Stick to Your Healthy Diet Even While Eating at a Restaurant

Any time you eat a special type of diet, be it low carb, gluten free, or low fat, going out to a restaurant can seem tedious. You may even opt to avoid going out to eat simply because you can’t find something that stays within your dietary limits or you feel uncomfortable special-ordering your foods. Read on for some simple tips that can make going out to eat more enjoyable for those on a specialty diet. 

Be careful of basic “healthy” titles – Subway is one great example of a restaurant that is known for its healthy options. However, if you are maintaining a low carb diet, you won’t want to simply choose an item that appears to be healthy. Some 6-inch sub sandwiches contain as many as 40 grams of carbohydrates or more. If a restaurant or a menu item claims to be healthy, check for actual numbers to be knowledgeable about your food.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions – If there is no listed carb count, or you are unsure if something contains gluten or sugar, don’t be afraid to ask a worker at the restaurant. If at a fast food restaurant, you can ask to speak with a manager, and if at a nice restaurant you can  begin with your server (they may have even been asked the question before and know the answer immediately). Don’t forget, some restaurant foods contain unexpected ingredients in their own special recipe.

Special orders are common – If you feel uncomfortable ordering your food in a special way so you can adhere to a low carb diet, there is no reason to feel this way. Many people ask for low carb substitutions for their mashed potatoes, or even ask that their food not have the typical breading. If you need to limit dairy in your diet, you can even ask that your chicken breast not be grilled in butter. By asking how things are prepared, you can determ

ine how it would need to be cooked so you can enjoy your night out and still stick to your low carb, gluten free or other diet.

Thanks for reading our blog! Eating out at restaurants doesn’t have to be difficult and neither does eating meals or snacks at home! For great low carb, sugar free, and gluten free food options, visit us online at Linda’s Diet Delites and place your order today! 

Simple Alternatives to the Potato for Low Carb Dieters

For many of us, one of the hardest aspects of the low carb diet is giving up the potato. Sure, you can replace it with great meats and cheese and a variety of vegetables that are safe for a low carb diet. But the potato tastes great cooked so many ways, it can seem virtually impossible to replace it with something equally as tasty. It is possible, however, to learn to love substitutions for the potato and maintain your low carb diet, achieving better health, weight loss, lower blood sugar, and a variety of additional benefits. Read on for some ideas: 

Alternative root vegetables – For some, there are root vegetables that can act as a tasty substitute for the potato, while still allowing you to maintain your low carb diet. Turnips, celery root, and rutabaga. Although all of these root vegetables have a longer cook time than the potato, they can be cooked in a variety of ways. You can slice them and fry them, bake them as you would a potato, or bake them as you would scalloped potatoes.

Cauliflower – Cauliflower is one of the go-to replacements for potatoes for many low carb dieters. Although it doesn’t have the same texture, it is easy to mash and can be used as a mashed potato or potato salad replacement. When using them as a low carb mashed potato substitute, add in bacon and cheese to get a great baked potato flavor.

Store-bought replacements – Although many people like root vegetables or cauliflower as a potato substitute, if it just doesn’t seem to satisfy your craving for potatoes, you still have options. There are many store-bought low carb potato item replacements available on the market to choose from. You can find low carb potato chip substitutions and even low carb instant mashed potatoes.

Whatever type of substitution you choose to take the place of potatoes while on your low carb diet, keep in mind that you will likely develop a taste for the food over time. In the beginning, mashed cauliflower may taste nothing like the mashed potatoes you know and love. After weeks or even months of not eating a real potato, however, the substitution will begin to taste much better and offer a great low carb alternative to potatoes.

Thanks for reading our blog! For great low carb potato substitutions and other foods, visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites

Enjoy Springtime Outdoor Meals without Ruining Your Low Carb Diet

Spring time is upon many of us, and with it comes perfect weather and more outdoor fun. Along with the nice weather and the time spent outdoors, however, barbecues and picnics typically take precedence over indoor meals. Unfortunately, however many of these types of outdoor meals contain massive amounts of carbohydrates, typically in the form of buns and sauces. Read on for some ideas for having your favorite traditional summer/springtime foods without the high carb count. 

