The low carb guide to eating out

STICK TO SOME SIMPLE RULES

ALWAYS HAVE SOME PROTEIN

Clients working with me on a nutrition programme know how keen I am for them to include at every meal as it slows down the rate at which sugars impact your bloodstream. Having cheese on pasta is not a good protein-rich option in my book. Instead, look for chicken, meat, fish and seafood, eggs, tofu, lentils, beans and chickpeas, and nuts and seeds. Nothing in batter, nothing in breadcrumbs.

ORDER PLENTY OF VEGETABLE DISHES

Add plenty of vegetables and salad to your meal. If the dish doesn't come with it, order some!

GO EASY ON STARCHY CARBS

Pies, pastries, potato dishes, mountains of rice or pasta are not your friend. So either avoid them or eat only a small amount of what's served to you. You are in control of what you actually eat. You can always ask for the fries or rice to be substituted with more veg.

TAKE CARE WITH SAUCES

I'm not worried about a creamy sauce with chicken or steak (as long as you're not intolerant) but I'm not keen on dipping sauces or any kind. Almost without exception, these are high carb since they are full of sugar - as are chutneys and most other dips. Other sweet sauces to avoid include balsamic glaze (ask for balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side instead), barbecue sauce, ketchup, honey mustard, oyster and hoisin.

GOLDEN RULES OF EATING OUT

If you’re trying to change your diet, you might think a meal out with friends, the odd work lunch and even a holiday might blow your healthy eating plan out of the water. It can be a challenge, since you’re not eating the controlled environment you’re used to, and for celebrations, you may not want to be as strict as you might otherwise be. However, it is entirely possible – and less tricky than you think – to enjoy nights out and trips abroad without feeling like you’re undoing all your hard work.

There will, of course, be times when you just want to go out and enjoy a really special meal with everything that it entails. There's nothing wrong with that at all. In the big scheme of eating out, those celebration meals are few and far between so go out and enjoy!

CHECK OUT THE MENU BEFORE YOU GO

Make a point of checking the menu online before you go out. This way, you will know what the options are and can spend some time working out what you might eat that best fits with your plan. It puts you under less pressure to make the 'right' decision when you're out and you can focus on enjoying the social aspect of the evening.

FILL YOURSELF UP WITH THE GOOD STUFF

Have a starter and a main course, or just a main course but not a dessert. Avoid any breads, prawn crackers or the like. In fact, ask the waiter to take these things away to remove the temptation. Instead, ask them to bring some olives or nuts to pick on if you're hungry. Try and stick to just one glass of good quality wine and remember to drink plenty of water.

WHAT TO EAT

ORIENTAL OR INDIAN RESTAURANTS

Sashimi (raw fish dish - not sushi with rice)

Fish / chicken Teryaki

Tom Yum soup

Thai coconut based curries Indian tikkas (but not masalas)

Fish or chicken satay

Stir fry dishes with garlic, chilli & soy sauce

Baked/ steamed fish Indian bhunas or baltis (ask for less oil)

Tofubased dishes

Vegetable dishes like Indian chana masala (chickpeas) or dhal (lentils)

Opt for stir fried veg, bok choi or similar, or cauliflower, brinjal (aubergine) or bindi (okra) bhaji as a side dish.

FRENCH, ITALIAN & GASTROPUBS

Chicken breast marinated in rosemary and garlic

Steak and salad or veggies

Pan-fried fish

King prawns in a chilli, garlic and tomato sauce Avocado, antipasti, rocket, and tomato salad

If you really want pasta, choose a starter size with a source of protein like chicken or seafood and have a large salad.

BURGER BARS & AMERICAN

Bunless burger with lots of salad Chicken wings & slaw

Big salads with protein Steak and salad Ribs and slaw Surf & turf

OTHER SCENARIOS

COFFEE SHOPS

Don't touch the pastries / muffins. If available, choose a filled wrap or a wholegrain / whole wheat sandwich with a protein and salad filling. Coffee lattes, smoothies, milk shakes and yoghurt drinks often contain hidden sugars and syrups that will upset your blood sugar control.

