We all do it and we all enjoy doing it...and why not - someone else cooking for us is always nice. But the dread that we are now giving control over our food to somebody else can sometimes spoil the entire reason why we are out...to enjoy some quality time with friends and family.
We can pretty much guarantee that the majority of what's on the menu is going to be high carb...no change from what the supermarkets do with their packaged foods and no different to how the guidelines have been telling us to eat for all these years.
However things are changing and, either with a little research before you go or by understanding what's on the menu, you can make the best choice available to you at the time. This one meal is not going to damage your overall plan if you don't let it.
Simple things to remember: send the bread away if it arrives while you are looking at the menu, avoid any of the breaded options or those that you know are covered in a sugary sauce like BBQ Wings. Restaurants are now offering lots of different options, so you might see on a menu 'Go Naked'...this isn't an invitation but a suggested serving style: having your burger without the bun...naked...served with salad and homemade coleslaw. The more traditional a restaurant is, the easier it will be to make a good choice. Tandoori mixed grill or a butter chicken are good options. Foo yung and spicy ribs from the Chinese, or for those popping to Nandos (although not a very traditional restaurant)... chicken it is! Our favourite Turkish takeaway can easily be turned low carb by replacing the standard bread & rice for extra salad. We often choose their Family Platter which includes chicken, lamb and beef, plus a few sides like olives, feta and Ezme (tomatoes, pepper and chillies in olive oil).
The course that may be the most difficult to find a good alternative for is dessert. It's a concoction of high sugar, mostly artificial colours and flavours mixed with high fat. It's a red flag to your new way of eating. If you've been following a Keto lifestyle for even just a few weeks, having a dessert full of sugar will taste incredibly sweet and you'll probably be surprised as to how you didn't notice it last time round!
