Restaurant Chains With Gluten-Free Menus
by TriciaThompsonMS/RD
When you are gluten free, there is something incredibly fabulous about being handed a menu that caters to your dietary needs.
I recently ordered off a gluten-free menu at Legal Sea Foods in downtown Boston and it was so liberating! If you ever have a chance to eat at this chain, I highly recommend it. Not only is the gluten-free menu great but the food is good as well.
Legal Sea Foods has locations in Washington DC, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Their website has an online restaurant locator service that includes location specific menu options.
Legal Sea Foods isn’t the only chain with a gluten-free menu.
Others include Bonefish Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and Outback Steakhouse. The gluten-free menus available in these three chains have been developed in cooperation with the Gluten Intolerance Group and their Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program.
According to Cynthia Kupper, RD, executive director of the Gluten Intolerance Group, the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program was developed to “support restaurants to identify their menu items that are gluten free, and to provide education and training materials. The program has expanded to include some swab testing in restaurants to reinforce issues of contamination control.”
Bonefish Grill has a menu with bold GF next to the gluten-free options. This menu is available on line. Go to www.bonefishgrill.com and click on “our menu.” Under “other menus” click on “gluten-free.” Bonefish Grill is currently located in 32 states. An online restaurant locator service is available.
Carrabba’s Italian Grill has a separate gluten-free menu that is available online. Go to www.carrabbas.com and click on “menu.” Scroll down until you see “gluten-free menu.” Carrabba’s is presently located in 33 states. An online restaurant locator service is available.
Outback Steakhouse also has a separate gluten-free menu that is available online. Go to www.outback.com and click on “food and menu” and then “gluten-free menu.” Outback also has an online restaurant locator service.
On those (hopefully rare) occasions when fast food is the only option, Wendy’s may be one of your better bets. A printer ready listing of “menu items without gluten” is available online. If you periodically find yourself in line at a fast food restaurant, you might want to print out this menu and keep it in the car. Go to www.wendys.com and click on “food.” Click on “nutrition facts” and then “menu items without gluten.” What I find nice about Wendy’s is that I can actually order something healthy -- a baked potato topped with broccoli -- at the take-out window!
For more restaurant options that are gluten-free friendly, visit the web site of the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program at www.glutenfreerestaurants.org. Publications that you may find useful in your quest to dine gluten free are The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide published by Triumph Dining and the Let’s Eat Out! series published by Gluten Free Passport.
Tricia Thompson, M.S., RD is a nutrition consultant, author and speaker specializing in celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. She is the author of The Gluten-Free Nutrition Guide (McGraw-Hill) and co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Gluten-Free Eating (Penguin Group). For more information, visit www.glutenfreedietitian.com.
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October 14, 2008
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5 Big Dining-Out Blunders: Are You Guilty?
by ShaunaS
Dining out can be tricky business – you’ve read up on dining out DOs and DON'Ts, asked for substitutions and scoured through nutrition data and just when you think you’re on top of things, there’s even more diet disasters awaiting you!
Well, be fooled no more – I’ve put together some common diet mistakes with tips on how to avoid them.
1. Sneaky Sauces
Sure you know that alfredo sauce = fat trap, but did you know that butter is often added to sauces that are on the “healthy” list. This includes marinara sauce – yikes! And, low-fat or fat-free sauces are often loaded with sugar making them high calorie. Ask the waitperson how the sauce is made and take it from there.
2. Bad Buns
Chances are if it’s on the grill, it’s been slathered with grease. That once poor innocent hamburger bun has a good coat of butter or oil on it now. Ask for your buns “dry” or sans butter or oil. Most anything on the grill comes with oil or butter.
3. Vindictive Veggies
Steamed veggies by nature are low-cal, but most restaurants still douse them in butter. Be sure to ask how they’re dressed after being steamed and stick with the true definition of steamed. And, same goes with grilled. They’re probably marinated in an oil-based marinade.
4. Lean Meat
Feeling good about choosing filet mignon over prime rib? While it’s certainly a healthier choice, it could still come with hundreds of extra calories. Watch a cooking show or two and you’ll learn that meat is usually tossed in melted butter or oil first. Yikes... as if the meat didn’t have enough fat to begin with! Even veggie burgers share the same grill with hamburgers, meaning burger grease has attacked your veggie burger.
