You’ll notice from the graphics I have caution tape and the word danger. Let me cut this off before the social media heat starts. Wendy and I fully support you choosing the little guy over the corporate monsters in your life. But there are some dangers and cautions you need to think of when hitting that local joint. So, how do you know if your local cafe is keto friendly? The simple answer is yes, the long answer depends on you.
We Found Out the Hard Way if Our Local Cafe is Keto
The point of this article stems from a little situation that arose while we were away for the weekend. We went down to a local spot to get some breakfast before hitting the road. We didn’t do any research or even look at the menu. Keto and breakfast go hand in hand, so we figured we had it covered.
When we arrived, they had a small buffet setup with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and all the carb loaded goodies we knew we weren’t going to touch. When we saw the eggs, bacon, and sausage we knew we were set. Since we were away for leisure, I cut loose a little and had a bit more than normal. What I had more of was the sausage. Turns out that sausage was loaded with sugar and quite quickly I started to feel sick.
Lessons Learned from the Carb Sausages
Obviously, this is on me. I broke all the rules we follow when out and about. I didn’t do any research, I didn’t ask any questions, and I made assumptions that turned out to hurt me in the end. The lesson I learned was the only danger in your local cafe to a keto lifestyle is yourself.
It’s very easy to look at the corporate monsters such as Starbucks and Tim Hortons and find out what’s in their food. A couple of clicks on their website and you have the information in your hand. That becomes very tricky with your local spot. It usually involves a lot of questions and them having to do extra work to please you. I’ve never had anyone refuse to help, but I always feel bad.
How to Find Out if Your Local Cafe is Keto
Questions. You need to ask questions. The information wasn’t readily available, so I should have talked to the server about all the items. I should have asked. Do you use milk or cream in the eggs? Do the sausages have any sugars in them? What kind of bacon do you use? It will create a little extra work for the server but in the end, you will be safe, and the business will have a repeat customer.
I can’t stress this enough. People are normally more than happy to go out of their way and help you. Most servers are used to dietary restrictions. Even better, with the growing popularity of keto, servers are starting to know exactly what questions to ask you to lessen the carbs. I got fajitas from a restaurant the other night and when I said no tortillas, he offered up lettuce leaves. Awesome.
If you don’t want to go through specifics, you can also just ask what brands they use if things aren’t homemade. As keto folk we often know what brands stay in line with our diets. For instance, here in Canada we know just by brand which bacon contains carbs and which doesn’t.
Is It Easier to Just Skip the Small Business?
It is easier. For instance, if I have a Starbucks and a local cafe side by side, I already know going in, Starbucks has heavy cream for my Americano. However, it will lead to a conversation and often disappointment at the small spot. That’s just me being lazy and not promoting keto properly. As a guy who prides himself on spreading the keto lifestyle you would think I would do better.
If I went into the local spot and asked for the heavy cream the worst thing that happens, is they don’t have it. But it could lead to putting a bug in the ear of that owner who thinks, “maybe I should carry heavy cream and attract some keto people.” That small question could lead to us having a new spot to grab coffee and socialize. Small business owners can’t fix the problem if they don’t know it exists.
If the Local Cafe is Keto… Support It
Now, we’ve gone in and ask the question about heavy cream. The owner has realized that maybe there is a market here to pick up on. This small business owner invests money in product and advertising, yet no one shows up. If you find out about a small cafe that is promoting the keto lifestyle, make sure you go out of your way to support them. They are taking a chance on something that is often mocked in the media. It’s a two-way street, if they support us, we should support them.
It turns out this little rant isn’t directed at the local cafe at all. It isn’t directed at the numerous advantages large chains have over small business or people’s unwillingness to assist. This little rant is directed at us in the keto space. The mission is two-fold. Ask the questions to start the conversation and support the outcome no matter how it falls.
Bill
