Easier to be a vegan or vegetarian vs low carb?!
pdxhak
Posts: 383 Member
In regards to eating out, it sure seems more challenging finding low carb meals than being a vegan or vegetarian meals. Is it just me?
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Screw menus, I say. Ask for what you want, regardless of whether you choose one WOL or the other. Any good restaurant worth its salt will accommodate you, and the chef shouldn't usually mind. If you see items on the menu but don't want one of them included in the meal, ask them to not do so. Or make up an a la carte meal based on what you see available. Ask to speak to someone in the kitchen, it shouldn't be too much trouble unless it's super-busy.4
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If stuck at an unfamiliar place, a Cobb salad or a Caesar salad nix the croutons works for me. Bunless burger - unbreaded wings at the pub.
People are unfamiliar with a low carb lifestyle so that could be why it might be a bit more difficult than saying 'I'm a vegetarian/vegan'.
Also - carbs are cheap to serve so that's another reason why it is easier for vegetarians/vegans.6 -
I've actually found it to be extremely easy, though perhaps a little limiting in certain places. Generally, anywhere I go, I know there will be some form of ribeye, salmon, or worst case, a burger that I can just order plain and toss the bun.
The beautiful thing is, I can go to a Brazilian churrascaria (like Texas de Brazil) and eat all of the things, whereas a Vegan would likely have a stroke every time a sever walked by with those skewers of delicious dead animal.8 -
I think 'easier' comes down to attitude and mind set.
Vegetarian/Vegans seem to be better catered for. So do low fat eaters, sugar/salt watchers and calorie counters. Most restaurants provide at least one Vegetarian/Vegan option and it will be noted by symbol etc. on the menu. I’ve been to a number of restaurants that have the calorie content on their menu and sometimes Gluten free options.
It’s a similar story with food packaging; most UK supermarkets have the sugar, salt, fat and calorie content printed on the front of the packet with RDA% and colour codes as to whether the product is high/moderate or low in something. But you have to flip over to the full nutrition list to find carbs.
I don’t mind though – I am happy to do whatever it takes to stay in this WOE. I do hope though that a real education on the potential benefits of LCHF and Keto will reach the wider masses. At present it feels largely ignored in the mainstream.
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I have had the opposite experience honestly - salad w/ high fat dressing and a protein, skip croutons - steak (or other meat) with only veggie sides - maybe it comes down to where you choose to eat out but I agree with @dancing_daisy that it really does comes down to attitude and mindset (with choice of restaurant also a big factor)7
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I'm in the same camp as @Phrick it's really easy for me to find something I can eat almost anywhere!
. I struggled at first but nothing is better than a nice meat main with full fat ranch dressing on a side salad with no croutons! 2 -
I am finding zero carb so much easier than anything, it takes me about 5 mins to cook my food - wish I had done this years ago, have never been much of a cook and always looked for the easiest option which is probably why I lived on takeaways and ready meals for years - since I have been doing zero carb I feel alive for the first time in a very long time - in terms of eating out most restaurants do steaks and meat dishes which you can eat and if you are low carb nearly all have steamed veggies or salads so would say its easier being low carb than veggie4
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Also, it's fun to watch a server's head nearly come unscrewed when they ask you what sides you want with your 16 oz. prime rib, and you respond with "none". I've had waiters look at me as if I had walked back and peed in the mashed potatoes.5
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Lol!!
Yes, a "LCHF" section on the menu would be nice.
I've found it easier to eat out too, though! They do double take when you say "No" to the sides, or what I do is say, "Bring them in a box", and I will choose what the kid, or hubby likes. Since I'm still paying for them!4 -
@dancing_daisy better described what I was thinking. Vegans/Vegetarians tend to be catered to more because there are meals designed specifically for them. LCHF eaters we have to hunt a bit more but everyone is right, in the end it is not difficult. The other day I had a lettuce wrapped bahn-mi burger 3
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Honestly? Don't go to Panera or Olive Garden or other such places where everything is either bread, breaded, or otherwise grain-based, and you'll be fine.
Most places generally do have a LCHF menu, it's called the "steak" and/or "burger" section.
The gluten free menu for a lot of restaurants is very often low carb friendly, though, as most don't bother with the specialty breads unless their stuff is based on bread (ie - Panera and Olive Garden would have the gluten free pastas and bread, because that's their staple item) and generally just omit the grain.
