Dieters usually avoid eating out in restaurants because they invariably wind up eating all the wrong things and cheating on their diet. Fear, not Keto-ers, you can easily eat out on the ketogenic diet. If you’ve been on the ketogenic diet for a while, you probably can order from a restaurant menu without breaking a sweat with just a few special requests. These tips show you how to make these adjustments in a simple way:
Tips and Strategies to Follow While Eating Out
Keto dieters know most of the entrees on restaurant menus are high-carbohydrate dishes. Obviously, these selections are not on the Keto devotees’ menu. Choices that are ketogenic diet compliant (low-carb/high-fat) are protein and fat, heavy on the latter. The portions on your plate need to be 75:20:5; seventy-five percent of the food on your plate needs to be fat.
Be creative with your order. Think outside of the same old, same old. Order a Keto friendly appetizer first, so a moment of weakness at the end of the meal doesn’t land you in the sugar and carbs of a dessert. Usually, the salads in the side dish section of the menu make great appetizers that won’t wreck your diet.
Before you go out to the restaurant, take a look at the menu, plenty of eating establishments post their menu online, not just the pricey upscale ones either. Peruse the menu with keto-friendly options in mind. If the meat is breaded, request that it be grilled or sauteed instead. Unbreaded selections are no problem for your diet.
Most restaurants have burgers or sandwiches on their menu. So, ask your server to swap the bread or bun for a bed of lettuce or leaves suitable to make a wrap for the sandwich fillings.
Pass up the onion rings, which are caramelized and full of sugar. Instead of the sugar rings or French fries substitute side dishes like broccoli, salad or even mixed veggies. Sautéed mushrooms are a Keto friendly accompaniment to a cheeseburger. The main idea is you need to order protein and healthy fats instead of starchy foods. Of course, rice, bread, and pasta are to be avoided, because they are straight carbs.
Low-fat foods are just plain unsatisfying whether at home or out at a restaurant. They aren’t going to preserve your ketosis either. You can ask for extra butter for your veggies or meat. if you are having a salad, choose olive oil (specifically) and red wine vinegar dressing. it’s unfortunate, but many restaurants serve vegetable oil, which is cheaper and very unhealthy. If you’re serious about sticking to your diet, make it a habit to carry a small bottle of olive oil with you when dining out. You can easily refill a condiment bottle like hot sauce. That size bottle fits in any purse or jacket pocket.
Unlike most diets, you can enjoy fat-based dressings and sauces like Béarnaise sauce, blue cheese or ranch dressings on the keto diet. Nevertheless, you still need to stay away from the sauces containing carbs; so check with your server whether the sauce or dressing has sugar in it.
Choose your beverages wisely and stick to low-carb choices. The most keto friendly drinks are water, sparkling water, tea, or coffee.
The Food Items to Look For
Here are some Keto friendly food choices you’ll find on many restaurant menus.
Fatty steak like Prime Rib, Bacon, Hamburgers and Hot Dogs without the buns, Chicken, Duck, Pepperoni, Pork, Sausages, and Veal.
Mediterranean/Greek and Middle Eastern dishes also preserve ketosis.
Many types of seafood are great keto options: flounder, grouper, halibut, oysters, red snapper, salmon, scallops, shrimp, tilapia, trout, and tuna.
Look for low-carb above ground vegetables like avocados, broccoli, and avoid high-carb vegetables like carrots.
Cheese like many other dairy products is rich in protein, and healthy fats. But it contains a low amount of carbs. Some wise dairy choices for ketogenic diet are butter, cottage cheese, heavy cream, cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream.
