Are you a fan of Pei Wei dining? If so, you might be wondering how to make Pei Wei fit into the keto diet.
Pei Wei is a popular pan-Asian restaurant chain, and some of its menu items could fit the keto diet as long as the carb count is under 20 grams of carbs. Even those that don’t may have substitutions you can make that can improve the nutrition profile.
How can you eat keto at Pei Wei? Take a look at a few possible menu items below.
How To Eat Low Carb at Pei Wei
If you are interested in eating low-carb at Pei Wei, some of the tips you need to follow include:
Take Advantage of the Online Order Feature
Even though it is fun to go out to Pei Wei from time to time, you will have an easier time following the keto diet if you order online. When you go to the restaurant, the nutrition facts are not always on the menu; however, if you use the online ordering feature, you can quickly and easily take a look at the carb count of each meal. This makes it easier to see what is keto and what is not.
Customize Your Entrees
You should feel free to customize your entrees. Most of the meals are made fresh, and you can customize your dishes to remove certain items that might be packed with carbs. If you want to reduce the carb count of your meals at Pei Wei, target the sauces. They tend to be high in carbohydrates, and removing the sauce or swapping it for a different one can be a way to reduce the carb count.
Cut the Entree in Half
Anyone who has been to Pei Wei knows that the meals are enormous. Some of them are meant to be shared by multiple people. Therefore, you can reduce the carb count by cutting the entrees in half. Or, you should plan to take some of the meal home so you don’t consume so many carbohydrates at the same time.
What are a few menu options at Pei Wei Asian Restaurants that could fit the keto diet?
Keto Options at Pei Wei for a Low Carb Diet
Now, let’s take a look at a few menu options at Pei Wei. Keep in mind that the number of carbohydrates you see below is for the meal ordered as is without any changes.
A few possible menu items for the keto diet at Pei Wei include:
Crab Wontons
The crab wontons at Pei Wei can be delicious. A single crab wonton has 85 calories. The crab wontons also have 5 grams of fat and 7 grams of carbohydrates per wonton. There are no grams of sugar and 1 gram of dietary fiber in a single wonton.
Even though 1 crab wonton might not necessarily knock you out of ketosis, you need to be careful with how many you eat. A single prop wanton is unlikely to be a meal, so you will need to limit the number of carbohydrates you consume if you eat one of these wontons.
Furthermore, keep in mind that your wontons may come with optional dipping sauces. If you use these optional dipping sauces, you could end up with more carbs. Try to stay away from them.
Chicken and Vegetable Dumplings, Steamed
If you go to Pei Wei, you have two options for the chicken and vegetable dumplings. The first option is to get them steamed, and the second option is to get them fried. It is healthier to get them steamed, so this is probably the option you will choose.
A single vegetable dumpling at Pei Wei contains 30 calories, one gram of fat, and 4 grams of carbs. One dumpling also contains one gram of sugar and one gram of dietary fiber.
Similar to the wontons, a single dumpling is unlikely to knock you out of ketosis. Just watch how many of them you eat. You may also want to stay away from the dipping sauces, as they often contain more carbs.
Yum Yum Shrimp
Many people also love to order the Yum Yum shrimp appetizer at Pei Wei. Unfortunately, this meal contains a fair number of carbohydrates. One order of yum yum shrimp at Pei Wei contains a handful of shrimp, but also 16 grams of carbohydrates. The dish also contains 1 gram of fiber and 9 grams of sugar. This appetizer alone may not knock you out of ketosis, but it could come pretty close. If you would need to watch the rest of what you eat at the restaurant closely.
Vegetable Spring Rolls
One of the most popular Asian menu items is vegetable spring rolls. Of course, Pei Wei has its own version. A single vegetable spring roll has 120 calories. It also contains 6 grams of fat, 15 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of sugar.
Even though one of these spring rolls is unlikely to halt ketosis, you need to be careful with how many you eat. You also need to think about what else you will order at the restaurant.
You also need to be very careful about using dipping sauce. This could knock you out of ketosis if you use too much of it.
Crab Wonton Soup
You might also be thinking about ordering the crab wonton soup. A single cup of this soup has 70 calories. It also contains 2 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbs, zero fiber, and zero sugar. You might be able to eat a cup of this soup without ruining ketosis, but you would need to be careful about what else you eat.
Is Pei Wei Keto Friendly?
In general, the mules from Pei Wei are not keto-friendly. Even though you might be able to eat the appetizers without knocking yourself out of ketosis, most of the entrees contain way too many carbohydrates. Therefore, you need to be very careful about how much of the food you eat and the meals you choose.
Are the Salads at Pei Wei Keto Friendly?
The salads at Pei Wei are generally not keto-friendly. For example, the Asian chopped salad contains 44 grams of carbs and the Poke Bowl contains 88 grams of carbs. If you want to make these salads keto-friendly, you might be able to hold the dressing. If you remove the dressing, you can significantly reduce the number of carbohydrates, possibly making these salads keto-friendly. You should also consider saving some of the salad for later to reduce the number of carbs you consume in one sitting.
