Eating out

[Perfect10]

Did a 6 mile walk today which ended at a pub where we planned to have tea. It was pretty much burgers and chips, A couple of dishes with mash, I asked if they did anything that didn’t come with potato and explained my reasons for low carbs, I was told I could have the smoked salmon starter (but it came with bread) or I could have a burger without the bread and chips! Their menu had a couple of salads but was told they only did these at lunchtime! We didn’t bother and came home.
Those on low carb diets what do you do if you want to eat out?

 

[Kaylz]

Generally others would do just what the suggestion was, not have the bread or potatoe products, some establishements may offer a substitute such as extra salad but it isn't law and if its not generally called for in their establishment then they won't have specifically low carb things on the menu, just a fact of life I'm afraid xx

 

[Perfect10]

Generally others would do just what the suggestion was, not have the bread or potatoe products, some establishements may offer a substitute such as extra salad but it isn't law and if its not generally called for in their establishment then they won't have specifically low carb things on the menu, just a fact of life I'm afraid xx

Guess so, still very early days for me and I’m still coming to terms with the changes I now need to make, it just really hit me when this happened and made me feel really low!! I would have been happy with extra salad instead of chips but wasn’t an option. We did try another pub on the way home who do advertise to cater for any dietary requirements but they were fully booked!

 

[rebrascora]

Learning to make low carb choices when eating out is part of the "fun" of diabetes.
If they are a decent eating place they will agree to give you substitutes, but you will need to ask.... so a steak with extra mushrooms and tomato and salad but no chips or extra veggies instead of potatoes. If they won't compromise on what is offered then vote with your feet and find somewhere else more accommodating.
Or, since you did a 6 mile walk, you just have a few of the chips and leave the rest or offer them to your companion etc.

 

[Neens]

Even the decent places have about 2 or 3 safer options and they are usually starters.
I resorted to keeping a special flavour cereal bar (9.5g) and a bag of sugar snap pea snacks (9.4g) in my bag and once ate those with 2 friends tucking into fries and burgers (in an American Diner and pre-covid). As has been said - it's part of the fun.

 

[trophywench]

They're re-running that Tom Kerridge prog on TV which I caught a bit of tonight and one of the bits showed some of them in Pizza Express where they chose one of their 'light' options - a fab looking really thin and crispy based pizza with shedloads of veg on it and the middle of each, quite a good looking mixed leaf salad. Looked belting!

 

[Drummer]

If I ever need to eat out, I take my own these days.
A flask of coffee, a small bottle of cream diluted with water so it can be squirted in to froth it up, then a large metal bowl, with snap on lid for the salad, small bottle of salad dressing, another lidded bowl with eggs and cheese, or salmon or tuna or meat of some kind. As long as I don't forget the fork I am all set to enjoy a great dinner.
The metal bowls are lightweight, as is the flask, so it is no great weight to carry and I know that I will be good to travel on for however long it takes.

 

[PhoebeC]

Well weathespoons do small breakfast, which is without the toast and hash brown. It comes with beans but if you ask to swap to mushrooms instead they are happy too.

Some places will give you double veg or salad instead of the carbs.

I would say always ask if you can just swap out certain things and if you can’t they are being stupid and just leave, I’ve found most places are fine.

I like to look at menus in advance too, so I know if I will have choice when I arrive.

Having tea tomorrow (outside) at the rugby club, after training, sadly low carb is no option and it’s sausage casserole with crusty bread, can’t wait!

 

[freesia]

I once ordered a burger without the bun (but all the trimmings) and the chips to be replaced with salad. When it came, i had the same amount of salad as my friend who had ordered chips with hers, and the burger came plain, no trimmings. When i asked where it was they didnt know that i meant just no bread!!!!!! 🙄

 

[Bloden]

They're re-running that Tom Kerridge prog on TV which I caught a bit of tonight and one of the bits showed some of them in Pizza Express where they chose one of their 'light' options - a fab looking really thin and crispy based pizza with shedloads of veg on it and the middle of each, quite a good looking mixed leaf salad. Looked belting!

