Eating out is often viewed as a time to splurge on a diet. With a little planning and wise selection, however, any diet can thrive at a restaurant. A low-carb diet is no exception. Although bread, pasta, and potatoes often make up restaurant meals, perusing the menu will reveal some tasty alternatives that fit the low-carb diet plan.
Grilled Fish and Meat Appetizers
Tell the server to hold the bread. A basket of warm bread sitting on the table causes too much temptation for someone following a low-carb diet. Simply tell the server you do not want any bread, or place it out of arm's reach. Instead order a low-carb appetizer such as grilled calamari, chicken skewers, crab cakes or beef carpaccio.
Entrees
When searching the menu, skip the pasta and rice options and go straight to the entrees. According to the popular low-carb Atkins Diet, the base for low-carb meals should be a protein source such as chicken, fish, beef and pork. Choose a your favorite meat and note the sides. Oftentimes the sides on a meat entree dish will need to be substituted.
Low-Carb Side Items
Common sides to meat entrees include French fries, potatoes, pasta, rice, and risotto. The best way to stay on track with a low-carb diet is to ask for grilled vegetables or a side salad in place of the carbohydrate options. Examples include grilled asparagus, sauteed spinach, salad greens and stir-fried Asian vegetables.
Dessert
Dessert is not the best option for a low-carb diet. However if dessert is desired, the best option is a flour-free chocolate cake, which is a basic recipe of bittersweet chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar. The portion should be small and split with a friend. Another option is ending a meal with a warm cappuccino or latte made with nonfat milk.
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