30 Day Paleo: Day Twenty Three – Modify Meals With Eating Out Tips

Looking to make healthier choices? Perfect! This is Day 23 of 30 of my 30 Day Paleo Plan. For more information on 30 Day Paleo as well as 30 Minute Paleo, check out the get started page. Post each day on your 30 Day Paleo journey to Twitter or Instagram and show me by tagging me with @dranthonygustin — get after it! 

By day twenty three, you might be struggling to make every meal at home. Occasionally you’re going to need to eat out, whether it be due to convenience or social obligations. Time to master eating out like a paleo champ and making the best of the options available with these eating out tips!

No bread/buns/tortillas/wraps/pasta.

All of these items are just ways to eat something else. If you truly want that “something else,” then ask for just that. If it comes with the added unnecessary carb, just toss it to the side and eat the contents. Most places will oblige if you ask for your protein as a lettuce wrap or as a salad.

Go lean

Unless specifically stated, the meat isn’t going to be grass-fed. This means you should go for the leanest cuts possible. All of the inflammation and toxins in conventionally raised meats are stored in the fat. Skip the fat unless it grass-fed or pasture raised.

Sub for veggie sides

When restaurants have sides of rice, couscous, quinoa, or other trendy grains, just ask to substitute a side of vegetables or a side salad. This is an easy swap that nearly any restaurant will be able to accommodate.

Ask for salad dry

99.9% of restaurants are will serve you salad dressings filled with inflammatory fats, sugar, and other questionable ingredients you should be skipping. When the server asks what type of dressing you want, just say “none.” You will get some weird looks at first, but trust me, you’ll get used to it!

Don’t eat

If you’re at a place with no good options (some pubs, bar food, etc.), just skip on the food and practice a little bit of intermittent fasting, even if everyone else is eating. Just say you’re not hungry and choose not to fill yourself with inflammation. What’s the worst thing that can happen? Being hungry for an hour or two is better than loading yourself up with destructive foods. Obviously, if you have a history of an eating disorder, this step isn’t for you.

Don’t be afraid to be the “annoying” person who asks for modifications. Don’t be afraid to employ these eating out tips. Most places will be more than happy to accommodate where possible and will modify meals as you request. If they can’t accommodate for any reason, that does not give you a right to feel or act entitled. Just don’t eat and go hungry for a few more hours. You’ll live.

Practice modifying meals at restaurants or when eating out. Don’t be afraid to ask for modifications to make a meal a better option!