Sugar Challenge - Tips for Finding Sugar When There's No Label
8:00 AMAfter viewing our resource on finding sugar on a nutrition label, you may have gone home and been able to identify which foods are off-limits during your 30 day Sugar Challenge. But what about when you're eating out or going to a party? What do you do when you don't have a label to check?
1. Check Out Your Options Before You Order
If you are going out to eat at a chain restaurant or fast food joint, you can typically find nutrition information, including ingredients, on their website. Restaurants that don't have this information on their website most likely have an ingredient list on-site. If you want to ensure that there is no sugar in your meal, request this list prior to ordering.
2. Assume Certain Things Have Sugar
When in doubt, you can generally assume that these foods contain sugar:
- Bacon and lunch meats
- Bread or bread crumbs
- Flour tortillas/wraps
- Salsa
- Sauces (including marinara)
- Condiments (although yellow mustard is a safe bet)
- Salad dressing
Assume Chinese food, pasta and pizza, unless made at home, are not good options.
3. Request Substitutions
Don't be afraid to special order. As a former server, I can confidently say it's not a big deal to request substitutions or give special preparation instructions. If a salad comes standard with one dressing, you can request olive oil, vinegar and lemon instead. Request your chicken grilled instead of breaded and fried. Ask that your meat only be seasoned, not sauced. Ask for sauteed vegetables in place of any questionable side.
4. Order Safely
If you're just not sure what's okay and what's not, your safest order will include some kind of grilled, broiled or baked meat and a vegetable side.
5. Plan Ahead for a Party
If you're going to a small party/gathering, call the host/hostess and ask what is being served. If there's something you know you won't be able to eat, you can either plan to fill up beforehand, or you can offer to bring a couple of dishes that you know will be safe. Most people would be happy to have the contribution.
If you're attending a larger party, like a graduation party or wedding, pack some snacks that you know are safe, and fill up on anything that's being served that you know to be safe.
6. Embrace and Celebrate What You CAN Eat
Perspective affects your experiences. Rather than focus on the foods that you can't have, celebrate the fact that you're choosing to go sugar free to better yourself, and get excited about the foods that you can have. Instead of telling people, "I can't have sugar," say, "I'm choosing to eat whole foods free from sugar."
If you have any lingering questions over eating out when you're living free from sugar, please contact me at ext. 2137 or lauren_almdale@fwymca.org.
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