Food and eating out

[DianeS]

Being fairly new at this, I’m finding that eating out is difficult. It seems that most places sell sandwiches, cake, and all the stuff I can’t have. Maybe I’m just noticing how unhealthy foods in cafes can be… perhaps I’m being too pernickety or inordinately fussy. Ended up in Marks and Spencer yesterday buying a take out salad. Couldn’t even see anywhere doing an all day breakfast. Might just have been unlucky I guess.

How do we get on generally with finding food out in ‘the world! ?

 

[Leadinglights]

Being fairly new at this, I’m finding that eating out is difficult. It seems that most places sell sandwiches, cake, and all the stuff I can’t have. Maybe I’m just noticing how unhealthy foods in cafes can be… perhaps I’m being too pernickety or inordinately fussy. Ended up in Marks and Spencer yesterday buying a take out salad. Couldn’t even see anywhere doing an all day breakfast. Might just have been unlucky I guess.

How do we get on generally with finding food out in ‘the world! ?

I have been finding that as I am away with a big group next week and we have to pre-order lunches and everything comes with chips, not much choice for low carb meals. I usually choose caesar salad, or a starter or if the only option is a sandwich I leave the crusts. Yesterday I had a 'skinny burger' which was just the burger and salad. The thing I mainly notice is how big the portions are. My son in law had a mixed grill, OMG it would have made 3 meals.
I think it largely depends whether it is a odd occasion or if you are having to find something everyday.

 

[Lynne888]

I'm finding the same. I haven't been out for a meal since being diagnosed in June. I WILL of course, but I have my Hba1c blood test soon and I'd rather wait until after that. We have a fab new Italian pizza place opened and I'd love to try it but won't because of the high carbs in pizza. Couldn't believe it actually. Some have over 200 in them!! I DO have bread.. not much, usually just one round every couple of days. Fish is always good, prawn or tuna sandwich and take half the bread off (eat it as an open sandwich) or cut the crusts off. It depends how many carbs you allow yourself. I try to stick to under 100 and I find it easy most days to do that even if I have bread.

 

[ColinUK]

For me it's about balance. If I know I'm going out and am likely to eat carb heavy foods - like a cream tea for example - then I'll be mindful of those carbs when I'm deciding what else to eat that day or probably the day before. I'll try and tighten things up the day after as well but it's an intention rather than a hard and fast rule.

 

[harbottle]

I find it OK. I've never liked pre-packaged sandwiches, they're usually disgusting, and most decent restaurants will replace stuff or have salads or fish dishes. Trouble is most UK restaurants are mediocre chains and the food is just pre-made and they don't know what is in it. I found it much easier in Spain to find out what was in sauces, and some places would even make up food with different sauces for me. Some local independent cafes do omelettes and very nice salads, and a local indie Lebanese happily replaces rice with salad on their dishes.

Oddly, one of the better places is Nandos, as they have good nutritional info and you can choose chicken and veg side dishes.

 

[nonethewiser]

Being fairly new at this, I’m finding that eating out is difficult. It seems that most places sell sandwiches, cake, and all the stuff I can’t have. Maybe I’m just noticing how unhealthy foods in cafes can be… perhaps I’m being too pernickety or inordinately fussy. Ended up in Marks and Spencer yesterday buying a take out salad. Couldn’t even see anywhere doing an all day breakfast. Might just have been unlucky I guess.

How do we get on generally with finding food out in ‘the world! ?

Let's be clear there's nothing unhealthy about sandwich with right bread & right ingredients, just because you can't eat it doesn't mean its unhealthy to others.

Probably have sandwich for lunch 4 days out of 7, together with small side salad & coleslaw.

 

[Vonny]

It can be hard going low carb in cafes and pubs. I tend to opt for the all-day breakfasts myself if they are on offer, without the hash brown and toast of course! If they're not there I may have a burger and throw the top bit of the roll away. Once I ordered fish and chips with the request that there must be no more than 3 chips on my plate! Best place really is a carvery where you can load up your plate with stacks of veg, though I will sneak one roastie in as well.
And I think @ColinUK sums up my attitude to a high carb meal: just be mindful of other meals around it. This is a lifetime commitment and sometimes we do need a cream tea!

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I find it OK. I've never liked pre-packaged sandwiches, they're usually disgusting, and most decent restaurants will replace stuff or have salads or fish dishes. Trouble is most UK restaurants are mediocre chains and the food is just pre-made and they don't know what is in it. I found it much easier in Spain to find out what was in sauces, and some places would even make up food with different sauces for me. Some local independent cafes do omelettes and very nice salads, and a local indie Lebanese happily replaces rice with salad on their dishes.

Oddly, one of the better places is Nandos, as they have good nutritional info and you can choose chicken and veg side dishes.

You must have great spanish!

 

[harbottle]

You must have great spanish!

Don't need to, everyone spoke English, and whenever we tried to use Spanish they tend to just speak in English!

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Don't need to, everyone spoke English, and whenever we tried to use Spanish they tend to just speak in English!

I doubt I'd be as lucky finding a Spanish waiter that could list the sauce ingredients in English.
I've had times when they couldn't tell me if there was meat in the dish, let alone what type!

 

[Drummer]

I just spend some days away and went in my van. I can cook for myself and not have to look for something low carb - I did have a couple of icecreams and three pasties, but other than that ate as normal.
The weather was boiling hot and most of the salads on sale looked very wilted.

 

[42istheanswer]

I doubt I'd be as lucky finding a Spanish waiter that could list the sauce ingredients in English.
I've had times when they couldn't tell me if there was meat in the dish, let alone what type!

Generally in Spain there is meat in the dish - my brother lives there and says the old joke that if you ask for a vegetarian meal they suggest ham isn't that far off...