Keto Options for Eating Out

With a few minor tweaks, you can successfully eat a satisfying keto meal at most restaurants. Here are some keto options to keep in mind when eating out:

Tips for ordering Keto Compliant meals at Dine-In Restaurants

1. Plan to pass on the bread/rolls/chips that may be included in your meal. It’s better to politely ask the server not to bring them to your table.
2. Order water instead of soda.
3. Ask for extra vegetables instead of the potato/rice/pasta that might come with your meal.
4. Avoid meats that include a heavy sauce like bbq sauce or gravy which include sugar and or flour. If you are at all concerned about ingredients, ask your server.
5. Choose dressings like ranch, blue cheese, Caesar or oil and vinegar. Ask for them on the side, so you decide how much to use.
6. Look for the basics: Grilled meat and veggies; salads with chicken, salmon or steak.

This is by no means a complete list of every keto meal possible, but it should give you some great keto options for eating out.

Keto Dine-In Options:

Mexican-

The hardest part about eating at a Mexican restaurant is avoiding the delicious chips and salsa they bring before the meal!  If you are sharing your meal with someone who isn’t eating keto and wants to eat the chips and salsa…oh boy! This will require next level self-control! Try distracting yourself with an appetizer like jalapeno poppers. Chile reyeno is always a good main dish, as long as it’s not breaded. Another tasty choice is the chicken or steak fajitas, just eliminate the tortilla shells. Sometimes you can get extra lettuce and make yourself a delicious fajita salad. Make sure to ask for guacamole and sour cream. If you’re in the mood for salad, you can always order a taco salad, just don’t eat the crispy taco shell bowl.

Seafood –

So many options here. Fish, any kind, without breading is great. Order veggies instead of the usual starch. Shrimp salad is great, ask for no croutons. Crab legs or lobster with drawn butter, even better! Avoid chowders which typically include potatoes.

American –

Prime rib, beef brisket, steak, grilled chicken, ribs, fish/salmon with a side salad. Turn any burger into a keto salad by asking for extra lettuce. Order a bacon cheese burger with avocado and extra lettuce, hold the fries and you’re all set! Request grilled or sauteed veggies instead of the starch…easy peasy!

Italian –

Instead of indulging in the fresh bread, order a cheese and salami antipasto plate as an appetizer. Obviously avoid the pasta altogether. Instead order Chicken Parmesan and ask if it can be prepared without breading. Another good choice is a caprese salad which is simply tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  You can ask for grilled chicken or steak to add to your salad for some protein. Olive garden offers broccoli Alfredo and Spaghetti Factory offers steamed broccoli with browned butter and mizithra cheese. Both are delicious! Pair it with some grilled meat and you have a very satisfying meal!

Mongolian BBQ –

You will find so many great options at a Mongolian BBQ. Select your meats and vegetables, avoid the noodles and rice and choose sauces carefully. Garlic, ginger and sesame oil are all good choices to give your dish a really great flavor. Use soy sauce very sparingly because it does contain approximately 1.4 g of carbs per tablespoon. It can really add up if you’re not careful.

Buffets –

Buffets are a great option for keto because you can be fairly selective about your choices. Focus on fats, vegetables and protein. Load up on meats. Avoid meats with bbq sauces or any chicken/fish that is batter coated (you can always pick it off if necessary). At the salad bar, pile on the cheese, and bacon if available. Throw on a hard boiled egg, add ranch or blue cheese and top with lots of sun flower seeds. If your lucky enough to chose a buffet with crab leggs, pile your plate high and grab a bowl of clarified butter for dipping!

Dessert –

It’s best just to pass on dessert all together, but you could easily inquire about a bowl of berries and heavy whipped cream. The whipped cream may be prepared with sugar, so ask your server if sugar-free accommodations can be made.  Some restaurants offer sugar free chocolate mouse or pudding. These wouldn’t be strict keto at all, but would be better choices than cake/pie/doughnuts/cookies etc. If you’re looking to indulge a little, plain cheesecake will hit the spot. Avoid the crust or any syrupy toppings. Because the number of cheesecake carbs vary so much, this is a case where you will want to research ahead of time to find out how many carbs are in the cheesecake. Definitely consider splitting a piece with someone.

Keto Fast Food Options:

If you’ve never tried a lettuce wrapped burger, you’re in for a real treat! Without the bun, the flavors are actually much more intense!

In n Out Burger – 

• Cheeseburger “Protein Style” aka lettuce wrap (8 g carbs)
• Double Double Protein Style, 2 patties with cheese, lettuce wrapped (8 g carbs)

Wendy’s –

• Lettuce wrapped Jr Bacon Cheeseburger (3 g carbs)
• Half Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad (9 g carbs)

Chik-fil-A –

• Chicken Sandwich, Grilled (without bun): (3 g net carbs)
• Chicken Club Sandwich, Grilled (without bun): (3g net carbs)
• Grilled Nuggets (eight count): (2g net carbs)
• Cobb Salad with Grilled Chicken: (10g net carbs)

Taco Bell –

• Power Bowl – order without the rice and beans (about 8 carbs)

Costco Food Court –

We often stop by Costco to fill up on groceries, even when we’re on vacation. On the way out we stop by the food court for lunch. Logically, you would think their chicken Ceasar salad would be the optimal choice. However beware, a full Caesar salad without croutons is still 17 carbs! So if you really want this salad, consider splitting it or use your own dressing. It is a HUGE salad and can easily feed two adults. It’s also worth noting that without croutons and dressing, the salad is just around 9 g carbs.

Dutch Bros – 

• DB Keto Americano: Americano coffee with heavy whipping cream) (0 Carbs). Add your own stevia if you prefer.
• Keto cold brew: iced 24 oz (3 carbs).
• Breve: small plain breve hot (10 carbs), small plain breve iced (6 carbs). Dutch Bros offers sugar free syrups** which will add an additional 1 g of carbs to your drink.

Starbucks –

• Low carb Caramel Macchiato: order an Americano with three parts water to one part heavy cream and add sugar-free vanilla**. The caramel drizzle adds 2 g net carbs. Take it or leave it.
• Flat White: Order with almond milk instead of whole milk (7 g carbs) 
• Frappuccino: Order an iced coffee blended Frappuccino-style with a splash of heavy whipping cream. Choose a sugar-free syrup** or add your own flavored stevia. Request no Frappuccino base or Frappuccino coffee syrup.

*When ordering from Starbucks, be sure to specify no classic syrup. **Sugar free syrups are sweetened with sucralose/splenda, so if you are avoiding this sweetener, plan ahead and bring your favorite stevia or monkfruit sweetener instead.

I hope these suggested keto options for eating out help you stay focused and on-track to meeting your health goals. For a list of keto snack foods check out my post featured here. Keep up the good fight and keto on!