Eating out

What should diabetics do the next time they go to a restaurant?

If you use a little common sense, you can still eat out at restaurants or fast-food places when you have diabetes.

There is no reason why you cannot make the same healthy eating choices in a restaurant that you make each day at home. And there is no reason why you need to think of eating out as 'going off' your usual eating plan.

Most restaurants today - even fast food ones - offer at least a few healthy alternatives on their menus.

The first step you can take is to plan ahead. Know what food groups you need to include in your meal and the serving sizes for each. Try to stick to your regular eating schedule too, at least as closely as you can.

Here are a few tips you can follow once you get to where you are eating out.

• Eat the same serving sizes as you would at home even if the restaurant serves large portions. Take the rest home, it can make a nice snack for the next day.
• Ask that high-fat sauces and salad dressings be served on the side. Then you can use just the right amount for you.
• Try to stick with foods that are broiled/ roasted/ baked, poached, grilled, or sautéed with no extra butter added.
• Avoid deep-fried, breaded, or creamed foods.
• If you can, avoid high-fat ingredients, such as cheese, butter, cream, avocado, and sausage.
• Ask if you can make a substitution for unhealthy foods. For instance, ask for a baked potato or more vegetables in lieu of fries.
• It is OK to ask for what you want. Don't be afraid to say you want to leave the potato chips off the plate or ask for whole wheat bread instead of a croissant.