SANDWICH BARS

Quality and choice vary widely from the family-run Italians to the big chains. Most will offer salad box alternatives or filled wraps - these are typically less carb-heavy than a full sandwich. If this is not an option, buy a whole wheat sandwich with a good protein and salad filling, discard the top slice of bread and join the rest together, so you have 1/2 a sandwich with a superthick filling. Go for the dark grainy breads and choose rye if available. Some offer soups - go for vegetable and bean or lentil soups.

FISH & CHIP SHOP

Not a lot for you here but, if all else fails, get the fish, remove batter and have mushy peas instead of chips.

GARAGE / SERVICE STATION

Avoid: Sandwiches / crisps / cakes / pastries / muffins / sweets / chocolate Choose: Filled wraps (protein & salad) / soup / fruit / nuts / dark chocolate covered nuts (30g) / water. Some chains have a small mini supermarket like Little Waitrose or M&S Simply Food, which widens choice: ready made salads with a source of protein, cooked chicken fillets, vegetable batons, hummus, and so on.

REMEMBER WHO'S IN CHARGE

YOU CAN ORDER ‘OFF MENU’

Don't be afraid of asking for what you want. Keep in mind, you are the customer. That doesn't mean you are a nuisance. You just want what you want. It also doesn't mean restaurants have to prepare an entirely different recipe. For instance, if you like the sound of the fish or chicken, but not the sauce, ask for it without, or swap it for another method of cooking. You are the one who is paying the bill!

SKIP DESERT

By the time you get to the end of the main course you should feel satisfied. Unless it's a special celebration meal, you'll want to avoid puddings as they will almost certainly be high in sugar. Fresh strawberries make an ideal end to any meal, but if they are not available, a small portion of vanilla ice cream is OK - not the three-scoop special. Ask for a child's portion.

Another option is to go for cheese, and share with one of your friends. Don't go overboard on the biscuits - ideally ask for a few oatcakes as these are lower in carbs - and skip the high sugar chutney.

HEALTHY EATING GUIDE: HOTELS & EVENTS

HOTELS, EVENTS & DINNER PARTIES
Have your own healthy snack before you go out - like an apple and a few nuts / seeds - so you don’t arrive starving. In hotel restaurants, follow the suggestions earlier in this guide. Don't be afraid to order off menu, and you may want to consider ordering a starter with a side salad as a main if no other main course options appeal.

Request that sauces/dressings are served separately. Refuse the bread basket and ideally don't let the waiter leave it on the table. Ask for olives instead.

At a dinner party, you may have less control over the meal that is cooked. If you're in charge of serving yourself, opt for very little of the potato / rice / pasta. If you are served, eat all of the protein and veggies and only a little of the high carb foods. It's OK to leave something on your plate! Also be mindful of how frequently your glass is topped up. If the wine is constantly re-filled, it lowers your resistance to temptation of all kinds!

EVENTS

Beware the buffet. Avoid: sandwiches, bread crumbed seafood, pastry foods like sausage rolls and vol-au-vents cake, gateaux and pie type desserts. Also consider, you are more likely to eat more when standing than if you were sitting down. This is because you normally eat more quickly and don't give your stomach a chance to tell your brain that you're full.

Ideally choose plain protein foods including meat, chicken, fish, seafood with salads. Other options include crudités with hummus, guacamole and salsa dips (but without the chips). Then fruit/fruit salad or a little cheese and celery to finish.

HOTELS

Breakfasts are typically buffet or menu choices and this can be quite mixed but, on balance, usually a good thing. Avoid: high carb cereals (don't be mislead, the hotel 'healthy option' muesli is full of sugar), toast, 'Continental breakfasts' of breads and preserves, dried fruits and yoghurts with a high sugar content. Instead, make time to have a cooked breakfast - like a poached / boiled egg and slice of wholegrain toast, an omelette of any kind, 'English Breakfast' (but avoid fried starchy carbs, such as fried bread or hash browns) or scrambled egg with smoked salmon, or poached haddock, or porridge (ask for no sugar to be added).