Tips for Ordering Low Carb Meals
It’s very easy to go out and get distracted looking at a huge menu when ordering food while on a low carb diet. If you’re lucky, sometimes restaurants will have the macro nutritional information such as: protein, carbs and fats listed below the item.
However, there are many places where no other information but the picture of the item, as well as a description of it is listed, making it a bit more difficult to decide what to order.
Luckily there are a few solutions when it comes to going out to eat and ordering for a low carb diet. First off, most restaurants have “Lighter Choices” or something similar on their menu, making it easier to find a section of healthier options.
These options typically have vegetables and proteins such as salmon, chicken, or beef while leaving out popular carbohydrates such as potatoes and bread. These menu items still taste very well, and this kind of menu is designed to make the protein the star of the plate, usually with well-cooked side items low in fats or carbohydrates.
Not all restaurants offer a “Light” menu, so that leaves the responsibility up to you. You might not be able to find a zero carb item on the menu, but a few good rules of thumb could at least help steer you in the right direction so that you don’t sacrifice all of your hard earned success.
Look for items with little minimal bread, and perhaps no pasta dishes for the night. There are usually items that pair protein and vegetables together, and if there are any bread or high carb veggies, you can always ask to leave those ingredients off or make a sensible swap.
Looking at the ingredients of almost every item that looks tasty can take some time, so if you’re worried about it taking too long to order, you can look up the menu online to check it out beforehand.
Using tracking apps on a smart phone is also a great way to look at the macros of the dishes that you are thinking about ordering! If all else fails and they don’t have a lighter menu, you can’t figure out what has a lot of carbs and what doesn’t, and you’re just not sure about what to order – try to ask the waiter or waitress about low carb items on the menu.
Nobody knows the menu better than the people who work there, so it couldn’t hurt to ask, or even call ahead and find out so you’ll know what to order before you get there. Sometimes you can order it low carb even if it’s not on the menu, and most chefs will know what that means, such as a burger without the bun, or carb friendly vegetables with no pasta.
