Going to Ireland on Vacation need advice
 

This is a question for anyone who lives in or travels to Ireland.

This may be the strangest question. I am going to Ireland for two weeks and it is my first big vacation low carbing. I have lost 75 pounds over the last year and really don't want to ruin it. Last time I was in Ireland, 10 years ago, I remember lots of potatoes, stews, bread. I will be traveling with 8 other people eating out most meals at resturants and pubs. How difficult will it be for me to stay low carb? I am sure breakfast will be fine with eggs and bacon, but what about lunch and dinner? We are going to a very touristy castle banquet the first night and I don't think there is anything low carb on the fixed menu (below)

Aperitif – Bunratty Mead
~
Spiced Parsnip Soup
~
Spare Ribs with Honey & Whiskey Sauce
~
Breast of Chicken with Apple & Mead sauce,
served with potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
~
Rastin
(Fruit of the Forest Mousse on a Biscuit Base
~
Coffee / Tea
~
Vegetarian Tartlet
Tomato and Buffalo mozzarella tart with red Onion Marmalade, garlic aioli.


I am afraid I am either going to starve to death or gain 20 pounds in two weeks. Any advice from those who have traveled in Ireland or those who live there would be so appreciated!!! Any help would be appreciated. I may be panicking for nothing. Can you get hamburgers or chicken caeser salads there?

I live in Ireland and generally have no problem low carbing.

In places with set meals, imply that you are diabetic and/or allergic to gluten, and ask for meat to be served without sauces and for green veg or salad instead of anything you don't like the sound of. They are used to it. Cheese plate instead of dessert, and whipped cream in coffee.

The Irish breakfast is a good start to the day, as long as you ruthlessly dump all the toast and beans etc, and stick to the eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms etc.

Every half-way decent restaurant will serve you steak, chicken or fish with salad or green veg. Even the fast food places now all have chicken salad as an option.

Most pubs do a carvery lunch, so go heavy on the meat etc, skip the spuds.

Carry a packet of nuts, or a ringpull tin of fish for those very rare times when you are really doing badly, but honestly, you should be fine.

Guinness, unfortunately, is lower carb than most beers, but still pretty high.

are you doing the banquet at the Bunratty Castle?
I did it, and there was tons of chix, some beef and lots and lots of root veggies. The wine was quite good. ;)

i did Ireland for 7 days, never got over to Dublin, but stayed on the west coast.
I pretty much lived on the ham and cabbage dish they serve everywhere..
and the Irish breakfast that all the B&B's cook up for you.

This is what the typical Irish breakfast looks like... ignore the croissant. that was my travelers breakfast.



I wasn't impressed with the food in Ireland, so I pretty much lived on the fish chowder, knowing that it had loads of veggies and a flour base..
but...i survived. :)

enjoy your trip.
try to spend some time in Cork and Kinsale.. Lovely little villages!
are you going to kiss the Blarney Stone?
:wave:

Thanks for your help Helen and Pilot Gal

I am well into my trip now, and yes I kissed the Blarney Stone yesterday! I am pretty much staying on the west coast except for the last two days. I am in Waterford today, going on to Kilkenny and then to see the Rock of Cashel. My low carb has been easier than I had expected, except for the first night at Bunratty Castle. I had some parsnip soup, which I am sure had flour in it and the spare ribs had some sweet sauce on it. But after that I am having eggs and bacon for breakfast, a salad of some sort for lunch and a steak or beef burger for dinner. The hardest thing is resisting all of the potato dishes and sweets. I did break down and have a dark chocolate bar last night. It wasn't 85% lindt so I am sure it had too many carbs. Hopefully it won't do too much damage. Thanks again!