Dining Out

It can be difficult to order food from a restaurant when you are constantly maintaining healthy blood sugar levels. While difficult, it is possible to make healthy decisions when ordering at any restaurant.

Dining Out: Ordering Tips

There are many tips for ordering food that cater to any individual watching their blood sugar. The following is a list of several suggestions.

• Serving Size: If you are unsure about the serving size ask your server.
• Portions: Control your intake. Restaurants often serve twice the amount of food you would eat at home. Split a meal or ask your server for a container to take home.
• Eat Slowly: Enjoy your food. Eating slowly is strongly correlated with eating less.
• Choosing an Entrée: If you are not sure what is in a specific dish ask your server.
• Meat/Fish: Order these without extra butter and broiled.
• Baked Potato: Order this plain, use low calorie butter or margarine for topping. Better yet, top the potato with salad bar vegetables.
• Salt: Ask that no additional salt be added to your meal.
• Sauces/dressing/gravy: Ask for these to be provided on the side. Using these in moderation is easier if you do it yourself.
• Fried Foods: Avoid fried foods.
• Substitutions: Substitutions are always possible, remove foods that are high in empty calories and sugar with fruits and vegetables.
• Alcohol: Limit alcohol intake.

Dining Out: Timing

Often, individuals follow a time schedule for insulin injections. It is usually advisable that time schedules also be created for eating.

• Group Plans: If dining out with a group, attempt to schedule it during your typical hours of eating.
• Make reservations: Reservations decrease overall wait time, therefore decreasing the chances of eating later than scheduled.
• Be timely: Once reservations have been made, it is necessary to show up on time, it is better to be a little early.
• Time Conflict: If there is no chance of eating at your typically scheduled hour, eat a small amount of starch or fruit at the usual mealtime to help regulate your blood sugar.

Dining Out: Fast Food Tips

Fast food is all too commonly full of empty calories, fat, and sugar. However, there are typically healthy foods on the menu.

• Nutritional Values: Know these values before making your order.
• Fast Food Meal: If you decide to eat one fast food meal, it is advised to make healthier substitutions at other meals.
• Size: Avoid foods containing the words; deluxe, giant, super-sized, jumbo.
• Meat Choices: Choose foods that are broiled or grilled, or lean cuts of meat.
• Condiments: Avoid condiments or use sparingly.
• Bread: Avoid biscuits and croissants, substitute for an English muffin or bun.
• Salad Bar: This is a good choice but avoid cheeses, bacon bits, and croutons that add unnecessary calories and sugar.
• Pizza: Typically, vegetable topped thin crust pizzas are the best choice.

Sources:
http://www.diabetes.org/nutrition-and-recipes/nutrition/sugar.jsp