I always have one of them, yum. Only about 60g carb, if I remember rightly (long time since I had one!) Check the P Express website for carb info - they’re in the ‘diet’ section.😛

 

[Pine Marten]

I've got into the habit of looking at the menus beforehand, if it's a restaurant (I rarely go to pubs), which is a faff but at least I know the options beforehand. I've had some very nice meals at a workmens cafe (sadly no longer there) where my daughter used to live, as they did good omelettes and would swap items without any trouble - they also did big mugs of tea

It's something you get used to, I'm afraid.

 

[trophywench]

Don't think I've been in a Pizza Hut for the last 20 years TBH !

 

[Pine Marten]

Don't think I've been in a Pizza Hut for the last 20 years TBH !

Nor me! A year or two back I rang a pizza place to check on the amount of carbs in their pizzas (a group of us had planned to go) and the chappie went to check, and came back to say that the pizzas had about 100g of carbs in them... 'Oh, thank you...' I squeaked, and hung up.

 

[pm133]

I'm probably being daft asking this but for those of you on low carb diets, what would be the consequences of just eating the carbs on an occasional night out? It seems that the alternative is to put yourself through hardship so presumably there's an issue I'm not seeing.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm probably being daft asking this but for those of you on low carb diets, what would be the consequences of just eating the carbs on an occasional night out? It seems that the alternative is to put yourself through hardship so presumably there's an issue I'm not seeing.

The thing with eating low carb is that you stop craving carbs once you get low enough. If you eat a carb heavy meal it can set you back to craving again for a couple of days which makes things hard work for a while, but also most Type 2s don't have the benefit of insulin so it can send their BG up into orbit as well, which as you will know isn't pleasant. It very much depends on how people react or want to manage things but low carbing to control diabetes is a way of life and once you get into the swing of it, it is easiest and even enjoyable to continue with it rather than binge occasionally on carbs and then have to try to get back on track afterwards. The down side is finding places to eat out where the menu caters for it or can be amended to cater for it.

 

[Docb]

Not daft at all. If I went out for a carb heavy (for me) meal I would expect to see big rise in BG which would settle back to my normal levels in a day or so provided I went back to my now normal low carb regime. Would not be of any real significance in the overal scheme of things if it did not become a frequent thing or lead to me slipping into a higher carb diet than what is now my norm.

 

[trophywench]

Eating out is less of a faff than it used to be. I only eat what I'm enjoying eating and couldn't care less if half of it is still on the plate when I've finished. Had to laugh, the last time we went out for a pub meal there were about 20 family members there. I wanted literally ONE scoop of ice cream but that seemed impossible so I said OK - a normal portion of only vanilla then. It arrived, I ate what I wanted, and the Pompadour wafer - then passed the remainder to an 8yo great grandson, which he thought it was the best bit of the meal since I'd left him all the garbage on the top too, AND he didn't have to eat the wafer! (which he's never liked at all ever since he was old enough to lick a cornet)

I guesstimate the carbs I'll eat. If I eat more than I thought I would, I have a correction post meal. Back on the much straighter and narrower for a couple of days. I haven't managed to kill myself yet by overeating but I still have time to do it!

 

[Perfect10]

I have a BG monitor now so will start seeing the effect of carbs and then I guess I will be in a better place to understand what I can have and quantities! Still getting to grips with it all.
Had a day at work this week and we were treated to lunch from the local deli. I ordered a salad box - was really looking forward to it. However when it arrived it consisted of potato salad, pasta salad, rice salad and mixed bean salad Then there was a tiny bit of actual salad and a slice of ham which is pretty much all I ate.
Then a huge cake selection which actually didn’t bother me in the slightest my craving for chocolate seems to have gone! Fortunately I had taken a protein yoghurt with me so felt like I had eaten something!
This is pretty standard at work - no wonder I am now at risk of diabetes!

 

[rebrascora]

That must have been really frustrating. I hate it when I go out of my way to make low carb choices and I'm then presented with a whole load of carbs that I didn't foresee, particularly as I hate waste.
It is really liberating when you reach the stage that you are not tempted by the naughty cake/chocolate carbs anymore. It still amazes me that I can sit next to my partner eating a cream scone or a jam doughnut or a cherry bakewell and just not be bothered anymore. No willpower needed, even when there is plenty spare for me to have some if I wanted... even behind his back because we all know that guilty pleasures are more enticing.... but I am just not bothered about that stuff anymore and for me that really is mind blowing.

 

[grovesy]

I can personally never I have got over carb cravings, as I can sometimes go months without them , then they hit!