Eating out

Having diabetes doesn’t mean never dining out again. When you become familiar with your diet plan and can estimate portion sizes, eating out can be easy. Try to choose a restaurant that offers a large variety of foods or a cafeteria where you can choose each food item individually. Educate yourself as to the ingredients in a dish before you order. This will help to determine the approximate calorie content. If you are invited to someone's home for dinner, inform your host or hostess of the foods you cannot eat. This should eliminate any embarrassing situations for you such as being offered a dessert or other foods not included in your diet. In restaurants, keep things simple by reducing the fat and calorie content of your meal. Order meats that are baked, boiled, or broiled; potatoes or other vegetables that are baked, boiled, or steamed; salads with lemon juice or vinegar dressings; and fresh fruit for dessert. When you want to eat fast food, order sandwiches without mayonnaise and avoid fried foods. If available, choose the salad bar, and drink water or sugar free iced tea. For further information, request a copy of fast food exchanges from your dietitian or health care provider.