Dining Out With Diabetes: Mexican Restaurants (With Checklist)

Let’s face it, eating out is something we all like to do. It’s relaxing, convenient, and fun to let someone else worry about what to cook. For people with diabetes, it’s important to keep an eye on your plate – whether you’re at home or at a restaurant. It can be a challenge to find healthy options, but it’s possible. Mexican restaurants offers fresh ingredients with big flavors. With careful planning, people with diabetes can enjoy wholesome Mexican foods too.

Mexican Foods: Learn the Language

Should you order the Grande Chicken Taco Salad or the Chicken Fajita Salad? Or maybe you should you try the Chimichanga? The salads basically sound the same, right? No, not exactly. Both of the salads, from On the Border, are made with chicken and lettuce, but one of them comes in a big (grande) taco shell. The Grande Chicken Salad has about 1,280 calories and 75 grams of carbs, while the Fajita Chicken Salad has about 750 calories and 25 grams of carbs. The fried tortilla shell makes a big difference in calories and the extra large taco shell just provides more carbohydrates! Otherwise, a chicken salad with vegetables and even beans is a healthy diabetes meal option.

Watch Out For Taco Toppings, Too

Toppings at Mexican restaurants can add big flavor. However, sometimes they may add extra unnecessary carbohydrates (and calories) to otherwise healthy meal options. Taco Bell offers an alternative to high-calorie toppings like cheese/queso and sour cream. Their new fresco menu has tacos, burritos, and salads made with fresh tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. You get great flavor with fewer calories. Likewise, places such as Moe’s Southwestern Grill and Chipotle have “salad bars” where you can pick what goes in and on your food. You have more control over how your food is prepared. So go ahead and eat your grilled chicken taco with a side of black beans, but don’t go overboard with the “icing.”

Can People with Diabetes Drink Alcohol

Yes, alcohol needs to be addressed in your diabetic meal plan. Some drinks are going to have fewer calories than others. A light Mexican beer (for example, Corona Light) has about 110 calories, but a Margarita could have up to 350 calories. Alcohol may cause a delay in blood glucose dip – it is particularly of a concern if you are taking insulin. If you choose to have a drink, drink with a meal consists of some carbohydrate choices to prevent hypoglycemia. The American Diabetes Association recommends that, in general, people with diabetes should have 1 to 2 drinks per day.

Mexican Food Dos & Donts Checklist for Diabetes

Mexican restaurants can definitely be a good option for people with diabetes. They offer low-calorie and low-carb options like beans, grilled veggies, and chicken, not to mention flavorful salsas made with fresh tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Use the following checklists to guide your way.

Avoid:

• dishes made with fried tortillas (chimichangas, taquitos, empanadas)
• refried beans with cheese/queso
• sour cream
• excess tortilla chips
• “sweet” alcohol drinks like cocktails
• ground beef dishes
• large platters of nachos

Enjoy More:

• beans, grilled chicken, or steak (not ground beef) fillings
• entrees made with soft flour tortillas (burritos, tostadas, carnitas)
• grilled lime-flavored shrimp
• bean enchiladas with cilantro and onions on top
• tasty salsas
• fresh sauteed veggies
• a small amount of guacamole or fresh avocado salad
• grilled chicken or steak fajitas – lunch portions are great options
• fresh salads with grilled chicken (skip the giant tortilla shell)
• tortilla soup