Eating out & healthy diet!

Ok, so I will start by saying that we,as a family LOVE to eat out and do so fairly often.
Our  oldest daughter,now age 11, has been on a special diet since age 19mos, and I have therefore become pretty adaptable to finding ways for her to eat out without always bringing food from home. In the past she was on a couple different diets which were very strict in protocol and eliminated a lot! Currently now she is back to a basic Gluten/Dairy/Sugar & dye free diet....and allowances are made for occasional GF treats that have sugar and/or small amounts of dairy. So, that being said she basically now eats like I try to... a CLEAN eating diet. So in effort to maybe help some of you out who struggle with how to still enjoy going out with friends and not completely fall off track diet wise I will list suggestions of what my daughter and I eat when doing so. I am all about compromise/balance and reality, so I myself most definitely "cheat" and indulge here and there. The one thing I try to do is stay Gluten free, low on the sugar and keep my protein/veggie intake high even in my "cheat" meals. So here's some examples for different types of restaurant cuisine:

  MEXICAN:
  By far our very favorite!! Authentic Mexican restaurants almost always have corn tortillas so I already don't worry about Gluten. Now, I know Corn isn't the healthiest as it is usually GMO, but for eating out I don't get too crazy. (At home is where I stay non GMO) There is also usually lots of healthy toppings like fresh made Salsa and Gaucamole or just plain diced avocado. Opt for tacos or nachos with healthier toppings and go light on the dairy or even do no dairy and just pile up the meat, salsa , gauc and black beans.
-Grilled fish tacos with fresh toppings are another fav of mine!
-most burritos can be served minus the tortilla as a "bowl" and again do extra veggies and less dairy topping
-My daughter usually gets a plain burger actually (most places have a good ol burger on the menu for those wanting American food) with dbl veggies on the side and some corn chips. Most places will top her burger with Avocado and bacon and we just omit the bun.

 ITALIAN:
 This by far is usually our largest challenge, but here is what we can usually order to make it work:
-Salad with a grilled topping like chicken or shrimp and O&V as dressing (stay away from
Creamy dressings)
-Italian sausage with side of veggies (usually this is on the menu either as a side or as a grinder. If as grinder, just omit the bread)
-a grilled chicken based dish but in place of the "pasta" side ask for veggies or extra salad.
-if I'm in the mood for a "cheat" many places near us now offer a Gluten free crust option. So while this doesn't necessarily mean it's healthier , it does at least keep me from cheating 100%, and I opt for adding healthiness through toppings. I layer on the veggies of all sorts and maybe a grilled chicken topping too! If I'm sharing with my daughter I also order it cheeseless. With the right toppings you'd be surprised how delicious it can be even without the cheese! I sprinkle on some hot pepper and salt... mmmmm😍😛
Also,as crazy as this option may be it works in a pinch! We have gone to eat before at places that offered nothing but pizza and pasta, nothing else and no GF crusts. Well, they did however have a huge list of toppings which were each sold as "add ons" for your pizzas for around $1.00 or so each. Well, we just simply asked for our list of toppings to be brought out on a plate instead of the pizza and she enjoyed herself a mix of grilled chicken (we usually order a dbl or triple of the protein) & some olives and peppers and other veggies. Being we were with friends who did indeed order pizza it was no problem at all for them to simply charge us per topping and simply not put them on the pizza.
Everyone was happy and we didn't have to decline the invite! 👍🏻👌🏻

Asian Chinese/Japanese:
 This one is actually really easy for us! If we are going Japanese well we LOVE sushi. I just stick to the unfried non breaded (so no tempura!) options of fish and veggie rolls. I choose brown rice rolls if that's an option. I just don't dip them in the soy sauce because it contains Gluten.Fresh ginger and wasabi are perfect for me.The Seaweed salad is one of our favs as well! They're also always really good about preparing a "hibachi" chicken or shrimp minus the teriyaki sauce (as this has Gluten and
soy) with the fresh side of veggies and we of course skip the standard side of lomein noodles and ask for double veggies instead and some brown rice.
If we are ordering Chinese take out, believe it or not most places have a section labeled "special diet menu" and the items on it are all just plain and steamed with sauce on the side. So a steamed chicken
 and broccoli or mixed vegetable is just that- plain steamed chicken with steamed vegetables with a side of brown rice. It isn't super flavorful, but my daughter loves it! You can opt to use the sauce
sparingly, but in our case we do not as it has Gluten and soy. I jazz mine up with S&P and if I'm home I add a little sesame oil , or hot chili oil.



All American Bar&Grill types:

-Top fav is burgers! Often I just find a burger with lots of tasty but healthy toppings like peppers, onion, Avocado, tomato, mushrooms....any other veggies. Just beware they aren't deep fried veggies! We either omit the bun all together or many places these days have the option of a "lettuce wrap" for burgers or if I just absolutely Need/crave that total burger feel I splurge on a Gluten free bun when they are an option. Because I consider my burger a splurge I replace the standard side of fries with salad or veggies instead. This means I fully enjoy my burger and don't have that feeling of regret afterward when I'm ready to burst. That's usually the fries fault! So ditch the starchy fried side and splurge on the main. 😬
-Salad - always seem an obvious choice for dieters... but beware! Often times salad dishes off
ered as main course are worse than other entree options. Try to stick to a salad with only grilled
meats, not fried or breaded. Stick to O&V Dressing so you control what's on there.... stay clear of creamy dressings. Go Balsamic or vinegar based if you don't like O&V. Skip crunchy toppings like croutons,
tortilla strips, snack sizes quesadillas ,etc and  Look out for heavy dairy and "candied" nuts. If you love these ask for just a very small amount and extra veggies.
-grilled protein platters. Chicken without heavy cream sauces, steak in a moderate portion, grilled fish, grilled shrimp. And of course healthy sides- veggies!!! Black beans, salad
-Fajitas minus the tortillas make for a delicious sizzling platter of sautéed  peppers,onions and meat and you can add on the Avocado, tomato, lettuce, and maybe a small sprinkle of cheese if you need!

