Whether it is a business meeting over lunch, dinner from a neighbourhood take-away, or a fast food meal with the kids, eating out is a part of our lives. We eat out because it's easy, it's quick, and it's fun. But is it healthy?
It can be. Plan ahead, choose wisely, and you'll find foods that fit into your meal plan. Many restaurants are trying to meet diners' health needs.
You want healthy foods because you have diabetes. But you're not alone. More and more people want healthy food choices when they eat out. Some are watching calories. Others want to keep their cholesterol under control or eat less fat.
Some restaurants offer lower cholesterol, lower fat, lower sodium, and higher fibre foods. All restaurants offer sugar substitutes and diet drinks. Most have fruit juice and decaffeinated coffee.
Many offer reduced-calorie salad dressings, low-fat or skim milk, and salt substitutes. It's easy to find salads, fish, vegetables, baked or broiled food, and whole-grain breads.
Many restaurants have menu items that are healthy for the heart. Their menus may list total calories and percentage of fat for these items. If you ask, chefs will often make low-fat entrees using low cholesterol 'fake' eggs or lean cuts of meat.
Some cooks will remove the skin from chicken before cooking, omit the extra butter on a dish, broil instead of fry, and serve sauces on the side. There are restaurants that let you order smaller portions at lower prices.
Table Tips
Not everyone with diabetes has the same meal plan or the same nutrition goals. For some, cutting calories is most important. Others may need to avoid fat and salt and eat more food high in fibre. Talk to your doctor and dietician about your own goals. Ask about eating out. If you're planning a special occasion, ask about adding some special foods items.
If you eat out a lot, you need to find ways to follow your meal plan as much as possible. Pick a restaurant with a variety of choices to increase your chances of finding the foods you want.
When you eat out, order only what you need and want. Know how to make changes in your meal plan in case the restaurant doesn't have just what you want. Here's how to order:
If you don't know what's in a dish or don't know the serving size, ask. Try to eat the same portion as you would at home. If the serving size is larger, put the extra food in a 'doggie bag' before you start eating, or share some with your dining partner.
Eat slowly.
Ask for fish or meat broiled with no extra butter.
Order your baked potato plain, then top it with a teaspoon of diet margarine or vegetables from a salad bar.
If you are on a reduced-sodium diet, ask that no salt be added to your food.
Ask for sauces, gravy, and dressings 'on the side.'
Order foods that are not breaded or fried. This adds fat. If the food comes breaded, peel off the outer coating.
Read the menu creatively. Order fruit cup for an appetizer or the breakfast melon for dessert. Instead of a dinner entree, combine a salad with a low-fat appetizer.
Ask for substitutions. Instead of french fries, request a double order of a vegetable. If you can't get a substitute, just ask that the high-fat food be left off your plate.
Ask for low-calorie items, such as salad dressings, even if they're not on the menu. Vinegar and a dash of oil or a squeeze of lemon are a better choice than high-fat dressings.
Limit alcohol, which adds calories but no nutrition to your meal. Instead choose low-calorie or calorie-free drinks.
Some restaurants will better meet your special needs if you phone ahead. When you make the reservation, ask that your food be prepared with vegetable oil, low-fat margarine, little salt, no extra sauce or butter, and broiled instead of fried. Or ask to see a copy of the menu in advance so that you know which items would work well with your meal plan.
If you like the healthy choices on a restaurant's menu, let the manager know. If you want more low-calorie, low-cholesterol choices, say so. Restaurants, like any business, offer what the customers want. They only know what you want if you tell them.
Dining On Time
If you take diabetes pills or insulin shots, it pays to think about when you'll eat as well as what you'll eat. You can avoid problems by planning ahead:
If you're eating out with others, ask them to eat at your usual time.
Make your plans so you won't be kept waiting for a table when you should be eating.
Have reservations and be on time. Avoid the times when the restaurant is busiest so you won't have to wait.
Ask whether 'special' dishes will take extra time.
If your lunch or dinner is going to be later than usual, eat a fruit or bread serving from that meal at your usual mealtime.
If the dinner will be very late, you can eat your bedtime snack at your usual dinner time. Then, eat your full dinner at the later hour. You may need to adjust your Regular insulin doses to do this.
The Fast Food Challenge
Believe it or not, you can make healthy fast food choices. How? Know exactly what you are ordering and plan ahead.
Keep the ground rules of good nutrition in mind: Eat a variety of foods in moderate amounts, limit your fat intake, and watch the amount of salt in food.
Follow the guidelines you've agreed on with your dietician or doctor. It's a good idea to count the grams of fat. Your dietician can tell you how many grams of fat are healthy for you to eat in a day. Many fast food restaurants will give you the dietary information on their food if you ask.
What you order is the key. It's easy to eat an entire day's worth of fat, salt, and calories in just one fast food meal. But it's also possible to make wise choices and eat a fairly healthy meal.
Here are some tips to help you choose well:
Know that an average fast food meal runs about 685 calories. It's not too high for a meal, but it's probably too many calories for a snack.
If you're having fast food for one meal, let your other meals that day contain healthier foods, like fruits and vegetables.
Know the nutritional value of the foods you order. While there are some good choices, most fast food items are high in fat and calories.
Think about how your food will be cooked. Chicken and fish can be good choices -- but not if they are breaded and deep fried.
If breakfast is your fast food meal, choose a plain bagel, toast, or English muffin. Other muffins may be loaded with sugar. Add fruit juice or low-fat skim milk. Order cold cereal with skim milk, pancakes without butter, or plain scrambled eggs. Avoid bacon and sausage.
Your Order, Please?
