Restaurant Eating on a Meal Plan

If you have food allergies or intolerances or are trying to follow a specific type of meal plan for your health or fitness goals, eating out at restaurants can be difficult! I totally understand the anxiety of not knowing what to eat or order when it seems like nothing fits your diet or meal program that you are following.

Here are a few tips that can help you navigate your way through eating at a restaurant if you have food restrictions or want to stick to your nutrition plan!

1. Remember you ALWAYS have the right to know WHAT is in Your Food!

If the ingredients are not listed on the menu, ask for more information. I personally find it helpful to tell the server as soon as I sit down about my food intolerances and allergies. It is important to be clear about your allergies or preferences so you know you will not end up eating something you will regret later!

2. Request Alternate Options to Your Meal

Check out the menu before you go to any restaurant to get an idea of what you might like. If none of the meals fit your needs 100%, choose one that is close to what you want and then ask for alternate options. If the restaurant serves it, you can have it! Who cares if your meal is a mash up of 3 different meals. At least you will get what you want and get your moneys worth.

3. Ask about the Seasoning or Sauces

Even if the meal components themselves do not have gluten or dairy, the sauces or seasonings might. This also applies for a weight loss plan. Ask for a low calorie sauce option or stick to vinaigrettes on the side to avoid cream based high calorie options. You can also request no added butter for vegetables.

4. Balance Your Meals and Macros

If you are on a meal plan for weight loss or health, compare your meal to one you would make at home. I typically don't eat bread with a meal, so why would I when I'm out? Ask to have a salad first if the bread is staring at you in the face. If you get a burger with a bun, skip the fries. If you want the fries, skip the bun. Balance your macros so you don't end up eating 4 servings of carbs when you should have had 1.

5. Enjoy Your Food and Treats

Eating at restaurants is a treat and we should enjoy our meals! They don't have to mimic what we eat on a daily basis, but we don't want to binge on a huge meal then feel horrible after. Choose one treat. If your meal was veggies and protein have a glass of wine or share a dessert. We all need something fun to look forward to when we eat out, especially if we are eating with other people who are indulging as well.

6. Watch What you Drink

If your wine isn't your treat, order water. Many of us on a meal plan will automatically avoid sweetened drinks or sodas, but think a diet soda will be a good choice. Diet sodas with artificial sweeteners can actually increase our appetites so we end up eating more! If you do not want wine, but a mixed drink keep in mind that the frozen ones can pack up to 400 calories in one glass and they will not even fill you up. At the end of the meal, if other people are having dessert and you have decided not to, try a peppermint tea. Peppermint Tea can aid digestion and curb sugar cravings.

7. Pack it Up 

If you are full and do not want to finish it, don't! Some of us have been conditioned to eat everything on our plate, but restaurant servings are typically twice to three times the size as home cooked meals. If you feel like you have been eating too much, but want your money's worth then bring the rest home! If you have decided on having dessert, then definitely only eat half of your meal. When my meal comes I usually know if I can eat it all or not. I will cut my burger in half from the beginning in case it's a huge meal.


Eating healthy to stay on track with your personal goals or specific diet can be challenging. I have felt food anxiety from time to time when I eat at a restaurant. Sometimes it may look like you can't eat anything that fits your nutrition needs. We have to be able to have the courage to ASK for what we need and know we deserve to enjoy our meal no matter our restrictions.

Hope this post was helpful for the next time you eat out!

Let's stay connected @iddybiddyentrepreneur

Apple Egg White Omelet

Apple Egg White Omelet

This is one of my personal favourite meals to make on a weekly basis! I love making this after a morning workout :)

-3/4 cup egg whites
-1 apple
- sprinkle of cinnamon
*optional 1 tbsp nut or seed butter (sunflower butter is my choice!)

Spray frying pan with cooking oil. Pour egg whites into pan. Slice the apple and place on one half of the egg whites. Sprinkle omelet with cinnamon while it cooks. Flip egg white only half on to the apple half of omelet, as you would a normal omelet. Flip and bake other side until apples are slightly softened.

Serve and top with your favourite nut butter for some extra flavour or low-sugar syrup if you want some extra sweetness!

Banana Chip Birthday Cake

Banana Chip Birthday Cake

Yes, even on my birthday I try to keep it a little healthy! The only cheat in this recipe is the dairy-free mini chocolate chips! Everyone needs a little chocolate though, good for the soul ;)

Cake Batter:
-2 cups gluten-free baking flour (Bob's Red Mill is great)
-2 tsp baking powder
-1 tsp baking soda
-2 egg whites
-3 very ripe mashed bananas
-1/4 cup honey
-1/4 cup sunflower butter
-1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
-1 tsp vanilla
-1/2 cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips

Mix batter with large fork. Works best if you mash bananas first in your bowl, then the other ingredients, the chips being last. Pour into 2 pans, prepared with cooking oil sprayed and a touch of flour (prevents sticking). Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown.

Let the cake cool, then remover from pans.

Chocolate Icing:
-1/4 cup sunflower butter
-1 tbsp cocoa
-1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
-2-3 packets stevia
*optional: add 2 tbsp of Walden Farms sugar-free chocolate syrup for extra sweetness! (I definitely did)

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cupcakes

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cupcakes

This mini treat will satisfy your chocolate craving or sweet tooth! Made without sugar, the sweetness of sweet potato, cocoa and stevia make a killer combination!

Batter:

-1/2 cup cooked mashed sweet potato

-1 egg white

-1 tbsp ground flax seed

-2 tbsp cocoa powder

-1/2 tsp baking powder

-2 scoops whey protein powder

Mix together all ingredients as listed above in medium size bowl with a fork until smooth. Spoon mixture into mini sprayed cupcake tins. Makes 10-12 mini cupcakes.

Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

After cooled, take cupcakes out of the tins. They are great as is, but if you want that little extra chocolate.... There is icing!

Icing:

-1 tbsp cocoa powder

-1 tsp vanilla

-2 tbsp sunflower butter

-1 packet stevia

-2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

-1 tbsp whey protein

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Ice each cupcake. If you have icing leftover you can keep it in the fridge for any of your other protein cakes ;)

My Go-to Post Workout Shake

Chocolate-Banana Recovery Shake

-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
-3-4 ice cubes
-1/2 frozen banana
-1 tbsp cocoa
-handful of spinach
-1 scoop whey protein isolate (vanilla or chocolate)

BLEND!

*To freeze bananas, peel, cut into pieces and put in a zip lock bag. I do many bananas at once to make it convenient. If you cut each banana in the same amount of pieces each time, regulating serving size is easy!