Avoid eating out

[dbaratta]

I avoid eating out. Even a salad with dressing is dangerous for me. My guess is that the dressing is loaded with sugars of some sort and not knowing how much I don't know what to bolus, I either take too much or too little so I just don't go out very often at all......:T

[yannah]

vinegar and oil. try to avoid balsamic.

[Debbie Sue]

Don't use dressing at all. The flavors of the veggies and meat will be satisfying in itself. I will have a dill pickle on the side with mine. :)

[owlyn]

I avoid eating out. Even a salad with dressing is dangerous for me. My guess is that the dressing is loaded with sugars of some sort and not knowing how much I don't know what to bolus, I either take too much or too little so I just don't go out very often at all......:T

Couple of things:

If you are eating at a chain restaurant, just check the net before you go. Many chains post their nutrition values right on line. For those that don't, often, other sites may have the information. Great example- Chili's. I was getting the grilled shrimp Ceasar salad and avoiding the coutons. Sounds safe, right? Look it up (be sure to be sitting down).

I saw this trick in a great book, "The Diabetic's Book", by June Biermann and Barabara Toohey. Unfortunately, it is no longer in print. Anyway- here's the trick: don't put the dressing on your salad. Instead, put it in a bowl, and dip your fork in the dressing, then spear some salad. You use almost no dressing, but you still get the taste.

[kmac]

Something that has been suggested to me is to carry your own dressing. I have the same problem when I eat lunch at work. I think the dressings must be low fat ( also known as "with lots of sugar") in an effort to be healthy. Right now I am doing as Debbie Sue suggests but I am going to pick up some individual packets of dressing so they don't need refrigerating. Oil and vinegar is another good idea--no need to refrigerate.

It is too bad to feel you have to avoid going out for a meal, but we all do what we have to do. When in doubt, if available, I will order a cheese omelet and not worry about carbs. Maybe you can come up with a default like that.

I hope you find the answer that works for you.

Kathi

[foxl]

I have done two road trips -- day trips -- the last couple of weeks. So not only eating out, but not at luxury restaurants, either!

I went armed with single-servings bags of nuts and pumpkin seeds ... but did fine.

You can always use 1/2 or less of dressing, and some kinds are fairly reliable -- Blue Cheese (a standby from the 60's) is almost always low-sugar. Or as Kelli says, oil and vinegar -- the non-mixed kind, in cruets, and order it on the side so you can taste or test!

From what I hear -- DH heard an interview with a former FDA chief on this -- MANY chains actually inject chicken or meat with HFCS to "enhance flavor."

I'd rather eat what I prepare myself, anyhow!

[Josselyn]

I have done two road trips -- day trips -- the last couple of weeks. So not only eating out, but not at luxury restaurants, either!

I went armed with single-servings bags of nuts and pumpkin seeds ... but did fine.

You can always use 1/2 or less of dressing, and some kinds are fairly reliable -- Blue Cheese (a standby from the 60's) is almost always low-sugar. Or as Kelli says, oil and vinegar -- the non-mixed kind, in cruets, and order it on the side so you can taste or test!

From what I hear -- DH heard an interview with a former FDA chief on this -- MANY chains actually inject chicken or meat with HFCS to "enhance flavor."

I'd rather eat what I prepare myself, anyhow!
Hi Linda.
What's HFCS?

Please and thank you.

[jenb]

I use fresh salsa as dressing and ask for olive oil if I want the added fat.

Jen

[foxl]

Hi Linda.
What's HFCS?

Please and thank you.

HFCS = High Fructose Corn Syrup.

[jenb]

Hi Poppy. I dine in restaurants a lot. I usually order grilled meat, chicken or fish, forego the starches like rice and potatoes, and have uncooked, steamed or sauteed veggies. If dessert is on my mind I ask for fresh berries - if they're not available, no sweets for me! I test BG frequently and add little tiny boluses if I see a rising trend. The biggest problem for me with dinners out is extra fat which causes me to rise several hours after the meal. So I set my alarm for the wee hours of the a.m. and test and bolus then if needed.

Don't let your diabetes make you afraid to enjoy going out. Do it a few times and learn the tricks (like a portion the size of your hand is about a cup, a deck of cards is about the size of a serving of meat, etc.), test frequently, and have fun!