Elimination of high carb foods – In some situations, it is easiest to simply eliminate certain parts of foods that contain high carb counts. One such food is the bun for hamburgers or hot dogs (two of the most commonly grilled foods). Additionally, you can eliminate sauces containing unnecessarily high carbohydrate counts. Even a simple barbecue sauce often contains close to 20 grams of carbs in a serving (two tablespoons). By eliminating these types of sauces, you can easily stick to your low carb diet plan while still enjoying a day of food in the great outdoors.

Substitution – If you love certain foods at picnics, barbecues, and other spring/summer meals, and don’t want to eliminate them from the meal, but you don’t want the excess carbs either, consider substituting low carb low carb buns, sauces and more that will allow you to eat the foods you love at any gathering without ruining your low carb diet.

versions of the same food items. By experimenting with different brands and types of foods, you are sure to find great-tasting

Altering recipes – Many common recipes available at barbecues contain high carb counts, such as pasta salad and potato salad. Instead of going without these great-tasting barbecue staples, you can use a low carb  recipe that will enable you to enjoy the food without anyone ever knowing that it is an altered recipe. Instead of a potato salad, you can mash cauliflower and add cooked bacon along with cheese and onions for a unique salad that is sure to impress. Altering the way meat is cooked can eliminate some unnecessary carbohydrates as well. Instead of slathering meat with a sauce for flavor, opt for fresh lemon or lime juice and spices that will ensure the food tastes great without ruining your low carb diet. You can create your own recipe through experimentation, or search online for low carb recipes to find a wide selection of great options.

Thanks for reading our blog! To stock up on great low carb buns and sauces to be prepared for any picnic or barbecue event, visit our store at Linda’s Diet Delites

Simple Tips for Beginning a Low Carb Lifestyle for the Whole Family

When you begin living a low carb lifestyle, it is often a necessity to incorporate your entire family in the diet plan with you. While this isn’t always appealing for the other people who live in your household, there are many benefits to doing so. Not only does it prevent you from having to purchase two different types of most foods, but it also eliminates many temptations. By only purchasing low carb, healthy food options, your chances of sticking with the diet plan are much higher than if you had a variety of unhealthy food selections available at all times. But getting your family to welcome a low carb lifestyle with open arms can be tricky. Read on for a few tips: 

Consider the existing diet – If your family is already accustomed to eating healthy foods, switching to a low carb lifestyle might not be as difficult as it otherwise would be. If, however, your family regularly eats a lot of high carb pastas, breads and potatoes at every meal, the switch will be very shocking. By considering the current eating habits of your family, you can approach the change accordingly. If their daily diet is high carb, slowly incorporating low carb foods and eliminating those with high carbs is the best plan. By doing it slowly, the change won’t seem as drastic, and they will have time to adjust, making the transition into a healthier low carb lifestyle a much easier one for your entire family.

Use substitutions – If your family members love a lot of foods with high carb counts, simply eliminating those food options can make your family despise the diet from the beginning. Instead, stock up on low carb replacement versions of their favorite foods. In many cases, they won’t notice the difference in taste, and they will still be able to eat their favorite snack and meal items. For cooking, you can use low carb sauces and

dressings to create meals they love without such a high carb count.

Allow for some cheating for family members – It is difficult for anyone to switch to a low carb lifestyle, but this is especially true for children who are exposed to a lot of treats that are unhealthy at friend’s houses, school, etc. If you allow them to eat some unhealthy foods periodically in their mostly healthy diet, it can prevent binges that might otherwise occur when they are exposed to those types of foods.

Thanks for reading our blog! Are you ready to stock up on great low carb foods to change your family’s diet? Visit us at Linda’s Diet Delites to find everything you need to make the switch as easy as possible!