from home.

I attended a firms do a couple of months ago and had to choose from three options for menu when I replied to the invite. I ticked my choices and added a little note asking for no potatoes and requesting if possible I be given a small piece of cheese instead of the pudding stodge options. The medium sized hotel which was catering absolutely did me proud, every course had been adapted to some extent.

On the opposite side a restaurant I have regularly been eating at for years with friends and family have not been able or prepared to make any adaptation at all, not even a substitution or increase of other veg or salad for chips/potatoes, I still go there occasionally but not often because virtually the only thing I can eat is breakfast items, I could get an omelette but they still charge for the chips I don't get.

I've found a lovely local baker's cafe who will do their breakfast roll offer (3 of any items you like on one of their delicious bread rolls ) but on a plate instead and substitute an extra slice of bacon or sausage for the roll, they also do a salad plate at lunch, a really good portion of good quality filling choice from a list, green salad with cherry toms and red pepper slices topped with your choice of three from five additional items (pesto pasta with pine nuts, fruity couscous, sliced boiled egg, gorgeous creamy homemade coleslaw or feta cheese) delicious and £5 the lot (lunch today maybe).

I agree with @lindisfel though, if I'm away from home I try for a carvery I can find one or subway for lunch (they swap their sub roll for a salad bowl) otherwise it tends to be a lot of all day breakfast.
 
Had very similar problem at a sea side yesterday whole family wanted fish and chips ect as treat and nothing on board for me to have even sausage was deep fried and in batter. just had coffee will be better prepared next time.. I just assumed that now they would have more choices as everyone is changing attitudes to food
 
We were recently at a restaurant with curry on the menu so I requested steamed veggies instead of rice. It was delicious. In contrast, was visiting a friend in hospital recently and called in to the hospital cafeteria. Not one thing on the menu I would eat. I ended up going to the hospital pharmacy and bought a $2 protein bar for $5. That will teach me for not being prepared.
 
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