LCHF eating out is actually really easy, it just requires being a little assertive and asking for simple modifications, like lettuce wrap and getting a side other than the starchy default.
It's also quite amusing to see the looks when you do things like ask for a sandwich to be lettuce wrapped (burger and some sandwich joints are used to it by now and often have it as a menu item/option, but places that serve burgers but aren't "burger joints" tend to look at you like you're an alien when you make such a request, it's kind of funny, you think you'd asked for a vegetarian burger with bacon :P ).7 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »Honestly? Don't go to Panera or Olive Garden or other such places where everything is either bread, breaded, or otherwise grain-based, and you'll be fine.
Just wanted to point out that Olive Garden isn't a bad choice. My sister LOVES pasta, so we go there often. She is actually the one that googled and found out that you can order ANY of their pasta dishes without the noodles, it comes over broccoli instead. Now, yes you should be mindful of the type of sauce, but most are high fat and not too bad carb wise. When we go, she eats all the bread and I eat most of the salad. lol
I found that Mexican is actually one of the easier out to eat places to go. Just order no rice or beans. The places around here are very open to giving saute'd veges or a small salad instead.
Now, I haven't been to a Chinese place since I started this WOE. My sister misses it, but even skipping the rice, everything still comes up pretty high carb when I google it...
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I'm finding that some restaurants fully understand and expect such requests, and will substitute a nice salad or bowl of soup for the bun and fries. Today instead of my burger bun I had the most amazing spicy soup made with eggplants and zucchini and garlic spices, and it was wheat-free, pureed instead of thickened with flour. The burger was heaven, too. On a COCO diet, the burger would have been off-limits, but I am so far under my carb count for the day it's not funny. Better eat some veggies tonight!
Of course, I'm also trying to stay below 1,400 calories because I'm trying to lose 15 very resistant pounds that just don't want to come off. So today's calorie count won't be overly awesome.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Also, it's fun to watch a server's head nearly come unscrewed when they ask you what sides you want with your 16 oz. prime rib, and you respond with "none". I've had waiters look at me as if I had walked back and peed in the mashed potatoes.
I actually had a server refuse to accept "none" as a decision. I needed to get two sides. I explained that I didn't care that it would cost the same amount, but she wouldn't accept none.
We start this conversation shortly after my second attempt to explain that I wanted no sides at all and just wanted the steak. I didn't want anything. She insisted that I couldn't order "off-menu" and needed to pick two sides.- Goat: Fine, just bring me any two sides in separate dishes from my steak. [Because, I refuse to make this process too easy for her.]
- Server: You need to pick two sides.
- Goat: I don't care which two sides you bring out. They're going to sit there untouched and be thrown out. Bring me whatever is cheapest for you all.
- Server: Do you want the steamed vegetables?
- Goat: Sure, bring me the steamed vegetables in a separate dish.
- Server: Great. You're going to love them. They're delicious.
- Goat: I won't eat them, but whatever.
- Server: How about a salad?
- Goat: Sure, a salad is fine.
- Server: What sort of dressing would you like on your salad?
- Goat: Whatever, pick one.
- Server: We have Italian, blue cheese, [etc.]
- Goat: Blue cheese, whatever, it makes no difference.
- Server: Great, blue cheese dressing.
At the end of the meal.- Server: You didn't touch your salad or vegetables. Was everything ok?
- Goat: *speechless* {I honestly had no words. It's like she didn't comprehend the very long conversation we had when I tried to order my meal.}
Edit: My wife was more frustrated by the end of this than I was. She wanted to complain to the manager, but I was mildly amused and didn't care.4 -
What's real fun is getting your breakfast bread/starch side "upgraded" to bacon. Every so often, even a the same restaurant, the server tries to tell me they can't do that (even if I do it all the time). "Okay, fine. Forego the hash browns and biscuits, and bring me an a la carte order of bacon. And some sour cream for my (cheese and sausage) omelet."3
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Also, it's fun to watch a server's head nearly come unscrewed when they ask you what sides you want with your 16 oz. prime rib, and you respond with "none". I've had waiters look at me as if I had walked back and peed in the mashed potatoes.
I actually had a server refuse to accept "none" as a decision. I needed to get two sides. I explained that I didn't care that it would cost the same amount, but she wouldn't accept none.
We start this conversation shortly after my second attempt to explain that I wanted no sides at all and just wanted the steak. I didn't want anything. She insisted that I couldn't order "off-menu" and needed to pick two sides.- Goat: Fine, just bring me any two sides in separate dishes from my steak. [Because, I refuse to make this process too easy for her.]
