07

Oct 2014

Eating out and staying in line…

Eating out may be one of the hardest challenges to staying in line with a smart Paleo diet. All those tasty bad choices, the pressure of asking for substitutions, feeling left out because your burger has a lettuce bun…and then theres those warm dinner rolls!! But it can be done and it can be easy, we just have to get creative. Here is a list of some pretty good tips on how to get through a night at a restaurant:

Naked Buffalo Wings, Celery, Guacamole or Salsa, Small Salad are your friends. My favorite non-cheating appetizer is to order the Guacamole (I live in California, year-round guacamole that is good is expected. I had withdrawals when I travel and have sympathy for those of you for whom this isn’t an option) and ask the waiter to bring celery sticks instead of chips. You’ll be the table hero for getting the Guacamole and you can guilt-free eat it all on Paleo. Many places will do a naked non-breaded buffalo wings for you (ask for the sauce on the side, or for salsa on the side) or bring out your salad with the appetizer instead of with the first course.

Mexican Food – It can seem like a hard one to do if you’re used to tacos and burritos and beans and rice all the time. One word: Fajitas. Tell the waiter not to bring the beans and rice or tortillas (the horror! I know…) and to give you extra guacamole instead of sour cream as your side. Then eat with knife and fork. Most Cali-Mexican places also will do a salad with grilled chicken breast, but that’s super boring. If you can find a traditional Mexican food place in your neck of the woods there are even better options: ask for chicken mole, grilled whole fish (complete with head), for that matter, head, or a tostada without beans and rice but with extra meat. Green sauce is better than red sauce, and if worst comes to worst, you can always get tacos or a burrito without beans, rice and cheese, and then open it up and eat only the innards.

Thai Food. This one is awesomely easy, but you have to be assertive. Here’s the trick: ask for steamed veggies instead of rice. Most places will willingly do this. I also often ask for them not to put potatoes in my curry, but usually the pieces are big enough that you can just eat around them. Noodle dishes are, of course, out of bounds, but curries and soups are ideal. Thai Ice Tea is even ok, just have them use coconut milk instead of sweetened condensed milk (I swear it tastes better anyway).

Panera (and Panera-esque places). The problem here is the salads. You think they’re going to be great, given the wimpy description on the menu, but frankly they suck and have hidden cheese and creamy dressings. And then they come with a side of bread. Which sits there, tormenting you until you nibble, snack, eventually eat it. Here’s the key: make your own salad. Look at the menu, figure out what ingredients they have on hand, then get creative. It’ll drive the waiter/waitress crazy, but you’re worth it (tip well). I always start with a salad that has meat and avocado on it (because adding these are the most expensive add-ons) and then remove the cheese and croutons, get the dressing on the side, and add whatever other veggies I see floating around on the rest of the menu.

The Burger Joint. Technically beef is paleo. My trainers told me not to eat beef, however, so I try to avoid it. At “the burger joint” your best friend is going to be a grilled chicken sandwich. Have them give you double meat, no cheese and wrap it in lettuce. It’ll look weird, but the double meat actually makes it better than back in those Atkins-diet-inspired days when everyone was lettuce wrapping their hamburgers. I always add avocado (remember, I live in California, specifically an area where BOTH kinds of avocado trees grow which means there’s only a few weeks each spring and fall when I can’t get fresh avocado for about a buck extra at most local restaurants and I can get it then, it just sucks since it isn’t ripe).

The Pizza Place. The anti pasta salad. Pull off the cheese (or ask for it without) and get a side of naked chicken wings. Wine instead of beer if you must drink.

The Coffee House. Oh, this one hurts me. I love me my fancy coffee – lots of steamed milk or soy… some flavored syrup… maybe some whipped cream. However, it’s cheap (and easy!) to get a cup of drip with some soy (or almond) milk. My rule is that if it’s just a splash for mitigating the acid of black coffee, I don’t have to count it. If it’s enough I should be paying for a latte, I need to record it. Cheating makes weight loss go slower, but it makes me stick to the plan better. Plus, when I’m on black coffee, I go from not-hungry to ravenous even faster. In other news, my wallet loves the Paleo diet. When I want to be fancy, I get an almond milk-based drink. The best thing is when you can find a place that does an almond/coconut milk mixed – it steams up even better than soy in a latte. Starbucks only has soy, which isn’t Paleo, but it is my favorite. I try to get rid of that.

Italian & Pasta places. Avoid them like the plague. Seriously, it’s perfectly acceptable to claim a case of the plague to get out of going. If you must go for social reasons (wedding reception, invitation from your boss), get soup and a salad. There’s usually a broth-based Italian Wedding or something that isn’t too bad. The salads are usually alright, just say ‘no’ to the parmesan cheese and croutons. If you have a super-nice waiter, you can substitute the requisite pasta under your grilled chicken entrée with steamed veggies (like at the Thai place) but that’s super boring and something you’d make at home but you’re just going to pay triple for out. Soup, however, can be a treat when it isn’t a variety you normally make.

Chinese Fast Food places. I have an unhealthy affection for Pick Up Stix. Seriously love that place. Not that they’re that different in choices from any other Chinese Fast Food place in the US, but they make all their stuff fresh to order which is a big plus for me. Basically, do the same thing you did at Thai food – substitute steamed veggies for the rice and choose something with a low-sugar sauce and no breading. I like Kung Pao sauce and non-breaded chicken, since the spicy taste satisfies me faster, but that’s hard to come by. Almost every place has some variation on “beef and broccoli” which is Paleo even though I try to avoid beef. If you’re at a “good” Chinese food place, go for something with fish or a vegetable base. I also love Moo Shu, which you can order with most meats and if you skip the pancakes is delicious. I drizzle the plum sauce over the top (Paleo-ness of that varies from recipe to recipe) and eat straight with a fork or chopsticks.

Indian Food. I love samosas. They’re out of the question though. So is Naan and anything with “paneer” in the name. Tandori Chicken is great. Most Indian places do amazing things with cauliflower and curry. Most good Indian food is cooked to order, which means you can specify what you want and don’t want without feeling weird. Buffets are hard.

Mediterranean Food. Best part of this is the unique meat options. Shish-kabobs are great. Most Mediterranean buffets have good options. Baked cauliflower (aka: Paleo Crack) is usually easy to come by. The prevailing emphasis on spices, not sauces, makes it easier to feel confident about what you’re eating.

Desert

Desert is hard to do paleo. If you can, just have ice water (lots of salt in restaurant food!) or a nice cup of tea. Instead of ordering desert, try to eat more of your meal or order an extra bit of meat. Better to be full from seconds of meat than to be bloated from sugar. That said…

Fruit. Most places don’t have this option, but some will do a fruit bowl (look on the breakfast menu at non-fancy restaurants). Not a great choice, but it’ll get you a nibble of sweet.

Snitch. Ok, you really shouldn’t do this on Paleo – even a bite of the cake being passed around throws off your glycemic index and all that. If you’re willing to deal with the consequences, a little snitch isn’t the end of the world and is a good way to feel like you’re part of the ‘whole’ dinner experience. It’s also a great way to avoid insulting a baker at a family dinner – ask for “just a sliver” and then only take one bite before pawning the rest off on your significant other or your sibling’s child (send that sugar high home with someone else!). The rule with snitching – snitch desert or at the appetizer, but not both. Only ONE bite at desert or you have to count it, and no piling on the largest bite ever in the history of man onto one fork to make it happen.

This list above is neither exhaustive nor authoritative. It’s a plan. Take it, steal it, use it, throw it out, modify it… it’s up to you. But the best thing to do is stick to your guns and make a plan before you get there!