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Restaurant meals can be difficult to navigate when you're working to control your blood sugar. Making healthy choices isn't always easy. "Things you think are healthy may be deceiving. Salad sounds like a great choice, but the dressing can add 300 to 400 calories, not to mention the sodium and fat," says Janice Baker, a registered dietitian/nutritionist and diabetes educator in San Diego.
But there's no need to avoid dining out, Baker adds. Finding diabetes-friendly options is becoming easier, even in many fast-food restaurants, especially if you plan ahead, read menus carefully, and aren’t afraid to ask for healthy substitutes. Here are more tips to keep you on track.
Sources: California Department of Public Health. ... + 10
- California Department of Public Health. Eating Out Wisely. November 1, 2022.
- American Diabetes Association. Make Healthy Choices at a Fast-Food Restaurant. Accessed October 14, 2025.
- Kaiser Permanente. Eating Out When You Have Diabetes. July 7, 2025.
- MedlinePlus. Diabetic Diet. May 15, 2025.
- Cleveland Clinic. Worst and Best Foods if You Have Diabetes. September 5, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes: Eating Out. May 15, 2024.
- Diabetes UK. Eating Out with Diabetes. Accessed October 15, 2025.
- KidsHealth. Eating at Restaurants When You Have Diabetes. January, 2022.
- American Heart Association. Carbohydrates. September 12, 2023.
- Eggs.ca. Eggs: How They Fit with Diabetes. Accessed October 15, 2025.
- American Diabetes Association. Alcohol and Diabetes. Accessed October 15, 2025.
