Paleo Diet Eating Out Tips
When you’re eating following a paleo diet, it’s not that difficult when you’re at home. You’re the one who buys the food and prepares it, so you know what’s going into your body.
But when you eat out, you don’t get to control the foods bought, the way it’s prepared or the choices offered to you. That doesn’t mean that you can’t stick with a paleo diet when you’re eating away from home.
You can still follow this healthy way of eating whether you’re eating at a restaurant near your home or travelling on the road. It can help to plan ahead. If you know where you’re going and what food options will be available to you, then you can know ahead of time what you’re going to be able to order.
Learn what ingredients come with the meal you’re going to order and plan around the ones that aren’t paleo friendly. Don’t set yourself up for discouragement by expecting that you’re going to be able to find 100% perfection with paleo eating every single time you dine out.
Instead, opt to make the best possible choices based on what you’re faced with. When you’re at the restaurant, choose the meals that offer you the best paleo friendly choice. Some of the meals you’ll find will have side items that aren’t healthy and aren’t on a paleo diet.
This is when you can simply ask if you can exchange one side item for one that is paleo friendly such as choosing to have a vegetable instead of potatoes covered in some kind of sauce.
If at all possible, make sure you’re not too hungry when you go to a restaurant. This can make it too easy for you to forget what you should eat and order anything so that you take care of those hunger pangs.
So either have a light snack before you leave the house or eat a paleo friendly snack in the car while you’re travelling before you stop to eat the meal. Many gluten free meals are often paleo friendly.
So if in doubt, order gluten free. Also, look for meals that say they’re an organic choice. Most organic meals are also paleo friendly. If your only option to eating out as you travel is a burger joint, order a burger but take off the bread and just have the meat, lettuce and tomato.
Or, add a side salad and have that without dressing and eat it with the meat. Since some restaurant salads can contain ingredients that aren’t paleo friendly, you can always build your own salad.
Also, if you are travelling and don’t see a healthy option, some grocery stores have a deli and sandwich section. You can ask for individual bags of the vegetables that are put on the sandwiches and top it with some roasted chicken.
