Ketogenic diets are definitely not the most demanding diets out there, but they can sure give you a headache once you have to decide on what to eat when you go out. Most restaurants don’t have a special menu for our fellow keto dieters, which makes a night out that much harder.
This can be especially hard for keto beginners, but once you get the hang of it and know exactly what you are looking for, you will be ordering like a pro!
So, there is no need to despair because you’ve already figured out the hardest part (how to get into ketosis, of course), meaning that it is all uphill from this point on!
1. Custom Orders
The good news is that you still have a lot of choices when it comes to ordering. When dining out, the easiest thing to do is to ask your waiter for a slight change in your order. If you are ordering a meal that is usually served with a side of rice, ask your waiter to bring you some veggies instead. If you have really set your eyes on that hamburger/sandwich, ask them to bring you some lettuce instead of the buns. It is usually that simple!
However, for whatever reason, not all restaurants will allow such changes, so you should come prepared. You can find lots of great tips on the subject on Konscious Keto as well.
These are just some simple tips and tricks on what to avoid when dining out before we get to our list of keto-friendly meals you can order just about anywhere you plan on eating.
2. Avoid Condiments
The first thing to keep in mind is that you should avoid ketchup at all times. It is high in carbs and might mess with your ketosis, and we wouldn’t want that, would we? Also, now that you’ve bid starch goodbye, you have to make sure to avoid pasta, bread, rice, etc.
However, you will be happy to hear that you can still enjoy mayonnaise and mustard since they are the most keto-friendly condiments you’ll lay your hands on!
3. Order Meat
As you already know, you can order just about any type of meat you can think of, meaning that if all your attempts at getting a slightly changed order to fail, you can always order a juicy steak or some salmon and enjoy your night out. After all, this is the safest card you can play and the main reason why most keto dieters tend to do the same!
4. Drinks
When it comes to choosing the drink for the night, you will be on the safe side with some coffee, tea or sparkling water. Essentially, you will be good as long as you avoid sodas and sugary drinks.
On the other hand, if you were looking forward to indulging in some alcohol on your night out, you will be happy to hear that you still have a big selection to choose from.
As you already know, beer is ketosis’ worst enemy, but as long as you avoid it, you should be good to go! Most alcoholic drinks are quite low in carbs but you should still make sure to check out this alcohol guide, just to be on the safe side when it comes to ordering!
5. Japanese cuisine
I’ll start off the list with my former favorite cuisine, and I say former because you really don’t have much of a choice when it comes to eating Japanese while on a ketogenic diet. As you already know, Japanese meals are all about the rice, which you now have to avoid at all costs. This means that the only meals you can still choose from are teriyaki and sashimi, so if your friends insist on getting sushi, make sure to eat something at home before heading out!
6. Chinese cuisine
On a much happier note, or when it comes to us foodies at least, you will have a wide choice of great meals to choose from if you are getting some Chinese. The first great thing about Chinese restaurants is that they usually offer lots of vegetarian meals, which can be keto-friendly for the most part. The only downside is that they will usually have potatoes as a side dish, but you can just not eat them, right?
But when it comes to ordering proper Chinese meals other than their vegeterian meals, you will be safe with ordering some egg-drop soup, roasted duck, Suan la Tang, the Hot and Sour soup or pork spare ribs (but make sure it’s without the sauce).
7. Indian cuisine
We have finally reached the best keto choice for dining out! When it comes to Indian, you can order just about anything you lay your eyes on from the menu. The majority of the traditional Indian food is actually quite keto-friendly, and as long as you avoid rice, Dahl and lentils, you will walk out of the restaurant with a full stomach!
8. Mexican cuisine
Not all restaurants are keto-inclusive, so to speak. Unfortunately, this means that if you were hoping for some Mexican on a night out, you won’t have much to choose from. Your best hope is to order some tortillas minus the wrap, or to get a healthy salad!
9. Italian cuisine
And when it comes to Italian food, the first thing that comes to your mind is either pasta or pizza, right? Well, since you already know that pasta and pizza are definitely not a choice, you will want to find a more keto-friendly choice for your meal of the night! Since Italians are so big on meat, you can always order any type of meat and steak, or meat and cheese-based salads!
10. Fast food
As for the fast food, make sure to check out if your choice for the night is on the list here. If not, guess the search is not over! This “food group” can be quite tricky when it comes to being on a keto diet, not only because most fast foods are high in carbs, but also because they are generally unhealthy, so why eat them in the first place, right? However, if you can’t resist a juicy burger, you’ll find that there are lots of fast food substitutes that will lessen your cravings.
As you can see, there is a lot to choose from when it comes to eating keto when dining out! You just have to make sure to come prepared and avoid carbs and sugars at all costs. Most of our fellow keto dieters that I’ve talked to said that they did not have any problems when dining out when it comes to asking for a slight change in their orders, so you probably won’t either!
Overall, eating keto when dining out is actually quite easy when you know what you are looking for, and it gets even easier when you are following your diet plan for a longer period of time.
Well, it looks like you are all set, so the only thing left to say is – bon appétit!