BREAKFAST diners:
 Eggs! We love our eggs around here. I usually go with just two eggs over easy and maybe a side osausage or bacon if I need. If I'm in splurge mode I'll take the home frie
But only eat some. Poached eggs are a great option!
A favorite option is an omelet and if you go heavy on the delicious veggie fillings you can omit the cheese without losing taste. I love a veggie loaded omelette! & I ask for fruit on the side.
There's always Oatmeal as well, but skip the bowl of sugar and instead just use a very small drizzle of maple syrup if u really need it and then get Banana or fruit with it. I don't do oatmeal out as often as I used to since most places don't use certified Gluten free oats, but it's a decent option if you aren't
Gluten or strict grain free.
Be careful with yogurt at diners as it is almost always sweetened flavored yogurt. You are better off with a few more calories in your eggs/omelette than sugary yogurts& cereals.

DRINKS:
   Personally I only ever drink Water so it's not a problem to not order soda or juice here. Water is always best option! Ask for it with lemon or lime or get sparkling if you crave the fizz. So many sugary calories get hidden in juice & Soda and they don't fill you so they go wasted. Save them for your food and fuel!
*i Do of course treat myself to a cocktail when we are out on the weekends. And I only like mixed drinks so this is a tough one for me. I love when I find places that make fresh Margaritas without any sour mix and sweetness a bit more naturally. But when that isn't an option I use my drink as my "cheat" and just limit it to 1.... once in a great while 2 (but I usually can't tolerate that much sugar personally)  Better options would be a glass of wine! I'm slowly trying to get myself into wine as a glass or two is a healthier option drink wise. Moderation is key! You would be amazed at how much drinks can sabotage ones diet because they are mainly sugar& empty calories. So, enjoy but limit & try to reserve for weekends or here and there.
My favorite though is making fruit cocktails at home where I control the ingredients!! You can find a recipe for a delicious Watermelon-Coconut drink on my Instagram feed. Another all time top contender is as follows:
  1 Pineapple
  1 Cantaloupe melon
  1 can Organic coconut milk/cream
*juice the pineapple and melon together in a juicer
*pour coconut milk/cream in and either blend or mix well (coconut is chunky)
Serve over ice and then add your favorite rum! I love coconut rum. To jazz it up I like to roll the rim of the glasses in some coconut nectar or honey and roll in unsweetened shredded coconut.
I love that is all natural REAL fruit juice  and the healthy fat in coconut milk and cream actually helps to lower the glycemic index a bit so can help the blood sugar spike somewhat.
*beware of Malt beverages as they contain gluten. Beer being one!

DRIVE THRU:
I know, I know.... drive thrus  are never health foods! But, I'm a realistic Mom here and also a very on-the/go Mom who doesn't have time or the desire to prepare homecooking all day everyday for each meal and snack. So yes we drive thru! We don't do 100% perfect healthiness all the time. Awesome if you do, it just won't happen here. I do the best we can without stressing myself and being very flexible. That being said our dietary restrictions are NOT allergies so therefore I have a bit more freedom to take a chance on certain foods once in a while without catastrophic effects. Our effects are more accumulative, so trace amounts once in a while are ok, though I try my best to avoid. But, Back to the point.... Drive Thru foods.
So I like my coffee, but I stick to coffee made Dark with cream (so it's not too Cream filled) and NO SUGAR! I stay away from fancy mixed coffee drinks due to the sugar factor.... there is a lot more
hiding in those drinks than you would think! I do on occasion indulge if they aren't overly sweet, but usually stray away.. For food, it may not be what you really want to order,but it works
when you need something!. Drive thru salads aren't my fav since you can't eat and drive! So I usually go for a sandwich/wrap type thing and just omit the actual bun or tortilla. So a grilled chicken wrap or a burger. If it's BREAKFAST I can order an egg and bacon or egg and sausage or just egg (chz if u must) & again skip eating the bread or wrap. Starbucks carries GF KIND brand bars and some have drive thurs so I love that option! These days many drive thrus also offer oatmeal that can be ordered plain, NO SUGAR with dried fruit & nuts in the side. Again for me I'm not certain it's always GF oats, but it's a firstly decent option! We actually have a drive thru near us that now offers GF rolls for their egg sandwiches and they make hem fresh on the grill per order so I splurge on the GF roll when we go there. Be careful of fruit/yogurt cups and smoothies  offered at drive thrus as again they are usually filled with sugar and flavorings. When in doubt you can usually find nutrition and ingredient info online for restaurants. I will always opt for a food offering less sugar over less calories personally. I feel better when my protein is higher and my sugars low.... I'm more about calories that count versus counting the calories. Portions matter, but content matters more in my opinion.

Well, that's that! The basics of how we eat out and enjoy. For me eating out is more about enjoying good company, - change of scenery, conversation & not having to cook or clean the dishes! So... I'll gladly order something a bit "different" from the rest if it means I still get to enjoy friends and fam andand eat.... and feel good afterward. 😬
(*im no expert, just a Mom who has learned a few things along our unique journey and continuing to do so!)