One question I get a lot , when educating others about PKU and the limitations of the low protein diet is : so I guess you cant eat out at all huh?

My answer: Yes I can!

You see, I know my body and I know my PKU , I know how higher phe foods make me feel, and I know what to do if I do eat out. I know what my good foods are and what foods to avoid. I have been doing this for a while now I joke with them lol. as I am 27 years old.  Sometimes I know the exact phe in most foods I eat or at least if they are  high or low.  I know most parents of young children dread eating out and have to bring the scale or book with them. It is harder when you are younger that’s for sure.

I do enjoy going out every now and then. Its usually for a special occasion, a nice treat, a date night with Cole or out with friends and family for something different. I stick to the restaurants I know the best, that will accommodate me or have menu items I know I can have. If I am going somewhere new, I research it first. I check it out on-line , see if they have a menu and read the reviews to determine if they might accommodate me. Other times I call ahead.

I usually always get the same thing when I eat out and have my order down pat ” Mashed garlic potatoes, no gravy but butter is fine, and whatever your seasonal grilled vegetables are. Can I get it all on one plate instead of 2 small side dishes? ” Sometimes I order a drink to. Either a strawberry daiquiri or margaritas. My favourite is a Bellini. Otherwise I stick to water .

I tend to gravitate towards more family restaurant, bar/ grills , and sometimes pubs.  I don’t like to eat out at pubs to much because they don’t usually serve mashed potatoes. So I end up getting sweet potato fries or a salad. So If I go to a pub I usually go for lunch.

Some of my favourite restaurants when I lived in Victoria was,  moxies classic bar and grill. I just loved there hot skillet of garlic mushrooms!  My top favorite though was a local hidden gem , My Chosen Cafe. It is a beautiful country restaurant. Cole and i went there enough we knew some of the staff and most always got to sit in the patio by the fire place.  The food was real home made food, with really big portions. I never left there hungry. Because my order is unusual I usually end up with the smaller side portions. At My chosen all portions are huge! Sometimes I got mushrooms or sometimes I got the grilled veggies that included cauliflower, carrots, broccoli and the traditional favourites. sometimes even squash and asparagus. Whatever was in season that time of year. The drinks where so thick and made with real berries. The potatoes where not instant and everything was perfection! Every time I go back to Victoria I Make sure to go there at least once!

I can also eat at Denny s, white-spots, and other chain places. Sometimes If I have a low day or a few low days I splurge and get a rice dish.

Here in kamloops we have been to the westsyde pub, where I get sweet potatoes and fries. WE have been to the haulston , they have made me a veggie rice pilaf with no eggs or meat, and they have also done potatoes and corn  or other veggies.  We have been to Crush lounge, for my birthday we went there and i splurged on a mushroom rice pilaf. We also go alot to original joes. I get potatoes and broccolini ( baby broccoli )  there or a thai sweet chilli vegetable rice bowl. With no chicken or meat. They hold the almonds and the other sauces they normally use. Actually we where there last weekend.  We have also been to chapters, though the food was terrible I had potatoes and veggies there.

I also sometimes splurge on my most favourite dish, sushi! I am a regular at Argioto sushi. I always get the avocado roll or the yam tempera roll. I DO NOT recommend eating sushi or rice dishes when you  eat out with PKU unless you have a very high tolerance or your clinic and dieticians say its ok. These are things I started to cheat with when I was bad and went off track with my PHE and diet. So every now and then I treat myself.  It is not safe for everyone and please dont eat them just because I do!  I myself even need to cut back,, specially if I want to keep my levels low enough for pre conception than I have to stop all together! I use to eat rice all the time!! and way to much. I was addicted to it and my levels suffered and so did my brain.  I have cut all rice from my diet at home and if i ever eat it its when I eat out as a special treat. But I do not recommend this at all for anyone else !! Its a bad habbit I am working on breaking. In fact I have only had sushi once in 3 months and it was yesterday while we where out and i needed something quick.

After not eating it for so long I can really feel the difference in my body and how it effects me. I think this will be my deterrent in the future to not try it again.

If in doubt when eating out, ask to speak to the chef, call ahead or when all else fails stick with a salad! I personally think salads are boring and I get tired of them but when eating out the chefs try to make them special by adding dry berries, avocado, fruit or new dressings.  I had a fantastic salad here in kamloops at a salad bar in sahali, it had apples, avocado and dried cranberries or strawberries. it was very filling! I had a sweet onion dressing on it. I normally stick to ranch light home style but I wanted to try something new.  I can also get some great salads at places like subway.

The only restaurant I have been to that was not accommodating was the macaroni grill in Victoria, but I think it was a matter of them not understanding why I needed alterations or substitutions or maybe it was that one day, one chef or server because we went back for a friends birthday before we moved and they where more understanding and able to find me something!

I also like denny’s for breakfast sometimes , I get the shredded hash browns with maple syrup and they fry up onions, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms on top for me. I also get a OJ or apple juice when I am there. Lunch they make a skillet or roasted potatoes and vegetables topped with avocado, and for dinner I tend to get mashed potatoes, corn and apple-sauce. I also can have salads there, non dairy smoothies, and sometimes if my tolerance allows, white toast and jam!

So to all those who ask me if I can eat out , yes I can and I do enjoy to eat out! You can to with preparation, research and a good understanding of the PKU diet.