5. Tipping Back Cocktails
Besides adding extra calories, alcohol also clouds your judgment and may ruin your best intentions of eating healthy. Hit up any happy hour and you’ll see – suddenly those buffalo wings don’t look so unhealthy! Stick with one lower calorie drink such as a nice glass of wine or light beer and stay on track. Your wallet and diet will thank you!
Click here for more great Diet.com dining-out options and solutions!
Shauna Schultz, RD, has the nutrition solutions for all your weight loss questions. Premium Members have direct access via private email. Click here to become a Premium Member today! |
October 2, 2008
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Eating Healthy On The Go: Top 10 Tactics
by ShaunaS
You’re a busy, active person on the go and that probably means a packed schedule, rushing around and juggling your many responsibilities. Often this results in skipping meals or grabbing whatever is convenient.
While reality is that we may need to eat on the go, it is possible to keep it healthy.
The following tips will help keep you energized and fueled when life gets busy.
1. Don’t skip meals.
Skipping meals only leads to increased hunger and possibly poor food choices later on. Try to eat at least every 4 hours to keep hunger in check and blood sugar stable.
2. Stash healthy snacks.
Stash healthy snacks in your purse, backpack or car for when hunger strikes. Planning snacks into your day can help you keep energy levels up and stay satisfied in between meals. Try keeping low-fat granola bars, small baggies of trail mix and fruit handy.
3. Carry a water bottle.
Thirst is often mistaken for hunger and being dehydrated can lead to fatigue resulting in a high sugar pick-me-up. Stay hydrated by carrying a water bottle with you during the day.
4. Plan, plan, plan!
Is skipping meals part of your daily routine? Plan it out ahead of time, even it that means writing in your planner. Start by planning a little extra time in the morning so you can eat before you leave the house.
5. Choose healthy fast foods.
Believe it or not, there are healthy items to choose on-the-go, even fast food! Try a grilled chicken sandwich, veggie burger, yogurt and fruit, a small turkey sandwich on whole wheat or a bean burrito.
6. Balance your meals and snacks.
Carb heavy foods are easy to grab, but they can leave you hungry in an hour. Try adding a dose of protein to help keep you satisfied for longer. Try cottage cheese with a granola bar, string cheese with fruit, peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat or turkey slices with crackers and carrots.
7. Convenience can be great!
If pre-portioned foods keep you eating healthy, go for it! Single packaged foods such as whole grain cereal or oatmeal, string cheese or low-fat cheddar sticks (Trader Joe’s), veggie burgers, baby carrots, Kashi granola bars and 100 calorie packs are great on-the-go choices that keep portions in check. And, don’t forget about fruit – it is naturally convenient!
8. Utilize leftovers.
When you do cook, make extra and freeze them in individual containers. Now, you have your own convenience food that can be packed in an insulated lunch box or pulled out when you come home from a long day.
9. De-stress.
Being busy can build stress and stress can lead to anxious eating. Ask yourself if you are really hungry. If you are reaching for food because you’re stressed, try deep breathing or a brisk walk.
10. Enjoy the eating experience.
Take a moment to sit down and eat, even if that means pulling over in the car. Multi-tasking while eating turns off your intuitive eating, meaning you may eat too quickly and overeat or feel unsatisfied.
5 Healthy Fast Food Choices
1. Subway sandwich from the Fresh Fit Menu. Add a side of apple slices or baked chips and call it a meal!
2. Keep smoothies healthy and try a Jamba Juice Jamba Light or Yogurt and Fruit Blend.
3. Burger King BK Veggie, minus the mayo and a side salad with low-fat dressing.
4. Any item from the Taco Bell Fresco menu. Pack fresh cut-up veggies to enjoy with your meal and add filling fiber.
5. Tender Grill Chicken Sandwich or Salad (ask for low-fat dressing) from Burger King.
Shauna Schultz, RD, has the nutrition solutions for all your weight loss questions. Premium Members have direct access via private email. Click here to become a Premium Member today!
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September 25, 2008
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