Eating out can cause some anxiety when striving to stay in the Keto Zone.

But, it doesn’t have to be hard.

In fact, with consumer demand for healtheir and low-carb options, many restaurants feature keto zone-friendly meals and are willing to accommodate alterations (1).

Eating out should still be fun, relaxing, and delicious in the keto zone.

Here are 5 Steps to Keto Zone Restaurant Dining, and options for different cuisines:

5 Steps to Keto Zone Restaurant Dining

Step 1: Drinks, anyone? Start with water, sparkling water, tea, coffee, or another non-sugary drink (there may be stevia-based options). Avoid soft drinks, lemonades, or sugary-alcoholic drinks.

Step 2: If choosing an appetizer, order a salad or meat and cheese plate (sans crackers). The best dressing option is olive oil and vinegar. Or, carry your own small keto zone dressing with you.

Step 3: Time for the main course.  Omit any starch, grain, or carbohydrate to start. This means no pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, tortillas, bread, etc. If they come as a side, simply ask the waiter to leave them off your plate. Ask to sub an extra side of vegetables.

Step 4: Focus on the delicious foods you can have. Choose a nourishing protein such as seafood, steak, chicken, duck, bison, or another option. Add sautéed or fresh vegetables (verify that these are sautéed in oil or butter, without extra sauces). If needed, ask for extra butter, cream, or olive oil to round out your dinner.

Watch out for high-carb sauces: Ketchup, BBQ, Sriracha, Buffalo Sauce, and most gravies contain sugars or flour.

Step 5: If staying for desserts with others, enjoy coffee or herbal tea with cream. If you really want another food, ask if the restaurant can provide berries with cream, or berries with cheese.

How can you make this 5-step process work in different restaurants?

Keto Zone Options for Restaurant Dining, by Cuisine

Eating out is often a fun adventure involving many different cuisines. Here are ideas for different kinds of restaurants:

Steakhouses and Barbeque

First, avoid the potato, bread, fries, or anything breaded and deep fried.

Start with a salad with olive oil and vinegar. Order steak, duck, fish, chicken or another protein with sautéed vegetables on the side.

Make sure to avoid barbeque sauce and ketchup as they are loaded with carbohydrates.

Finish with decaf coffee and heavy cream.

Mediterranean

Mediterranean cuisine is all about the fresh, anti-inflammatory foods we love (2).

Try fish or another protein and fresh vegetables and fresh mozzarella. Load on the healthy fats with olive oil.

Chinese, Japanese, and Asian Restaurants

Miso soup is a good option to start with 4 grams net carbs.

At Chinese restaurants, look for options that are vegetables and protein, like beef and broccoli. Or, a duck entrée with vegetables. Stir-fried with oil and soy sauce is fine, but avoid anything breaded and fried.

At Japanese restaurants, avoid all rice. Then, order seafood or another protein and sautéed vegetables. Verify that the vegetables are only cooked with oil and soy.

Again, watch out for the sauces. Unfortunately, teriyaki, Sriracha, and many Asian sauces are high in sugar.

If eating sushi, choose sashimi (individual raw fish without the rice bed) and rolls without rice. Since rolls are generally made to order, ask to omit sugary sauces that may be drizzled over top.

Low sodium soy sauce, ginger, and miso are keto zone friendly.

Mexican and Tex-Mex

Start with a salad and add sour cream and house-made salsa, especially Pico de Gallo which is normally just vegetables, jalapenos, lime juice, and vinegar, and salt. Verify this with your waiter.

Next, try a burrito bowl with meat, vegetables, sour cream, and guacamole. Avoid any rice and beans.

Or, fajitas without the tortillas, rice or beans. You’ll still get that sizzling pan of meat, onions, and vegetables.

Burgers and Sandwich Shops

It starts with one word: bunless.

Most sandwich shops have options for “light” or bunless sandwiches. You’ll get loads of vegetables and meats. Add olive oil and vinegar for flavoring.

Or, a grilled chicken sandwich or burger wrapped in lettuce. This is no longer an unusual request and is often a feature on menus.

What about sides? Salads are the best options, with olive oil and vinegar.

Buffets

Really, the key to buffets has always been willpower.

You can pick and choose, so pick proteins like fish, turkey, beef, and others. Add vegetables, cream, or butter. Or, a salad with olive oil and vinegar.

Of course, avoid the bread, pastas, rice, and desserts.

Decaf coffee or herbal tea with heavy cream to finish.

Bottom Line

Eating out this Holiday Season? Enjoy it. Lose the anxiety, make good choices, and feel confident when Keto Zone restaurant dining!