Adventures in fast food, Keto style

Sometimes, a ketonian can't eat home-cooked meals at home. This was the case when I recently made a visit to my 91-year-old mother in Menominee, Michigan. Usually in the past I have gone off my diet to eat with my mom where she likes to eat, but now because of my health concerns with T2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease, I had to be tougher.

For lunch, I made a run to the local Burger King in Menominee, MI. This local restaurant has been notorious to my family for decades for getting orders wrong. Usually adding unwanted toppings like ketchup and mustard when you have explained nine times what you want.

As usual, our burgers had unwanted ketchup and mustard on it, and lacked some of the things we did want, such as a tomato (for my mom's) and onion (for me.) Well, when I was discarding my buns, I used a knife to scrape off my unwanted ketchup and mustard, but I could still taste the nastiness. Also, I noted when the Burger King burgers were decarbed and de-mustarded, the remaining burger was dry and not very tasty, even though it had cheese on it. Since our receipt urged us to participate in a customer satisfaction survey, I told them exactly what I thought of their wrong order and their history of the same. [Note: the Burger King logo above is in Hebrew--- the chain has a kosher outlet or two in Israel.]

For supper I went out to Culver's in Marinette, Wisconsin--- just across the river from Menominee. I got home with our order--- my mom doesn't like to go out much anymore--- and proceeded to de-bun my swiss cheese and mushroom burger. I found that the burger was much less dry than the Burger King offering. Note: I have no clue what the carb count on any of these de-bunned burgers was. The Culver's burger didn't appear to have any sauce or other forms of added carbs once the bun was off. And, also, I was able to order a side of green beans. The Burger King had no salad or vegetables whatsoever. They should have posted a warning that their 'food' was not suitable for children!

Fast food burgers are not exactly a major food group within the keto lifestyle, but sometimes we just don't have the opportunity for a home made meal. Or we have other people to consider. De-bunned burgers are not ideal, but they are a way to stick to keto eating while not staying at home alone forever.

NOTE: in neither restaurant did I ask for a burger without the bun. I felt it would be too confusing to the people at the restaurant. I DID have a bag with some paper plates and some plastic knives and forks ready in case my mother wanted to come out to the restaurants and eat there. I would not be too embarrassed to de-bun my burger in full view of the public! After all, I am in charge of what and how I eat the food I've paid for.