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What to eat on holidays abroad

maine1965

maine1965

Active Member
Messages
41
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi guys and gals…what do you eat when you go on holiday abroad? …I went to Italy( home of carbs) I resisted. I ate pizza a few times only the filling..to be fair it tasted as good without the bread.
 
I eat much the same principles as here at home. Protein with veg or salad. Eggs, fish, meat.
I may try a mouthful of whatever my husband is having just to try a a new taste. In Italy I did have a risotto just one, but it was too much and in future I'd share.
In Asia it was more difficult to avoid rice or noodles so I ate just a couple of mouthfuls and left the rest.
America was in someways harder as even a lot of their meats have sugar or sugary ingredients added, but at least it was English to ask for sauces to be left off etc. One waiter thought I was crazy to ask him to hold the bread, pancakes and hash browns that were due with my 3 eggs breakfast omelette, but that 3 eggs omelette kept me going all day.
I use a libre when away so if something unexpectedly spikes me the I can just cut down the next day/meal
 
Hiya Mrs A, I've been doing the same when I'm away. Spain is pretty easy with loads of fish....I should know all about diabetes having been diagnosed 9 yrs ago. Only in the last 7 months have I found the way forward myself...I kind of ignored it before. This may be a silly question but please forgive me...Is it normal after eating that blood sugars rise and also mid-morning even before eating? I am strict on my keto diet.
 
I’ve just come back from Majorca and found it very difficult. I don’t follow any diet. I was half board in a hotel. For breakfast I had bacon and eggs the first day but couldn’t face that again so ate cereal after that. For lunch was mostly hamburgers and one day I had a very nice pasta dish, evening meals were the worst most nights I just at bread and butter and the desserts. Also buying drinks not all shops sold zero sugar coke etc so I had to get ones with sugar. Food wise has been difficult as I never eat 3 meals a day usually it’s just 1 a week/fortnight. My bs was slowly going up and by the last night at bedtime it was 32 I haven’t had highs like that for a very long time. I’d also run out of metformin too.
 
Sarah69 said:
I’ve just come back from Majorca and found it very difficult. I don’t follow any diet. I was half board in a hotel. For breakfast I had bacon and eggs the first day but couldn’t face that again so ate cereal after that. For lunch was mostly hamburgers and one day I had a very nice pasta dish, evening meals were the worst most nights I just at bread and butter and the desserts. Also buying drinks not all shops sold zero sugar coke etc so I had to get ones with sugar. Food wise has been difficult as I never eat 3 meals a day usually it’s just 1 a week/fortnight. My bs was slowly going up and by the last night at bedtime it was 32 I haven’t had highs like that for a very long time. I’d also run out of metformin too.
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Oh Sarah that sounds awful. I know sometimes hotel food is not the best. When I book half board I normally account for in case I have to eat out coz you never know if the food is great in the hotel. Didn't they have salads and cold meat or stuff like that? I would freak out if I couldn't find zero-sugar drinks myself...but I'd probably go to the next town till I found them (can't stand full sugar). Sorry to hear your blood sugars have gone so high that must be a worry for you that you don't need right now xx
 
Just back last night, actually. Italy (like Spain) is good for low carb. It's easier eating well there and sticking to 20g/day than it is in the UK, and miles easier than in the US. My info comes mainly from Umbria and Tuscany and from anything from little villages up to big cities.


Antipasti - what you get before the pasta - usually has a really generous meat, fish, salami and cheese selection. We always find that one of those is enough for two as a starter. Pizza traditionally is antipasti, and I'm now noticing more signs outside restaurants saying "no pizza", because tourists often only order pizza and complain.

Yes there is plenty of pasta and risotto around, but you don't have to eat those. Traditionally they are "primi platti" - the first course. Nobody minds if you skip those. We were away two weeks and I didn't have pasta, pizza or risotto at all. There was still a massive amount of choice. The places that only do pizza/pasta are strictly for tourists, usually poor quality and overpriced.

Secondi platti are usually straightforward meat and vegetables - fish, seafood, pork chops, steak, stews, sausage, that sort of thing. You generally get to choose what veg (if any) you're having, and salads are standard.

There are also usually things you don't tend to find in UK restaurants these days - eg tripe (trippa) kidneys (rognoncini) rabbit (coniglio) or liver (fegato), which are done in a traditional local style which I find really good.
 
KennyA said:
Just back last night, actually. Italy (like Spain) is good for low carb. It's easier eating well there and sticking to 20g/day than it is in the UK, and miles easier than in the US. My info comes mainly from Umbria and Tuscany and from anything from little villages up to big cities.


Antipasti - what you get before the pasta - usually has a really generous meat, fish, salami and cheese selection. We always find that one of those is enough for two as a starter. Pizza traditionally is antipasti, and I'm now noticing more signs outside restaurants saying "no pizza", because tourists often only order pizza and complain.

Yes there is plenty of pasta and risotto around, but you don't have to eat those. Traditionally they are "primi platti" - the first course. Nobody minds if you skip those. We were away two weeks and I didn't have pasta, pizza or risotto at all. There was still a massive amount of choice. The places that only do pizza/pasta are strictly for tourists, usually poor quality and overpriced.

Secondi platti are usually straightforward meat and vegetables - fish, seafood, pork chops, steak, stews, sausage, that sort of thing. You generally get to choose what veg (if any) you're having, and salads are standard.

There are also usually things you don't tend to find in UK restaurants these days - eg tripe (trippa) kidneys (rognoncini) rabbit (coniglio) or liver (fegato), which are done in a traditional local style which I find really good.
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Hiya Kenny, thanks for that yes I agree Italy is great all around for finding food we can eat. I went to Italy (sorrento) on Easter Sunday..was fairly new to my keto regime.. because of the great quality meats and fish I had no problems for the weeks holiday. The hotel did keep putting carbs on my plate but I just left them. I came back and I’d ate well and I’ve lost another 2 pounds to boot!
 
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