Cafes - should I just stay away?

[BursarsFrogs]

I'm thinking ahead of the bootcamp, and I can see this being an issue for me. DH and I often mosey down to one of our local cafes on a weekend morning for some pancakes or muffins and a milky coffee. It gets us out of the house, we have a nice chat, all good except all the carbs. My friends and I also have a habit of meeting in a cafe for long chats and eating and drinking while we're there. And quite often I have extra hour or two to kill downtown between appointments and things to do, and spend it getting a coffee and a snack and reading in a cafe.

Are there actually any cafes in this whole country that serve anything low carb? I can't think of anything offhand! Or will I just have to suck it up and stick to a black coffee? (Or stay away, to avoid temptation...)

[LaurieFairyCake]

Full English breakfast - no toast or hash browns

Bacon/sausage/egg/ ( count carbs in beans and tomatoes/mushrooms)

[BursarsFrogs]

Good idea, thanks. I need to have a look this weekend at the menus to see what's available, but I'm pretty sure pancake place does full English type stuff at least. Costa doesn't seem to do anything that looks even remotely low carb, sadly, so I'll be sticking to coffee it seems when meeting friends there. Need to eat at home before going!

[GlitteryShoes]

Costa sometimes have bags of nuts. I sometimes take a handful of nuts with me and that seems to work ok with my coffee.

[WanHeda]

I meet my friends for lunch, most cafes do a salad and fruit teas.

[ProfYaffle]

I find places like Costa, Greggs, tea shops etc really hard on low carb. There are lots of cafes around though that will do omelette, salads or full English as a pp said. Pub Grub is very often quite easy, if I only want a snack I'll sometimes have just a starter, prawns, chicken skewers, that kind of thing.

[BursarsFrogs]

I'm going to use the time pre-bootcamp to look up places that might do low carb things. Come to think of it, I've had lunch in various places round here with gluten-free DM who usually orders a big salad with some meat or fish in it. I guess in most places you can replace chips with a salad as a side anyway, so having a proper meal shouldn't be a problem. I guess I should aim to do less snacking anyway...

[mybrainhurtsalot]

I've found my local Costa will give me a little pot of pouring cream for my coffee.

[BestIsWest]

Most places (Costa, Starbucks, Nero etc) will give you cream for your coffee.

[ihatethecold]

Soup can be low carb just leave the bread roll

[WanHeda]

Take a pepperami in your handbag!

[BIWI]

Soup can also be surprisingly high carb - potato is often used as a thickener!

Independent cafes IME tend to be more flexible than chains. I've given up hoping to be able to buy anything other than coffee in Starbucks/Costa/Caffe Nero, etc.

[stilllovingmysleep]

Pret a manger is really great for low carb. Not only do they have good low carb salads; they also have what they call little protein pots, with boiled eggs, roast chicken and veg: perfect for snacks. I do appreciate though that Pret is not quite a cafe in the same way.

At Costa etc I just have black coffee and nuts which I bring with me.

At any other nice cafe they will usually have option of omelettes / scrambled eggs / other eggs. I usually have with mushrooms / spinach.

[ihatethecold]

Pret also do crayfish salad with avocado that's low carb.

[oldlaundbooth]

Bursars, interesting question, I'm starting Bootcamp too, and like spending time in cafes too!

So just a normal Americano with a splash of milk wouldn't really be recommended on Bootcamp? Black is better?

[oldlaundbooth]

I've seen the Protein meals in Starbucks too, cheese, nuts, egg, veggies etc.

[stilllovingmysleep]

I've never seen any low carb meals in Starbucks! Really surprised

[BursarsFrogs]

Sadly no Pret in our little town, but something to keep in mind when being out and about elsewhere, thanks.

oldlaund milk has quite a bit of carbs, and a I think a "splash" can be surprisingly large if you're not measuring it. Cream is a less sugary option, but I personally prefer the taste of black coffee to that with cream.

[oldlaundbooth]

Thanks, Bursars.

Think I'll stick to black cawfee too - cream is a bit ugh to me too.

[BursarsFrogs]

I had a look yesterday at the menu of our "pancake place" (it's a Lounge - I think they're a chain?) and on top of English breakfast type things they have a salad that you can add meat/fish/halloumi, and several tapas options that sound perfect. I'm really looking forward to trying them out! :)