Low Carb Resturants?

[lancer1977]

So a couple years ago I did atkins at its peak popularity. Was low carb products galore everywhere... not seeing those options much anymore. That being said, anyone have any suggestions to resturants (major chains) that do serve reasonably priced carb friendly products still?

[2big4mysize]

most makor steak places will serve steamed veggies like broccoli and salads.
You can still get smasjed cauliflower at Rudy Tuesdays.

watch the collard greens cause sugar is added to them.
You can ususally get plain broiled fish but call before you go and ask. I have a soy allergy so getting ingredient answers from most places is easy. fast food you just go bunless on burgers, watch the chicken as they are injected with sugars for a moisture issue.



skip the pasta places

[Jake]

The last time I ate at a Cracker Barrel (last April) they still had an LC section.

[lancer1977]

LOL TGI Fridays seems to have ONE item on their menu they call low carb. Should at least 2 items for varieties sake.

[peanutte]

I just ask to get double veg instead of the potato and veg. I have never been hassled about it.

If I go out for breakfast I ask for a small salad in place of hashbrowns and toast. I've only been upcharged for it once; usually they will do the substitution.

I've also found that as I've gotten thinner, I really do not feel I need to eat a whole lot of food. So even if I said "No potato" or "No toast and hashbrowns, please", I have plenty of food.

As you adjust your thinking to focus on what you actually need vs. how much you are capable of eating, you won't feel ripped off. Going out to eat is only partly about the food anyway; it's about the company.

Mexican restaurants are pretty easy too. Most things do come with beans and rice, but it doesn't hurt to ask if you could substitute something else. I've gotten fajitas many times and asked for more of the "garnish" (more lettuce, pico de gallo, shredded cheese, sour cream) in place of tortillas and beans/rice. I also get carne asada at Mexican restaurants. Lots of times they will have shrimp and fish on the menu too.

One word of caution: if something is marinated or comes with a sauce, ask if it's possible to have it made plain. I'm talking about chicken breast, steak...stuff like that.

[lancer1977]

Originally Posted by peanutte

I've also found that as I've gotten thinner, I really do not feel I need to eat a whole lot of food. So even if I said "No potato" or "No toast and hashbrowns, please", I have plenty of food.

See thats a big mental problem for me. I call it "My inner fatboy", he is very conserned about getting the best deal for the dollar in regard to food quantity. One of his biggest issues is leaving off a bun and not getting a replacement for said bun. He demands that every item I purchase have the maximum amount of toppings possible. For instance, when Wendys started stating you had to especially ask for the tomato due to shortages from the hurricanes we had a few years back, I made sure they never skipped my tomato. Substituting is ok. But no holding the pickel please. I paid for it. It's my right to eat it. Lol. Yes, I know. I have issues.

[peanutte]

I know, but if it bugs you that much then just eat at home, where you always get your money's worth. I'm not saying it doesn't take some effort to re-train your brain; it does.

I guess I just choose to look at it in terms of not only monetary value but value to me and my life.

I know that if I pay for everything offered in a restaurant meal, I "should" be entitled to eat all of it. But what good would that do me anyway? If I feel I am being forced to waste a couple of dollars' worth of food by not having it, it's worth more than that to me in terms of my weight loss.

[2big4mysize]

Originally Posted by lancer1977

See thats a big mental problem for me. I call it "My inner fatboy", he is very conserned about getting the best deal for the dollar in regard to food quantity. One of his biggest issues is leaving off a bun and not getting a replacement for said bun. He demands that every item I purchase have the maximum amount of toppings possible. For instance, when Wendys started stating you had to especially ask for the tomato due to shortages from the hurricanes we had a few years back, I made sure they never skipped my tomato. Substituting is ok. But no holding the pickel please. I paid for it. It's my right to eat it. Lol. Yes, I know. I have issues.

you need to embrass this message better to WASTE it then WAIST it.

[jamistar77]

Stay clear of IHOP scrammble eggs, They put Pancake batter in them to make them good and fluffy.
I love going out to eat. But its risky because you just never know how anything is prepared, and if you ask the wait staff, sometimes they just make something up. They dont know how the food is prepared half the time, and they dont care.

