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T1s - What's your go-to restaurant?

mytype1.life

Well-Known Member
Messages
455
Location
England
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
So if I'm honest I don't enjoy eating out too much due to my difficulty in getting carb counting right. I least enjoy eating out when it's an organised event like a work do.

Are there any chain restaurants that I'm missing where you find easy to carb count? (Have a nutritional menu)

I tend to have some kind of salad at Pizza Express, Nando's or Beefeater (which can become boring!)
 
I tend to go as closely with the Carbs and Cals app where I can when I'm eating out (plus I've made notes of carb counts of common meals and foods I've had in my phone to refer to).

It's very hit and miss with places as to whether the nutritional information provided (where it is) is even accurate. Nando's is a good example where their online menu is accurate. Wetherspoons is a good example of having very strange and unbelievable information listed.

I've not been offered DAFNE or similar yet so I just try to gauge the best I can and not beat myself up too much on mistakes.
 
I am going out for dinner tomorrow and as haven't visited this establishment before, I emailed first because I am Coeliac, but I can eat a chicken dish at Wimpy and it is very tasty too. So I don't know if there will be any nutritional information, I know Macdonalds do, but hardly restaurant standard's lol. Most of the time I guesstimate.
 
I eat out very infrequently - approx once every 2 months, so I just estimate carbohydrate content when I see the plate / bowl. I certainly don't limit myself to any particular chain of restaurants. More usually, it's a pub on Thursday night, chosen by orienteering running friends, or a pub on Friday night to start a weekend with an outdoor pursuits group. So, food depends on where we meet - lamb shank in Lake District, fish & chips near coast etc.
Obviously, if you eat out more often, you might need to be more selective, but carbohydrate estimating is a skill to develop!
 
Most chains have carb counts - often online and sometimes a bit hidden : D If there's no carb count, I go for something that's easy to count eg potatoes.

My favourite restaurants are Prezzo, lots of the bistro type ones, and any good Thai restaurants.
 
Pizza express have a comprehensive nutrition guide online which I've found works out fine for me. I like tapas restaurants often possible to go low carb by choosing plates that are mainly protein. If you're up for some posh nosh then fine dining restaurants are often low on carbs as they don't tend to bulk the plate out with piles of cheap chips and rice. Had a ten course meal the other day and after allowing for the alcohol I didn't need to bolus at all!

Sent from my LG-H815 using Diabetes.co.uk Forum mobile app
 
I don't eat out much anymore When I do, I get a low carb thing like chicken Caesar salad. It's just not worth guessing and getting it wrong - that's the reason I gave up a lot of takeaway foods as well. I actually used to visit a waffle place fairly regularly, totally guessed the carbs, and still got great numbers (5's and 6's), but I'm too scared to take the chance these days.
 
Oh my! Those dessert shops are everywhere now aren't they!

It took some serious willpower but last time I went but I stuck to a plain crepe with blueberries - boring compared to all the waffles and sundaes being consumed around me!

I was surprised when looking at Ceasar salad on Pizza Express menu as it was quite carby due to
them serving it with dough sticks!

I used to feel the same way about eating out but I'm experimenting a little more these days. Frankie and Bennys is annoying as I can't find their info anywhere but now stick to salmon or steak rather than the carb dishes where there is more risk.
 
Don't know if it's in the UK but we have Papa Murphy's pizza every week or 2. You take it home and bake it at 425 degrees. The thin crust is really reasonable in carbs. I eat 2 slices and take 6 units of Novolog which generally works no matter what the toppings and sauce are. What I avoid is pasta and potatoes as much as possible.
 
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