- Server: You need to pick two sides.
- Goat: I don't care which two sides you bring out. They're going to sit there untouched and be thrown out. Bring me whatever is cheapest for you all.
- Server: Do you want the steamed vegetables?
- Goat: Sure, bring me the steamed vegetables in a separate dish.
- Server: Great. You're going to love them. They're delicious.
- Goat: I won't eat them, but whatever.
- Server: How about a salad?
- Goat: Sure, a salad is fine.
- Server: What sort of dressing would you like on your salad?
- Goat: Whatever, pick one.
- Server: We have Italian, blue cheese, [etc.]
- Goat: Blue cheese, whatever, it makes no difference.
- Server: Great, blue cheese dressing.
At the end of the meal.- Server: You didn't touch your salad or vegetables. Was everything ok?
- Goat: *speechless* {I honestly had no words. It's like she didn't comprehend the very long conversation we had when I tried to order my meal.}
Edit: My wife was more frustrated by the end of this than I was. She wanted to complain to the manager, but I was mildly amused and didn't care.
DOH!! What a waste for the restaurant! That reminds me of the time (back in the 90's when I was a teen) that I ordered a BLT sub at subway... I was told they don't do BLTs, so I ordered a veggie sub with just lettuce and tomato, and added bacon. Then pointed out they DO make BLTs...2 -
Omg goat, hahahaha. I have never run into this problem! If my stuff comes with a side I usually give my toddler the side as her meal and I'll eat the eggs or steak or what have you. If I can get soup as a side that's even better cause she loves soup. It works out great.1
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In regards to eating out, it sure seems more challenging finding low carb meals than being a vegan or vegetarian meals. Is it just me?
I've found LCHF is easier when eating out than trying to remain gluten-free. I find myself eating salads most of the time when we go out to eat. In rural areas, most servers don't have a clue about gluten-free WOE, although that is gradually beginning to change for the better.1 -
I was vegan for about 6 months before I found out I had become extremely anemic (despite the iron-rich veggies I was eating) so I went back to eating meat and it fixed me quick!! Lol. Anyway, I personally found it hard eating vegan because it seemed like most things had butter, or cheese, or cream, or bacon! I was kinda sick of eating boring salads all the time with Italian dressing. But maybe that was my fault because I didn't try thinking out of the box. Anyway I did enjoy a vegan restaurant by my work that served Chinese/Asian dishes. Soooo good!1
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American diners and brittish pubs are easy, as above sans bun and hold the fries or mashed spuds. Some places have substituted green leafies for potato with my salmon. Asian restaurant sauces tend to be integral to the dish so a bit harder, having said that I regularly order beef or chicken noodle soup with no noodles. Odd looks, sure, but again extra choi sum or bok choy added n quite filling. Pancake kitchens and cafes (a Netherlands standard) are almost in the too hard basket. Dutch love their breads!0
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Yesterday I had spicy pork belly - asked them to hold the rice and sub extra veggies. He looked at me funny and then said no problem Great lunch for $7. 0
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Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Also, it's fun to watch a server's head nearly come unscrewed when they ask you what sides you want with your 16 oz. prime rib, and you respond with "none". I've had waiters look at me as if I had walked back and peed in the mashed potatoes.
Oh yes! Every dang time! I learned that Texas Roadhouse brushes the meat with margarine, so I also ask that they either skip that entirely or use real butter instead. Servers have responded to that with no problem, but I'm a little worried my steaks are getting licked or something! They probably just do it anyway...Lol!!
Yes, a "LCHF" section on the menu would be nice.
I've found it easier to eat out too, though! They do double take when you say "No" to the sides, or what I do is say, "Bring them in a box", and I will choose what the kid, or hubby likes. Since I'm still paying for them!
Speaking of Texas Roadhouse again, they let me order the ribeye a la carte and I think it knocked $3 off the price. I think the 12 ounce was about $10 ordered that way. I haven't been in a while, can't remember the pricing.1 -
I'm a celiac so I always need to order GF. Even before I went LCHF, if I ate out I needed to order LCHF just for safety. Meat and a veggie or salad. Breakfast was always bacon and eggs, hold the toast and usually the hasbrowns because the spices used often had gluten.
Even then I still was "glutened" half the time. I eat at home 360+ days per year.1
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