[Kisha]

I stayed at the Mariot Hotel recently. They had THE BEST low carb breakfast ever. Eggs, Sausage, bacon and ham! I couldn't eat all of it, but I was ecstatic to eat a low carb breakfast in bed while out of town.

Not that I get to frequent high quality hotels. This trip was out of the norm. But I was glad to see they offered low carb menu options for their dine in.

Most higher end restaurants will carry a good variety of low carb options. I'd just stay clear of anything fast food. If your going to eat it, throw out the bun, and skip the fries. Stick to places like, steak/fish house's. Usually they serve a fresh catch and you can get a good side salad. PERFECT!

I don't have much money to go out to eat. But I can cook like no tomorrow and most of the time, its tastes 100x better than any restaurant could or would make, for a fraction of the price.

Although, after last nights dinner. I have at least an hour of clean up to do this morning.

[Zenngrl]

I think every single restaurant you go to can be LowCarbized. Just stick with meat and veggies with no sauces, with the exception of butter, sour cream, etc.

I don't think there has been one restaurant I couldn't do this WOE and still stay somewhat on plan. There are just the added temptations of seeing others eat bad stuff and smelling it lol

[IWilldoit4me]

BJ's has the nutritional info of all their menu items in every menu...I found that helpful!
plus I love that place LOL

[lancer1977]

This is literally a picture of my inner fatboy. So now ya know what I'm dealing with here.

[cathlaur]

I too find it easy to eat out. Wings are my good ole standard on plan option. They are wonderful and taste great.

YUMMY

Katie

[gdlovins360]

Originally Posted by jamistar77

Stay clear of IHOP scrammble eggs, They put Pancake batter in them to make them good and fluffy.
I love going out to eat. But its risky because you just never know how anything is prepared, and if you ask the wait staff, sometimes they just make something up. They dont know how the food is prepared half the time, and they dont care.

For one, I do care(as a waitress). People are fond of blaming the servers. Well, we have to work with the kitchen staff, and they often don't care to deal with "fussy" customers. Often they are extremely busy trying to get food to everyone who is in a raging hurry all the time, to bother to tell me what's in stuff. I go and get the recipe books myself, but if there's ingredients without the original packaging because it's been re-stored, or portioned, or pre-prepped, often no one in the restaurant knows exactly what's in an entree!

[Amber_Baby]

I'm also a waitress and I'd like to say I do care. In fact I'd like to echo everything said by gdlovins360. With regards to finding LC in restaurants, in England we've never really had that, even when Atkins was at it's peak. But to be honest, it's not usually too difficult to figure something out. Meat or fish with salad or veg if all else fails! Simple maybe but legal and tasty too. What I miss is any kind of LC items in the supermarkets... there are none thesedays.

[lancer1977]

omg... omg... I really normally despise Olive Garden but boy, I had their mixed grill today and it was !@#$% fantastic. Chicken/Steak grilled with rosemary demaze glaze (1.5 carbs or so sauce), with peppers and onions and the sides were grilled zuchini and squash and got doubles on that instead of the potatoes they normally serve.... got the meat medium rare... omg... still can taste it.

[2big4mysize]

Originally Posted by gdlovins360

For one, I do care(as a waitress). People are fond of blaming the servers. Well, we have to work with the kitchen staff, and they often don't care to deal with "fussy" customers. Often they are extremely busy trying to get food to everyone who is in a raging hurry all the time, to bother to tell me what's in stuff. I go and get the recipe books myself, but if there's ingredients without the original packaging because it's been re-stored, or portioned, or pre-prepped, often no one in the restaurant knows exactly what's in an entree!

I find that can be an issue when we go at busy times so I always call after the lunch rush and before the dinner rush and talk with the head chef if it has one about what is in foods they serve since I have a food allergy. I have gotten some great help that way and know going in what to order and what not to even think about. The chefs at 3 local places said to be sure to tell the waitstaff when they turn in our order that we have food allergies and talked to them.

of course it can backfire too. I was shocked the blackberry cobbler was soy free at one resturant and the chef sent a serving to our table on him when the dessert orders from our group went in and I hadn't ordered anything. Needless to say Mother enjoyed most of it as I just had a taste and put them in my carbs for the day.

[peanutte]

That was nice of him--of course he meant well! I love it when you've talked to them ahead of time and they are not only willing to accommodate you, but actually treat you like you're special.

