Creating A Better Dining Experience

Posted on: 7 June 2017

Whether you are doing your best to stick to a keto diet plan or you are simply watching your carb intake so you can keep your blood sugar levels in check, your first assumption may be that eating out or grabbing something fast will pretty much be out of the question. However, even though a lot of fast food menu items, such as fries and burgers encased by a thick bun, do have quite a few more carbs than what you want to consume, there are ways to substitute, exchange, and achieve a logical low-carb meal even by dining out at a fast food restaurant. Check out these three fast food food alternatives, substitutions, and options that will fit into your low-carb diet plan. 

Skip the fries and go for a side salad instead. 

One small serving of fries can give you a whopping amount of carbs because potatoes are a starchy, carb-heavy food. So even though those salty sticks of goodness may seem like a good complement to a fast food meal, you will have to skip over these in favor of something better, and a side salad is usually a good choice. Just remember, go for light, sugar-free, or low-carb dressings and skip the croutons. 

Ask for a burger minus the bun. 

This one may sound a bit off, but if you have been doing low-carb for a bit, there is no doubt you have true lettuce wraps, which are basically a sandwich of sorts with lettuce used as the primary ingredient to hold everything together. The same rules can apply for a burger if you simply must have something quick. Just let the cashier know when you place your order to throw in an extra lettuce leaf and leave off the bun. According to Calorie King, this will save you over 21 carbs, which is the average number of carbs in a hot dog or sandwich bun. 

Steer clear with sugary desserts and go with a fruit smoothie instead. 

If you have your heart set on a sweet treat when out with the family and everyone else is devouring ice cream and shakes, your low-carb diet does not mean you will have to go without. Instead of ice cream and other sugary treats, try opting for a fruit smoothie or sugar-free green tea smoothie with fruit flavoring. Even though fruit does have carbs, these carbs are far less threatening than those that come from sugar and starch as long as you keep portion sizes in check. 

Keep these tips in mind the next time you visit a fast food joint like Nancy's Hand Crafted Burger's.