[Sticky] Nutrition Help When Eating Out

Hi - because participants currently do not get an alert when someone posts a comment on the forum, Lisa is going to do a poll on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/XPHealth/) to obtain people's responses. I have also inserted some tips below that I hope you find useful.

Real Food Eating Out Guide

Aim for meals built from whole or minimally processed ingredients (veg, fruit, meat/fish/, beans/lentils, whole grains, nuts/seeds, eggs, dairy or plain yogurt) and fewer “ultra-processed” products (those assembled from isolates/additives and hard-to-recognise ingredients).

1) How to pick a place & read a menu

• Choose places that cook from scratch. Favour menus that name recognisable foods and simple methods (grilled, steamed, baked; fish + veg; beans + whole grains). Avoid obviously “assembled” items (formed nuggets/patties, cheese-like sauces, shakes).
• Plan ahead. Most chains post nutrition online; scanning in advance helps you find simply prepared mains and whole-grain swaps.
• Large chains in England (250+ employees) must display calories on menus since 6 April 2022, so you can check portions before you order (although just counting calories doesn't inform you about how nutritious the food is!)

2) Order this, not that (don't be afraid to ask for simple swaps)

• Build the plate: veg/salad → big portion; protein (prioritise) → fish, meat, poultry, eggs, beans/lentils; carbs (to tolerance). Ask for sauces/dressings on the side.
• Ask about prep: prefer grilled/steamed/poached over battered or breaded.
• Drinks: choose water, coffee, or unsweetened tea; skip sugary soft drinks. Note diet soft drinks count as ultra-processed even if low calorie.
• Plant-based caution: many “meat-free meats” are ultra-processed; whole-food plant proteins (beans, tofu, lentils) are the better “real-food” pick.

3) Spotting ultra-processed items on menus

• Red flags: long ingredient lists; additives you wouldn’t keep at home (emulsifiers, stabilisers, colourings, artificial sweeteners); very long shelf life for items usually fresh.
• Common UPF examples when eating out: processed meats (cheap sausages/burgers that contain less meat and more fillers), formed chicken nuggets/patties, white rolls, shakes and packaged desserts. 

Guides

• Food Standards Agency (UK): Ultra-processed foods — what consumers need to know — plain-English definition, NOVA reference, and balanced advice (updated May 2025). Food Standards Agency
• British Heart Foundation: clear list of common UPFs and how to cut down (updated Mar 2025). British Heart Foundation
• BBC Good Food: how to identify UPFs at a glance (label clues/additives), with UK context. Good Food
• Eating out on a low carb diet: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/dining-out