Eating Out on Paleo
Eating out Paleo style has never been easier! Restaurants, food chains, and even individual food brands seem to be much more aware of the need for fresh and natural food options for everyone. It is not just for weight-loss; it is also because of the growing amount of food allergies that continuously threaten so many people.
What does this mean to you?
The world-wide awareness for natural food options benefits everyone, equally. Paleo practitioners choose this lifestyle for one main reason: We just want our bodies to be nourished with the foods that we are genetically built to consume. Nowadays we have many new ways to find what we want, even when we go out to restaurants.
Here are 12 tips to “Eating out Paleo!”
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Google the place! –
Do not get caught in the predicament of not knowing where you are heading. Use your phone or nearby gadget to check out the menu of the place where you are going. The benefit of exploring your meal before you go to the restaurant is not about knowing what to eat, but also about building a good habit of planning ahead.
Eating mindlessly, and without a purpose, is partly to blame for the obesity epidemic that we are witnessing today. Eating with purpose, and knowing what we eat, are great habits to enhance our health, overall.
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Look for key words on the menu-
Once you check out the menu, look for the keywords that make or break your chances for Paleo. Words like “breaded” and “deep fried” are off limits due to the potential starch and wheat content of the food. Check out what sauces come with some of the dishes, too. Many sauces are sweet because they are made with ingredients that include sugar, molasses, and other sweet liquids.
The “good” key words to look for include: braised, broiled, and roasted. Beware of “baked” items, as the seasonings used to bake things “to perfection” may include preservatives. Do not be afraid to ask what is in your food. It is your right as a customer.
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Choose the buffet!
Yes! Believe it or not, a hot food buffet has a higher chance to offer salads, soups, and meats in the menu than a restaurant with a specific type of cuisine.
You will usually find the fresh salads toward the end of a hot, buffet line, and the meats are often found toward the center. Go straight there, instead of moving across the appetizers and side dishes, which are often starch and grain options. Need a sweet kick? Add fruit to your meal!
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Pick the Brazilian place-
Brazilian restaurants are famous for their huge side-dish buffets, which consist of leafy greens, and an ample selection of vegetables. If you are struggling to stay away from the dessert area, make up for it with a few extra nice cuts of different meats.
These restaurants have servers going around offering ongoing cuts of all kinds of meat, from veal, to pork, to beef. Moreover, some dessert options are naturally delicious too, such as the grilled pineapple. YUM!
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Look for the gluten-free menu items-
Those are often the most Paleo-friendly. Most, if not all, restaurants list which items may contain potential allergens, including gluten. Anything gluten-free is also Paleo-friendly, as there are less chances of the food containing preservatives that affect your macronutrient content.
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Go for the real Mediterranean options at the Italian place
Even in Italian restaurants (which are not entirely Paleo-friendly), there is an appetizer section that contains some Paleo options. Fresh calamari, shrimp cocktails, ceviche, and even braised pork ribs, are sometimes available as appetizers. Chicken wings, kebabs, chicken-on-a-stick, clear-broth soups are also pretty good choices that are filling, too. Protein is always a great starter.
These restaurants have more regional choices available at a slightly higher price. Steaks, and fish options, are usually found toward the “specialty side” of the menu. Check those out, and ask for half portions if you rather spend less.
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Avoid bread menu based places-
Pizza parlors, “bread companies”, delis, and some American eateries, have the sole purpose of serving quick meals. These are often sandwich-based dishes that are served with starchy sides such as French fries, pasta-salads, and potato salads.
The issue with these side dishes is their low nutritional content, combined with high amount of simple carbs, in just one meal. To make the best out of a good meal, always go with lean meats, fresh ingredients, salads, and soups. If you end up in one of these places, go for the soup and salad options, or order omelets, which are also available there.
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Try “the other” Asian food restaurants-
Asian food is not just Chinese. Vietnamese meal options are some of the most Paleo friendly available. Pho (pronounced, “fu”) is a clear broth-based
The best part of Pho is that you get a full serving on the side of leafy green vegetables, mint, cabbage, and sprouts, which you can use as your fillers. Basically, you break the vegetables with your hands, and add them to your soup however you want. It is not just a superbly nutritious meal, but one which is a lot of fun to eat. Pho is super easy to digest, too. Just hold the noodles and enjoy the meaty, crunchy goodness of the proteins and the veggie.
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Speaking of other Asian foods-
Yes, there are too many starchy goodies to choose from in your average Asian buffet. However, there is an equal amount of amazing food options that are also Paleo friendly. Indian food restaurants offer tandoori meat options. Salads and vegetable dishes that are not grain-based are also offered. All the proteins, including vindaloo, tandooris, spinach dishes, egg bhurji, and even their delicious cucumber-ginger salads, have a Paleo “seal of approval.”
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Even the grease-spoon can be Paleo!
All of those “side-of-the-road” diners offer all-day breakfast options which are pretty much Paleo.
The best part of those diners is also that their eggs are usually fresh, and not powdered nor boxed. Hence, a meat and veggie omelet with a side of meat, and even that T-Bone steak for breakfast, would not hurt any of your Paleo efforts.
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Hibachi with sprouts-
If you are stuck at a hibachi place, where all the dishes are stir-fried and made to order, substitute the noodles and rice base with either sprouts or eggs. The flavor is actually better when choosing these over a bed of starchy noodles. Plus, you will not crash at work after you return from lunch!
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Use alcohol to your advantage-
Additional suggestions:
If the need for a dessert is tremendous, do not forget that Paleo welcomes fresh fruits as great options. However, you can also prepare scrumptious Paleo desserts to enjoy at home. Why not save the best for last and indulge on one of our delicious Paleo recipes afterwards?
Mexican: a Paleo “telenovela”
Mexican restaurants have a myriad of great food choices, despite their bad reputation as “junk food” or “high calorie” option places. The only problem with Mexican food is that some franchises care more about quantity than quality. Therefore, not all ingredients, or even the dishes themselves, are necessarily authentic.
Real Mexican food is actually quite good. Pork and chicken are essential parts of the daily diet, and vegetables can be found in just about every recipe.
The problem with commercial Mexican food is the pre-canned stuff used in a lot of take-out places. The liquid cheese, the hydrogenated and canned re-fried beans, and the tortilla chips that come straight out of a bag, are futile as food choices. A suggestion: You might as well bring your own food there, or call it “Paleo quits” for the day, if those are your only options.
Go regional!
Select dishes that are regional when going for a Mexican meal, or any other Latin restaurant: “Huevos con Chorizo”, or eggs and chorizo, is a very popular dish, and it is also Paleo.
In Colombian, Puerto Rican, and other Caribbean restaurants, shrimp dishes, shrimp salad, and even taco salads without the shell are fabulous options. Do not forget that guacamole is not bad at all! Avocado is a super-Paleo food that nourishes as well as satisfies. An avocado salad with a choice of roasted meat and a dash of salsa are very good options, too.
The final word on Eating Out Paleo
It is very tempting to go for popular, cool-looking dishes when we go out to eat. It is supposed to be a time to indulge and have a great, fun time with friends. Sugary, colorful, and fun meals are often the first choice we make. However, think about your body, and the Paleo ideal of “eating with purpose”. Eating foods that help our bodies perform better is at the center of this lifestyle.
That does not mean that food must be boring, or that we need to cut calories, or count carbs. The idea is to select the most delicious foods that are also good for us. The good news is that restaurants and many food brands are already aware of the need to give better choices to people. Take advantage and make the Paleo leap now! It has never been easier!
