Help carb counting???

[rgrgray]

Okay here is my problem! Im having problems counting carbs in meals for ex. lasagna chinese food .... I know that protein has no or very little carbs, veg have 15 per 1/2 cup etc. etc. I know how to count carbs on pre packaged goods. milk cheese fruit snacks cookies etc... how do you plan your meals for dinner, lunch , especially when going out to dinner.. fast food is easy to find the carbs but restraunts are another story. Help tell me your story:confused:

[Amy C.]

Some restaurants have a pamplet of the nutitional value of their food available in a printed form, or on the web. Other times, you can make an educated guess based on know the values when eating the same food at home.

Be careful about the vegetiables -- most don't have any carbohydrates and many it takes nearly a cup to make 15 grams.

When we eat out, I often bring my book of nutitional info and look up the food that my child is eating.

[cydnimom]

When we eat out I often go on-line to see if they have some published nutritional information. I use calorieking.com often. Even if its a spur of the moment thing I'll check when I get home to get more accurate info and then adjust insulin if needed.

Other times I try to order food that is separate rather than casserole like. I order my stuff on the side - so if its pasta I order the sauce separately, or gravy on the side. I'm pretty good at eyeballing portion sizes. For things like lasagna, I will usually compare them to what I make at home so I am familiar with the portion size and the carb count.

Chinese food is a tough one because of the fat content and the amount of sugar used in their sauces. I try and compare them to products I am familiar with - so I know that a Tbsp of plum sauce or sweet & sour sauce that I use is 7 carbs, so I usually eyeball it then add some and usually I'm not too far off.

You have to be careful with veggies because they are obviously not all equal. Some are more dense than others and a 1/2 c. does not always equal 15 carbs.

[Eoin'sMam]

there's a great little book..the Collins Gem guide to carb counting...handy to bring in your bag or even small enough for your pocket..i find it really useful...you get used to gauging the amount of carbs on a plate after a while...like everything it's practice practice