I asked this same question on the Italy forum regarding Rome...
My daughter has diabetes and when we eat out she generally eats big salads to avoid a heavy carb and fat load. Any suggestions on good menu items to look for to keep the carbs and fat on the lower end?
(I should also mention that we generally plan to eat out for lunch, but do breakfast and dinner ourselves in our airbnb, so any suggestions on grocery shopping for dinner would be a great help too!)
Thanks
Is your daughter an adult? If so, whether she is traveling to France or anywhere in the US, it's the same assuming she has Type 2 Diabetes which is what I have. She can order grilled/baked/roasted/sautéed meats, poultry, seafood, fish. She can order non-starchy vegetables. She has probably gone to a nutritionist at one time or another -- she has more freedom than just big salads.
For carbs, whole grain breads/brown rice earlier in the day. Eat lightly at dinner time and maybe have that larger meal in the middle of the day. Avoid white carbs. Avoid breaded cutlets.
For grocery shopping at breakfast, she should do what she does at home. Poached eggs for breakfast over whole grain breads for example. High fiber cereals. If she wants a croissant, maybe have a small or part of one so she can at least enjoy the taste of it without having to eat the whole thing.
EXERCISE. Being visitors, you two could walk 8-12 miles each day which would be fantastic when she sees the results of that walking on her blood sugar tests. Drink a lot of water like she would at home.
If she is a child or has Type 1 diabetes, follow what the doctor advises. If anything, if she is adult, have her consult her nutritionist. If she is a minor, then you do it before your trip.
A typical Parisian bistrot or cafe lunch is a salad composee which is a salad made of vegetables and protein. Take a look at a salad Nicoise for example. These make an excellent low carb low fat lunch.
Be careful with salads, as salads in most French restaurants often have large amounts of oily dressing (not to mention cheese and/or bits of bacon).
Continental, janettravels44, Philip - thank you so much, very helpful stuff. (Continental -- my daughter is a minor with Type 1, but your tips still apply - so thank you.)
I'm glad I could help and thank you for your kind words but please know that I am not familiar with Type 1 Diabetes. Please speak with her endocrinologist. I mentioned having a taste of a croissant; that could be TERRIBLE for her. My comments were strictly for Type 2.
I hope you all have a wonderful trip!!
I just got home from my first trip to Paris - I found that it was very easy to eat 'low carb' at most restaurants. I had some amazing omelettes for lunch and fish with veggies for dinner. There was some yummy looking fresh fish sold at the market on Rue Cler and a lot of organic produce if you want to cook yourselves.
Oils and cheese and bacon are not off limits to low carb or diabetic diets. But of course the details of diets are up to whomever is managing this person's diet. I have to eat a diabetic diet myself and these high protein low carb salads are a mainstay in Paris.
Continental - don't worry! We met with her endo and have communicated with her diabetes nurse (whose husband has Type 1 and they have done a ton of travel) and your suggestions are well within their advice and carry over very well to Type 1, so thanks again. Cynthia, janettravels44 - great input, so helpful -- thank you. This is helping take a weight off our minds.
Salad dressing in Italy is often (usually?) olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
You are fortunate to be preparing your own breakfasts there. Low carb breakfasts out were difficult.
I eat very low carb generally. On vacation my walking went from about 10k steps a day to about 25k steps a day, so that helped burn off blood glucose.