Jen

[rkicklighter]

I don't post much but had to comment on this one. My work requires up to 85% travel for 6 to 8 months a year so eating out is mandatory. As a pumper and serious carb counter, I do pretty well in most areas of the US. However I tend to stay away from the chain places and seek out the local Mom and Pop establishments. Applebee's, Chili's, Outback, they are all just about poison for me. A simple steak with veggies from either of these places will require 10 to 40% more insulin than the same meal cooked at home.

Most times it's a guessing game for me, "let's see how close we can get" then test at 2 hours and either go "ok, that worked" OR "holy ****, I screwed that one up".

The worst time for me is when in some of these foriegn countries and you really don't know what you're about to eat. Many times my job is in remote, out of the way places where the only available food is what's cooked onsite or from the road side vendor. A town of any size could be 100 miles away. Sometimes I take my own food but in the high security sites, you can bring nothing in with you.

For these countries I keep a log of what has and has not worked in the past. My CDE and I have had several conversations about compensating for these situations but it always comes down to do the best you can with the information available and try to correct after the fact.

Just my experiences.......

RK

[kmac]

I use fresh salsa as dressing and ask for olive oil if I want the added fat.

Jen

This is a really good tip that I NEVER would have thought of on my own. Thanks a million for sharing. Easy, delicious and BS friendly.

Kathi

[GeishaGirl]

Believe it or not, the KFC grilled chicken has zero carbs. I just checked the ingredient list, and while they're "seasoned" with tons of **** (MSG being one of them!) there is NO HFCS at all.

I've also had good luck (believe it or not) with McD's salads, if I leave off the croutons. Literally everything at McD's now comes with nutritional information on the label -- ie, the box the hamburger comes in, the fries sleeve, etc. EVERYTHING has nutritionals.

Panera (if you have one by you) now has this FANTASTIC Cobb salad with only 9g of carbs, including dressing. If you leave off the croutons, their Chicken Caesar salad is good, too :)

That's the best I've got :) I always do badly elsewhere.

[art]

I eat in restaurants all the time.
For me it's a matter of knowing what to order.
The majority of time you can order things that don't pop your BG's.
In the chain places stick to the stuff you know.

Remember in the beginning you were told to use your meter to see what really shoots your Bg's up?
Well I did.

Restaurant? Food? Think protein. A good steak never hurt anybody.

Art

[princesslinda]

I avoided eating out much when first diagnosed, as I found I did best at home where I better could control all the variables of cooking and portion control.

Now, we eat out weekly. I have the pocket-sized Calorie-King book in my purse and it lists many popular restaurant menus and their carb counts...which makes it less stressful.

Like Art, i'll get often get a nice steak or grilled fish or chicken. I like balsamic vinaigarette dressing and will just get it on the side, dipping my fork tines in it before I pick up the lettuce. I still have over half of the dressing left when the salad is finished...and my blood sugar responds well.

I avoid rice, pasta, potatoes (sometimes i'll get a sweet potato) and I don't eat sweet sauces.

[dbaratta]

I hate vinegar and oil lol

[dbaratta]

[QUOTE=rkicklighter;479008]I don't post much but had to comment on this one. My work requires up to 85% travel for 6 to 8 months a year so eating out is mandatory.

You have no choice.......I just choose to avoid is all. I do eat out once in a while......I just hate to bolus so I avoid any food that takes more than a few units. :)

[Sherlock]

I can't eat salad greens of any kind (a recent issue and not one I'm happy about) so that really simplifies my eating out! I get grilled meat (of any kind) and two veggies.

I can eat cole slaw but have to be careful because lots of restaurants put sugar in their slaw. So I eat just a little bit from the top where all the juice has drained off. Then I take the rest home and rinse it off real good the next day and add some of my own slaw dressing to the leftovers.

I can eat out anywhere. I get burgers at Applebees and just order it without the bun. I get tacos at Mexican places and get it without the taco shells (then I add guacamole to the meat and cheese mixture and have my own salad minus the greens and beans!). At Chinese restaurants, I get anything without sauce and I don't get rice. At pizza and sub shops, I eat the pizza filling with a fork (don't touch the crust) and I take all the goodies out of the sub and eat it with a fork.

The bottom line is that I can eat out anywhere if I just ditch the starchy carbs.

[art]

Sherlock
That's how I do it. Protein all the way. Worst case is a steak.
Sometimes I'll sneak in half a baked potato.

I cannot imagine not eating in restaurants.

Art

[davef]

Don't let your diabetes make you afraid to enjoy going out. Do it a few times and learn the tricks (like a portion the size of your hand is about a cup, a deck of cards is about the size of a serving of meat, etc.), test frequently, and have fun!

