Trial and error

[Rahrah]

Hi everyone,

I'm from New Zealand, and I struggle with being able to eat out at restaurants as there aren't many heathy options for me I'm Diabetic type2 have only been diagnosed in may of 2021 since I found out I am diabetic it's been such a struggle to stick to a low fat diet however cutting out sugar completely was easy I've never been into sweets that much, Since I love dinning out but can't eat what I want I am now looking at starting up a diabetic friendly cafe that offers healthier alternatives which you could find at a regular restaurant or cafe, This may be the first in NZ however I'm not sure if there are diabetic cafes or similar cafes here, so basically it will be a vegan and vegetarian friendly cafe aswell as diabetic so still have lean meat meals available I'm not vegan or vegetarian I'm just diabetic I was just wondering if I could have some constructive feedback ? it is for our community after all thanks guys

 

[Robin]

I applaud your efforts to provide healthier food for eating out, but I think there are a couple of problems with your idea.
In the U.K., food is not allowed to be advertised as 'Diabetic Friendly' or 'Suitable for Diabetics' in shops, and I suspect restaurants fall under the same legislation because I can’t think of any, This is to stop manufacturers charging premium prices for foods that aren’t particularly healthy, when the Government advice is to eat the same healthy diet recommended for the rest of the population.
Also, there is such a range of diets that people follow, that I don’t think you’d find a common theme to base dishes around,
As a Type 1 diabetic, I can eat what I want, provided I inject insulin. What really helps in a cafe or restaurant is if the menu provides the Carb Count for each dish, so this would be worthwhile,
A lot of Type 2s , however, follow a low carb diet, with higher protein and healthy fats, so wouldn’t be looking for anywhere that served low fat meals. Again, nutritional info available for all dishes would help them.

 

[Inka]

Welcome @Rahrah 🙂 Your avatar is showing you as Type 1 so you might want to change that to avoid confusion.

I agree with @Robin I don’t think there’d be much call for a diabetic restaurant as people with diabetes follow a variety of diets. In my opinion, it would be better for normal restaurants to offer more options, including a ‘build your own’ meal so that diners can omit carbs or meat or add extra veg or whatever they choose.

I find veggie and plant-based restaurants are usually pretty good, as are Italian restaurants and Thai, but it’s all a matter of personal choice. The ability to modify components of the meal would be best, I think.

 

[Rahrah]

I applaud your efforts to provide healthier food for eating out, but I think there a a couple of problems with your idea.
In the U.K., food is not allowed to be advertised as 'Diabetic Friendly' or 'Suitable for Diabetics' in shops, and I suspect restaurants fall under the same legislation because ai can’t think of any, This is to stop manufacturers charging premium prices for foods that aren’t particularly healthy.
Also, there is such a range of diets that people follow, that I don’t think you’d find a common theme to base dishes around,
As a Type 1 diabetic, I can eat what I want, provided I inject insulin, A lot of Type 2s , however, follow a low carb diet, with higher protein and healthy fats, so wouldn’t be looking for anywhere that served low fat meals.

Hi Robin, thanks so much for your reply that had never crossed my mind at all now i understand why there are no such cafes here I'm just looking into something like this because A lot of the community are into this type of food but there's hardly places that offer it. And i wouldn't be following a particular diet just low sugar low fat and the typical foods just made differently thanks for the feedback it really helped.

 

[Rahrah]

Welcome @Rahrah 🙂 Your avatar is showing you as Type 1 so you might want to change that to avoid confusion.

I agree with @Robin I don’t think there’d be much call for a diabetic restaurant as people with diabetes follow a variety of diets. In my opinion, it would be better for normal restaurants to offer more options, including a ‘build your own’ meal so that diners can omit carbs or meat or add extra veg or whatever they choose.

I find veggie and plant-based restaurants are usually pretty good, as are Italian restaurants and Thai, but it’s all a matter of personal choice. The ability to modify components of the meal would be best, I think.

Hi inka, thanks so much for the feedback that's something i will definitely take into consideration.

 

[Leadinglights]

Many people who are following low carb regimes are not too concerned about the fat as many products that are low fat are higher in carb than normal fat.
By careful selection of restaurant meals you can still find meals to fit your low carb diet. you may need to ask for extra veg or salad instead of potatoes or chips, but things like steak, salmon, Caesar salads are all pretty standard. Things in sauces pizza and pasta dishes are best avoided.