Eating Out with Diabetes
For most of us, eating out is a part of our lives that we really enjoy! However many people find it extremely difficult, particularly when they’re trying to follow a specific eating plan.
For those with diabetes, your specific eating plan may require cutting back on calories, sugar, salt, or fats, therefore choosing wisely at the restaurant may seem a little daunting. However, with the right planning, you’ll be better equipped to choose foods from the menu that fit easily into your eating regimen.
Making healthy food choices requires:
- Good understanding of nutrition - so that you know which meals are healthier, and lower in fat/salt/sugar.
- Planning - this means budgeting your calories during the day, so that you have more to spare at the restaurant.
- A little bit of compromise - between the foods you should eat, and those that aren’t so healthy.
How can you ensure your meals are balanced?
Remember the basics of healthy eating - largest portion vegetables/salad (50%), then carbohydrate (25%), smallest portion meat (25%).
10 top tips to help you make sensible food choices when eating out:
- Avoid nibbling on nuts, or crisps, before your meal. Choose raw vegetables with dip, if available.
- If you’re unsure of the ingredients, ask your waitress.
- If you think the meal is too high in fat/salt/sugar, ask if the chef will make a healthier version.
- Choose melon, salad, fish or vegetable based soup for your starter, rather than deep fried, or breaded foods etc.
- Avoid main courses that have been deep fried, breaded, battered, or those that come with a rich creamy sauce.
- Choose meats that have been grilled, baked, poached, roasted, boiled, steamed, broiled, or lightly stir-fried.
- Fill up with plenty of salad, or vegetables (unbuttered).
- Ask for sauces, gravy, butter, or salad dressings, on the side, this way you can choose to eat a smaller amount, and opt for those that are tomato, or vegetable based.
- If you decide to have dessert, choose a fruit based pudding, or sorbet, rather than cheesecake, gateau, pastries, or cheese and biscuits.
- Try to eat a similar portion size to what you would at home.
Eating out should continue to be something you really enjoy. Remember to choose wisely from the menu, and ask for what you need, if it isn’t there already. If you’re following a healthy eating plan at home, this may allow you to be a little more flexible, when you do eat out.
You may also want to check out - Avoiding the Pitfalls of Eating Out
This is the seventh in a series of discussions on diabetes. Please be sure to contact me with any other topics you would find useful on this subject. I’d love to hear from you, what are you’re tips on sensible eating out?
Please note, if you have diabetes, you should be regularly monitored by your GP and dietitian. These notes are for general guidance only, and are not a substitute for regular diabetic checkups.
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