Healthy eating, even at restaurants!

Your in control, never forget that. Cheers

1. Can I have the burger without the bun?
2. Can I replace the fries with some mixed greens?
3. Can I have unsweetened ice tea?
4. Can I have the salad dressing on the side?
5. Do you have any non alcoholic cocktails?

1. have never asked that since I dont eat burgers anyway - but have asked similar questions - like can I have yiros meat, salad, sauce without the wrap - never had a problem omitting something like that from a dish

2. in Australia restaraunt meals that come with chips (fries to you) usually come with side salad or vegetables as well - eg steak, salad , chips - I'm sure there would be no problem saying can I have extra salad or vegetables instead of chips, or no chips thanks (or just don't eat them)

3. not sure about unsweetened iced tea here ( admittedly never tried it) - but one can easily ask for water or diet soda - I nearly always order diet coke when eating out.

4. most places would do dressing on the side if you asked

5. everywhere that sells alcoholic cocktails also sells mocktails

those are my experiences in Australia.

Sometimes when I am eating out in a group or with extended family, they will tease me or make comments. I usually will ask for no bun, or will only eat half of the bun. I hate making things difficult for people and don't want to make extra work for the staff.

However, I have slowly learned a few things.
1) If people are judging you for making healthy choices for yourself they are the wrong people to be with so either remove them (or if they are family) ignore them.
2) It probably isn't a lot of extra work or maybe is even easier. Now they don't have to toast a bun
3) Advocating for your health feels amazing over time. Every time you make a good choice you are making a deposit into your wellbeing and your life.

Nowadays many places have better options and are more open to making things healthier.

Hi
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I've been asking to have things "my way" for decades, not always for dieting reasons (and not every time -- I'm often perfectly happy with the way the restaurant has chosen to prepare the dish). And, as OP phrases it in the list, I always phrase it as a question: "Can I have ... [without X or X instead of Y]?" or "Can you leave out X?"

I don't see asking if they have "unsweet" tea (a regionalism, maybe, but that's the way I generally hear it and hence say it) as some big ask, as so many menus aren't terribly specific about available non-alcoholic beverages. It doesn't seem any bigger deal than asking what the vegetable/soup/fish of the day is.


However, just want to point out that a nonalcoholic cocktail is likely to be at least as high in carbs and sugar as an alcoholic cocktail, since some volume of the alcoholic cocktail is generally distilled alcohol, which -- barring some kind of infusion -- has no carbs or sugar. Yes, there are exceptions, like a mocktail that's basically muddled fruit/cucumber/ginger etc. and seltzer. But on average, I don't think you're saving carbs and sugar with a mocktail, which often has more of whatever carby/sugary mixer (such as fruit juice) as the alcoholic cocktail does.