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If you have diabetes and are eating out at a restaurant, it’s helpful to look up the restaurant’s menu beforehand so you can have a game plan.
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Most restaurants have low-carb meals. You can also make meals low carb by skipping on rice, pasta and bread.
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At any restaurant, people with diabetes should choose 4-6 ounces of lean protein, lots of veggies and little fat so they can more easily control their blood sugar.
Eating out with diabetes: Diabetic-friendly restaurants
Dining out with diabetes can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re newly diagnosed. With so many “shoulds” and “should nots” on a meal plan, it can be tough to know what’s safe.
Not all people with diabetes have the same treatment plan or nutritional goals. For some, the top menu consideration is to limit sugar, fat or salt; others focus on cutting total calories. Regardless, it’s important to work with your provider to establish a good meal plan. And if you write out that meal plan, it’s that much simpler to find and order the right kinds of foods.
We spoke with Cassie Song, a diabetes educator at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California, about some of the best ways to eat out with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
What makes a restaurant diabetic-friendly?
For a meal plan to work, there are some common-sense steps you can take before you go out to eat — starting with choosing the right restaurants. Narrow down your list of restaurants by first looking at menus online. You can cross-check your food requirements against the menu to see how many items match up to your diet plan. If a restaurant offers a wide variety of dishes, that can make it easier to order, and you can probably add that restaurant to the list of places to go.
“Most restaurants have low-carb meals,” says Song. “When you’re looking at the menu, you can skip bread, rice and pastas. Watch portion size, and choose grilled over fried foods. You should also load up on vegetables and limit sauces and dressings.”
Some other factors to consider: Does the restaurant allow substitutions, or permit customers to split dishes at no extra charge? Does it have specialty, vegetarian or sugar-free options? Is it willing to prepare sauces to order that don’t have butter or salt? A good restaurant accommodates requests cheerfully and is worth visiting again and again.
Tips on what to order
Once you have decided on a restaurant, here are some tips for ordering:
Instead of: French fries | Order: Double veggies
Ask for extra veggies instead of oily fries. Salad greens, broccoli and carrots add color and variety to the plate, and they taste great. Alternatively, a plain baked potato is loaded with flavor even without toppings.
Instead of: Fried entrees | Order: Broiled fish or chicken
Fried foods can add major calories that nobody really needs — and broiled meats are just as delicious. If the restaurant can’t prepare an entrée without frying or breading, peel off the coating before eating.
Instead of: A whole entrée | Order: Salad with an appetizer
Many restaurants serve portions that are just too big. A salad with a tasty appetizer can be just as filling for most people and provide enough variety in ingredients to make it satisfying.
Instead of: Heavy salad dressing | Order: A squeeze of lemon with a touch of olive oil
If low-calorie substitutes like vinegar or lemon aren’t available, just order dressings “on the side.” This goes for entrees and sides that come with sauces and gravies, too.
Instead of: White bread | Order: Whole-grain toast
Refined white-flour breads, rolls and bagels can cause insulin and sugar to spiral upward. Whole grains don’t cause these spikes and are healthier in general. If the temptation to dig into the breadbasket is too much, ask the server not to bring one!
Restaurants are better prepared to meet the needs of a person with diabetes if you contact them ahead of time. Ask whether dishes can be prepared with lower-fat oils, no extra sauces or less salt, or broiled instead of fried. And an internet search of diabetic-friendly restaurants in the area can bring up locations and menus that work well with many meal plans.
Restaurant dishes that are popular with those who have diabetes
When you’re eating out with diabetes (Type 2 or Type 1), just about any variety of restaurant has at least a few dishes that are diabetes-friendly.
Best options at Mexican restaurants
Song suggests fajitas, grilled chicken or shrimp at Mexican restaurants. “You can order beans, rice or a tortilla,” she says, “but not all three.”
If you’re wondering how you can have a fajita without a tortilla, the answer is: wrap it in lettuce.
Diabetic-friendly Chinese food choices
For Chinese food, Song likes the Panda Express string bean chicken breast, mushroom chicken, or beef and broccoli. “It’s best to stay away from fried rice and noodles,” she says, “and better to eat half a cup of brown rice.”
What to order at Italian restaurants
While Italian restaurants tend to have carb-heavy meals, they also have quite a few low-carb meals that can work well for diabetics.
“You can order grilled or steamed vegetables,” says Song, “and burrata with tomatoes, chicken marsala, chicken piccata, salmon or meatballs are great options.”
Smart fast-food choices for diabetics
When it comes to fast food restaurants, Song has some specific suggestions for popular ones:
- Wendy’s grilled chicken wrap (42 grams carbohydrates)
- Chipotle’s balanced macros bowl (61 grams carbs) or salad bowl
- Subway’s oven-roasted turkey sub (40 grams carbs)
- Taco Bell’s chicken cantina bowl (44 grams carbs)
- Chick-fil-A grilled chicken sandwich (44 grams carbs)
- Arby’s classic roast beef (37 grams carbs)
- KFC grilled chicken (0 grams carbs)
- In-N-Out protein style
Takeout and delivery for diabetics
For takeout and delivery, the rules for the menu items are pretty much the same as they are for eat-in restaurants, says Song. “At any restaurant,” she says, “choose 4-6 ounces of protein, lots of veggies and little fat.”
Tools for finding diabetic-friendly dining
There are a few phone applications available for people with diabetes who want to eat out at restaurants. Among them:
- Eat Out, Eat Well – The American Diabetes Association companion app to the book “Eat Out, Eat Well,” provides nutritional information for hundreds of restaurants, including diabetes-friendly options.
- MyFitnessPal – This app lists restaurants in its food database.
As long as you plan ahead, you can enjoy some lovely meals out with family, friends or by yourself, and not have to worry about the health effects. Happy eating!
Contributing caregiver
Cassie Song is a diabetes educator at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.
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This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your health care professional’s instructions.
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