Remember the old joke: a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips? The fast food we eat may stick around a lot longer than we'd like. It may linger in our bodies as excess blood fats and extra pounds. To avoid seeing today's lunch on your hips tomorrow:
Watch out for words like 'jumbo,' 'giant,' or 'deluxe.' Larger portions mean more calories. They also mean more fat, cholesterol, and salt. Order a regular or junior size sandwich instead.
Choose grilled or broiled sandwiches with meats such as lean roast beef, turkey or chicken breast, or lean ham. Order items plain without toppings, rich sauces, or mayonnaise. Add flavour with mustard and crunch with lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Skip the croissant. Eat your sandwich on a bun or bread and save calories and fat.
Stay away from double burgers or 'super' hot dogs with cheese, chilli or sauces. Cheese carries an extra 100 calories, as well as added fat and sodium.
Go for the salad bar, but watch out for high-fat toppings like dressings, bacon bits, cheeses, croutons, seeds, and macaroni salads. Even too much low-calorie dressing can add up. Check the calories on the packet.
Order tacos, tostadas, bean burritos, soft tacos, and other non-fried items when eating Mexican fast foods. Choose chicken over beef. Avoid beans refried in lard. Pile on extra lettuce, tomatoes, and salsa. Go easy on cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Watch out for deep-fried taco salad shells -- a taco salad can have more than 1,000 calories!
Pizza can be a good fast food choice. Go for thin-crust pizza with vegetable toppings. Meat and extra cheese add calories, fat, and sodium.
End your meal with a sugar-free non-fat frozen yoghurt or a small cone of non-fat yoghurt. Better still, bring a piece of fresh fruit from home. Ices, sorbets, and sherbets most often have less fat and fewer calories than ice cream. But they are chock full of sugar. They can send your blood glucose too high if you don't work the extra sugar into your meal plan.
Be alert for traps. Fat-free muffins for breakfast may have plenty of sugar. Skinless fried chicken can have almost as much fat as regular-style. Fast Chinese food may seem like a healthy choice, but many dishes are deep fried or high in fat and sodium. Ask for the nutritional information if you want to be sure.
Eating out can be one of life's great pleasures. Make the right choices, ask for what you need, and balance your meals out with healthy meals at home. You can enjoy yourself and take good care of your diabetes at the same time.
It can be. Plan ahead, choose wisely, and you'll find foods that fit into your meal plan. Many restaurants are trying to meet diners' health needs.
You want healthy foods because you have diabetes. But you're not alone. More and more people want healthy food choices when they eat out. Some are watching calories. Others want to keep their cholesterol under control or eat less fat.
Some restaurants offer lower cholesterol, lower fat, lower sodium, and higher fibre foods. All restaurants offer sugar substitutes and diet drinks. Most have fruit juice and decaffeinated coffee.
Many offer reduced-calorie salad dressings, low-fat or skim milk, and salt substitutes. It's easy to find salads, fish, vegetables, baked or broiled food, and whole-grain breads.
Many restaurants have menu items that are healthy for the heart. Their menus may list total calories and percentage of fat for these items. If you ask, chefs will often make low-fat entrees using low cholesterol 'fake' eggs or lean cuts of meat.
Some cooks will remove the skin from chicken before cooking, omit the extra butter on a dish, broil instead of fry, and serve sauces on the side. There are restaurants that let you order smaller portions at lower prices.
Table Tips
Not everyone with diabetes has the same meal plan or the same nutrition goals. For some, cutting calories is most important. Others may need to avoid fat and salt and eat more food high in fibre. Talk to your doctor and dietician about your own goals. Ask about eating out. If you're planning a special occasion, ask about adding some special foods items.
If you eat out a lot, you need to find ways to follow your meal plan as much as possible. Pick a restaurant with a variety of choices to increase your chances of finding the foods you want.
When you eat out, order only what you need and want. Know how to make changes in your meal plan in case the restaurant doesn't have just what you want. Here's how to order:
Some restaurants will better meet your special needs if you phone ahead. When you make the reservation, ask that your food be prepared with vegetable oil, low-fat margarine, little salt, no extra sauce or butter, and broiled instead of fried. Or ask to see a copy of the menu in advance so that you know which items would work well with your meal plan.
If you like the healthy choices on a restaurant's menu, let the manager know. If you want more low-calorie, low-cholesterol choices, say so. Restaurants, like any business, offer what the customers want. They only know what you want if you tell them.
Dining On Time
If you take diabetes pills or insulin shots, it pays to think about when you'll eat as well as what you'll eat. You can avoid problems by planning ahead:
The Fast Food Challenge
Believe it or not, you can make healthy fast food choices. How? Know exactly what you are ordering and plan ahead.
Keep the ground rules of good nutrition in mind: Eat a variety of foods in moderate amounts, limit your fat intake, and watch the amount of salt in food.
Follow the guidelines you've agreed on with your dietician or doctor. It's a good idea to count the grams of fat. Your dietician can tell you how many grams of fat are healthy for you to eat in a day. Many fast food restaurants will give you the dietary information on their food if you ask.
What you order is the key. It's easy to eat an entire day's worth of fat, salt, and calories in just one fast food meal. But it's also possible to make wise choices and eat a fairly healthy meal.
Here are some tips to help you choose well:
If breakfast is your fast food meal, choose a plain bagel, toast, or English muffin. Other muffins may be loaded with sugar. Add fruit juice or low-fat skim milk. Order cold cereal with skim milk, pancakes without butter, or plain scrambled eggs. Avoid bacon and sausage.
Your Order, Please?
Remember the old joke: a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips? The fast food we eat may stick around a lot longer than we'd like. It may linger in our bodies as excess blood fats and extra pounds. To avoid seeing today's lunch on your hips tomorrow:
Eating out can be one of life's great pleasures. Make the right choices, ask for what you need, and balance your meals out with healthy meals at home. You can enjoy yourself and take good care of your diabetes at the same time.
