Keeping Carbs Low and Eating Out

I've been trying to keep carbs 50 or less and have done well eating at home.  Saturday we were invited to a Hawaiian Luau.  That worked out much better than I anticipated.  There was the pork along with shrimp and beef kabobs and fruit kabobs.  I probably ate a little more pineapple than I should. 

Today I took DH to Outback.  I ordered steak, salad and baked potato.  The only vegetable side dishes were broccoli and asparagus, neither of which I can eat.  The other sides were starch like mac and cheese.  I cut my steak and potato in half and brought home to my son who had worked at the baseball stadium all day. 

Fortunately, I don't eat out a lot usually.   What do those of you who watch your carbs eat when dining out?

I only eat the protein. I ask if I can just have the entree, and if I can't, I take it home or my husband eats it.

I eat the protein and a salad.  I can't tell you the last time I ate a baked potato - but I have reactive hypoglycemia and it will throw me into  a tumble...  I typically will ask for double veggies - but I can eat asparagus and broccoli.  Sometimes it IS a challenge though - depending on where you go. If it's bar-type food, I'll order the chicken wings.  

I'm only 9 weeks out, but I've been sticking with a protein appetizer for my entrée. I'll order scallops or shrimp and because it is an appetizer, typically no carb accompanies the protein. I still have to box the leftovers but avoid the carby "extras".

JC

We ate out last night and until my DH ordered Chocolate Cake I was fine, lol.  I order by the protein, steak, salmon, chicken then order non-carb sides.  Yesterday I had a salad which pretty much filled me up (dressing on the side) so I brought home most of my dinner, chicken and zucchini for lunch today.  I do like Jody and order a double veggie but I eat almost all veggies so it isn't an issue.  I like starting with a salad because I love leftovers and I always have more than half the meal left if I start with a salad.

I was so proud of myself Sat early eve, We went to a Japanese place and I had sashimi tuna and chicken & shrimp lettuce wraps-so yummy (this was an appetizer but actually provided three meals (that eve, yesterday dinner & today lunch))...really good right, nothing off plan...then I blew it all when we went to the arena football game afterwards and ate maybe 4+ cups of popcorn out of the bucket my hubby bought for my son.  What a pain, im sure that wasn't the smallest size they had, but it was probably only 50 cents more, so my DH felt obligated to get that huge thing...then never ate a single kernel... next time im going to make him hold the bucket instead of my son...

We eat out way to much!  Ordering from a menu is hard for me so I pretty much have certain things I order at each place that we frequent.

If it's at Texas Roadhouse I usually eat a piece of steak off of DH's plate (his reason for ordering a huge one!) and part of his potato skin or the grilled shrimp appetizer.  It's the buns that gets me there....

At a local family restaurant I order Roast Beef Sandwich minus the bread and broccoli instead of the potatoes. 

I try to avoid Salad bars because most of them have regular food now. We don't go to them often because DD's say they have to run to the bathroom afterwards.

Yesterday my girls took us to Hoss's steakhouse and I did get a shrimp dinner which I shared with our youngest DGD.  I ate part of the backed potato.

When DH wants fast food I order a small sandwich and try really hard to stay out of his fries....

Thanks for all the great suggestions.  Wish I could eat broccoli but it just doesn't digest well.  Outback as a lot of sides to choose from but they're starchy.  A sweet potato would have been better, but I knew I would take the leftovers to my son and he doesn't care for sweet potato.  Logan's has better choices for sides.  Their dinner rolls are hard to pass on.  So many appetizers are fried.

This week has 2 meals that will be challenging.  Thursday is a meeting with lunch.  It will be pulled pork (no bun for me), baked beans, pasta salad and apple pie.  I don't like pasta salad and I'll let DH have my pie.  I'll have a small portion of baked beans.  Friday, we're going to Arrow Rock, MO to a dinner theater.  That menu is fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and who knows what else.  My favorite part of the chicken is wings so I'll have 2, no skin and do the best I can. 

I'm NOT of senior age but will order off the senior/child menu and if questioned (which 9 out of 10 times I'm not) I explain that I have a medical condition and I'm unable to eat much and am very limited on what I can eat.  I also ask them to substitute the potato's and whatever else I can't eat; with a vegetable or fruit.  I find the restaurants to be very accommodating.  I, also, ask for a to-go container as soon as I get the meal and immediately pack it to go and then eat the remainder.  I can NOT eat ANY food that's left over so I bring it home and give to someone else in my building to enjoy.  Oh and if I have to go to a Fast Food restaurant like McDonald's, I ask them to go to their "a la carte" menu and ask for the grilled chicken, and stress NO bread, or condiments just the grilled chicken.  By ordering this way the cost DECREASES as they will not be charging you for the rolls, etc.

Like most people here, I order the protein (chicken or steak) and ask for double veggies, if they are pressuring me to get 2 sides.  Me and my boyfriend share plates most of the time now though... he'll just get the big steak and we'll split it or he'll get fajitas with double meat...  If we are going to fast food like McDonalds or Wendy's I've started being very particular and I order everything no bun.  I have found that a lot of places do "protein style" and will wrap your burger in a lettuce wrap.  Very good! :)