Jen

I agree completely, I control my diabetes it does not control me (funny that was one of the first things I was told when I joined here). If I want (and can afford ;)) to eat out then I will. I have learned what to eat and what to avoid.

[Granny Shanny]

I agree completely, I control my diabetes it does not control me (funny that was one of the first things I was told when I joined here). If I want (and can afford ;)) to eat out then I will. I have learned what to eat and what to avoid.

That is definitely the qualifying criteria around here anymore!

And Sherlock? I have trouble with lotsa salad greens too. Iceberg lettuce is the worst offender, but there are several others. T'ain't fair, is it?! :( :( :(

[Allison]

I don't remember who it was but someone here mentioned how good Ken's Steakhouse brand Creamy Ceasar was. So I tried it and I'm hooked! 0 carbs 0 sugars! Hallelujah!

Anyway the point is...If I'm in a hurry for lunch and I'm forced to pick something up, I researched all of the salads at fast food joints and found that Jack in the Box has the best bang for your buck with their Grilled Chicken Club Salad. It's 370 cal 16g fat and 11 carbs for the whole thing. I just toss out their dressing and croutons that they provide and I keep a bottle of the Ken's Creamy Caesar in our fridge at work. Great meal and
the salad is $5.26!

[Rajen]

I'm still new and kinda scared to the whole adjustment of being a diabetic myself. I found out June 5 this year. Now that I have good control over my sugar level I still go out and enjoy many of the same foods just in moderation. I've tried to restrict eating out to a rare treat like once or twice a month since I am still very heavy. I weighed 265 lbs before I went into the hospital when I found out i was a diabetic. I had lost a lot of weight since then. In the couple of months I am down to 246 lbs but I want to reach at least 200. So for me its not so much a matter of watching carbs its the calories I am worried about.

[jer.lawrence]

I don't remember who it was but someone here mentioned how good Ken's Steakhouse brand Creamy Ceasar was. So I tried it and I'm hooked! 0 carbs 0 sugars! Hallelujah!

Man, I LOVE the Ken's Honey Mustard.. I haven't had any since the Dx though. I'll have to give the creamy ceasar a try!

I also enjoy eating out far too much.

[Allison]

Man, I LOVE the Ken's Honey Mustard.. I haven't had any since the Dx though. I'll have to give the creamy ceasar a try!

I also enjoy eating out far too much.

SOOOOO good. I love it...and I don't feel bad about eating it!

[Joeprep4820]

I don't post much but had to comment on this one. My work requires up to 85% travel for 6 to 8 months a year so eating out is mandatory. As a pumper and serious carb counter, I do pretty well in most areas of the US. However I tend to stay away from the chain places and seek out the local Mom and Pop establishments. Applebee's, Chili's, Outback, they are all just about poison for me. A simple steak with veggies from either of these places will require 10 to 40% more insulin than the same meal cooked at home.

Most times it's a guessing game for me, "let's see how close we can get" then test at 2 hours and either go "ok, that worked" OR "holy ****, I screwed that one up".

The worst time for me is when in some of these foriegn countries and you really don't know what you're about to eat. Many times my job is in remote, out of the way places where the only available food is what's cooked onsite or from the road side vendor. A town of any size could be 100 miles away. Sometimes I take my own food but in the high security sites, you can bring nothing in with you.

For these countries I keep a log of what has and has not worked in the past. My CDE and I have had several conversations about compensating for these situations but it always comes down to do the best you can with the information available and try to correct after the fact.

Just my experiences.......

RK

I know what you are going through. I travel about 75% of the time and most of the time it is a week here, a week there, 3 days, here, 3 days there. I was in London last week and now am in Berlin until Friday and from there I will fly back to DC for a week then to Sydney for 4 weeks. Eating out is mandatory more or less, and I enjoy my experiences. I love tasting the foods from around the world and how incredible they are. I really loathe chain restaurants because they usually use low quality ingredients and their food is normally much higher in everything compared to a lot of local places. I am usually good at winging it but when I am unsure I take less insulin than necessary and test often after the meal.
I actually find it more difficult to eat healthier than to just maintain sugar levels. Also, regarding Applebee's, I know for certain that they are quite secretive about releasing a lot of nutritional information. All I know is that one of their mini burgers is over 400 calories and their food makes my stomach ache.

[freebie]

Use fresh lemons instead of dressing! It's really good.:)