[2big4mysize]

speical is how I felt. There is a resturant her church group goes to that told me to just tell the person who seats them she has a soy allergy and they will even clean a spot on the grill and start cooking her chicken before she has even ordered. She has their chicken salad plate every time and feels so special cause they make her fancy fruit and veggie shapes to fill out her plate cause she can't have their special pita scoops everybody else getting that plate get.

[peanutte]

Sometimes they like a challenge--and they know you will tell everybody about your good experience!

[FlyNavyWife]

Any restaurant can be low-carb as others have said.
But don't hesitate to ask for the nutrition facts. Most chains have them available if you ask, and even Applebee's (!!!) has them now, at least in California.
Be careful about salad dressings. Even the vinaigrette dressing at Panera has sugar in it. Oil and Vinegar or Oil and Lemon juice is typically the safest bet as far as dressings go.

No one has batted an eye at my request for double veggies instead of veggie and potato, or no bun on my burger, or sauce on the side, or whatever.

[jamistar77]

Originally Posted by gdlovins360

For one, I do care(as a waitress). People are fond of blaming the servers. Well, we have to work with the kitchen staff, and they often don't care to deal with "fussy" customers. Often they are extremely busy trying to get food to everyone who is in a raging hurry all the time, to bother to tell me what's in stuff. I go and get the recipe books myself, but if there's ingredients without the original packaging because it's been re-stored, or portioned, or pre-prepped, often no one in the restaurant knows exactly what's in an entree!

Originally Posted by Amber_Baby

I'm also a waitress and I'd like to say I do care. In fact I'd like to echo everything said by gdlovins360. With regards to finding LC in restaurants, in England we've never really had that, even when Atkins was at it's peak. But to be honest, it's not usually too difficult to figure something out. Meat or fish with salad or veg if all else fails! Simple maybe but legal and tasty too. What I miss is any kind of LC items in the supermarkets... there are none thesedays.

Thanks for being good waitresses. I hardly ever go out to eat between 11-130 due to high volume of customers. I have asked questions in restaurants many time and sometimes I'll get sighs, and eye rolls. Sometimes I get good answers and willingness to help, and believe me, I reward greatly to them. Its nice to see people who will take there time to help someone out with answers. I try to check online reasaurant menus, and go to places where I am aready comfortable.

[nhrakat]

Lancer ....I know its hard with all the choices on Miller lane...have you tried Frickers wings yet? I of course love Lonestar and the Grub Steak Restaurant!! I just have to close my eyes tight when going by Cold Stone!!! I make sure not to venture near the college as that darn Ben and Jerrys is located so close to that other great resturant The Pine club.

[StephStu]

I don't know if they have Panda Inn where you are, but they have a lot of seafood on their buffet. When I go there, I fill up on the crab legs, boiled shrimp, and mussels on the half shell. They also have steamed broccoli and cauliflower and a lot of salad stuff, so I never leave without feeling like I got my money's worth.

[CherylB]

Originally Posted by lancer1977

omg... omg... I really normally despise Olive Garden but boy, I had their mixed grill today and it was !@#$% fantastic. Chicken/Steak grilled with rosemary demaze glaze (1.5 carbs or so sauce), with peppers and onions and the sides were grilled zuchini and squash and got doubles on that instead of the potatoes they normally serve.... got the meat medium rare... omg... still can taste it.

That's good to know. My family and I have gone to Olive Garden for years.

Also, I'd like to add that Chili's has something called "Mushroom Jack Fahitas." They come all sizzling hot on a cast iron plate, smothered in cheese, mushrooms, peppers and onions. You can choose chicken or steak. The tortillas come seperately, so just ask them not to bring them. Then you get all the sour cream, guacamole, and hot sauce.

Heavenly!

[lancer1977]

I had Chipotle yesterday, being at the top of the owl chain I let myself have some rice (eep). Made sure they put a minimal amount but its nice to have something to soak up the sauces. Lost a pound the next day after having a mini stall for 2 weeks. I think I had about 30 net carbs the whole day tho. Pretty low for my allowance. Chipotlefan.com has some guidelines about the content and nutrition in the food. Was amazed how much carbs are in those flour tortillas.
BTW I had a bowl, no tortillas!

[CherylB]

Yeah; when they come up with a truly good low carb tortilla, I will be one happy girl.