Sugar Free Menu Choices

My good lady is diabetic and very aware of the amount of sugar that is served up in our meals particularly in deserts. In Europe it is very commonplace to find a sugar free alternatives to just about every sweet, desert even to cakes and biscuits. In the UK this has become more difficult although, strangely, gluten free is on offer just about everywhere. Although we have cruised with Cunard twice, always in grills, we have not noticed any sugar free alternatives on menus. Does anybody know if that is still the case or if Cunard now offer, as a general rule, sugar free items on their menus in the grills or in Britannia restaurant?

Peter and Jenny

You said that you sailed on Cunard twice before. Have you specifically informed them before sailing that your wife needs a diabetic diet? If you specifically register this need you will be presented with the next day's menus the evening before. If they don't know your needs they will just present the standard menus.

You said that you sailed on Cunard twice before. Have you specifically informed them before sailing that your wife needs a diabetic diet? If you specifically register this need you will be presented with the next day's menus the evening before. If they don't know your needs they will just present the standard menus.

The problem with "Diabetic" menus, which we have asked for on numerous occasions, not just with cruise lines, is that they simply remove all the items form the menu that contain any sugar. Thus you are presented with a "safe" menu that is bland and boring. Given the amount of sugar substitutes, Xylitol and Stevia to name but two, that exist these days (we cook with them all the time at home) you would think it would not be beyond the whit of the very excellent chefs in most cruise lines kitchens to produce tasty diabetic safe meals. Hence my question. Last year Queens Grill did not have such products so I was merely asking if anybody knew if they have now started using them.

Perhaps I should add that the only cruise line, out of the many we have sailed on, that we have found so far to offer such alternatives as standard was P&O but that is not necessarily a recommendation to cruise with them!

Peter and Jenny

I would have thought there was a better chance of sugar free items being available if you have notified Cunard ahead of time.

There is usually a low sugar dessert (not sugar free) option on the menu and the Spa options have dietary information shown.

There are always sugar free options available in the Buffet. Special diet requests need to be forwarded to Cunard when booking or via the Cruise Personaliser.

The staff are very good at managing special diets and offering alternatives.

Although my husband was actually needing a slightly different dietary adjustment, by alerting the dining staff, he was presented with not only alternative menus the day before but also had regular menu items adjusted to fit his dietary requirements. In Britannia here's a special section in the kitchen to handle these requests but they need notice.

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... Given the amount of sugar substitutes.. that exist these days...you would think it would not be beyond the whit of the very excellent chefs in most cruise lines kitchens to produce tasty diabetic safe meals....

Baking - sugar = chemical flop

Any commercial kitchen runs into that problem because sugar substitutes don't behave the same way as sugar, and some even break down completely when heated. WIth at least four sugar substitues in the main "grocery store" market which one is acceptable to all diabetics? "Which one did the kitchen use? Can't have that. I can only use Stevia."

This article may be of interest: Baking with Sugar Substitutes

My good lady is diabetic and very aware of the amount of sugar that is served up in our meals particularly in deserts. In Europe it is very commonplace to find a sugar free alternatives to just about every sweet, desert even to cakes and biscuits. In the UK this has become more difficult although, strangely, gluten free is on offer just about everywhere. Although we have cruised with Cunard twice, always in grills, we have not noticed any sugar free alternatives on menus. Does anybody know if that is still the case or if Cunard now offer, as a general rule, sugar free items on their menus in the grills or in Britannia restaurant?

 

 

 

Peter and Jenny

On the Britannia Restaurant menu there’s always Canyon Ranch Spa suggestions. Once when I didn’t fancy any of the normal desserts I plumped for the one on the Spa list. It definitely had sweetener instead of sugar. I’m a T1 diabetic and reckon 20 carbs for a Cunard dessert. Unfortunately I injected insulin to cover 20 and it wasn’t anything like that and my blood sugar went too low!

I think your wife will have some choice of low sugar dessert and I’ve even had a low sugar ice cream - simply because I can never resist maple walnut!

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Currently on QE and low sugar options available at all meals and even at afternoon tea if you ask for them, not all are great but some are lovely and better than the other sugared versions. Don’t miss the low sugar crumbles and custard they are yummy and they definitely don’t spike the blood glucose. It tasted so good I checked straight away. Wish I’d asked for the recipe. They will also provide low sugar ice cream if you give 5em some advance warning. Plenty of sugar free jams etc too. Pity they are not calorie free lol

On the Britannia Restaurant menu there’s always Canyon Ranch Spa suggestions. Once when I didn’t fancy any of the normal desserts I plumped for the one on the Spa list. It definitely had sweetener instead of sugar. I’m a T1 diabetic and reckon 20 carbs for a Cunard dessert. Unfortunately I injected insulin to cover 20 and it wasn’t anything like that and my blood sugar went too low!

I think your wife will have some choice of low sugar dessert and I’ve even had a low sugar ice cream - simply because I can never resist maple walnut!

 

 

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Currently on QE and low sugar options available at all meals and even at afternoon tea if you ask for them, not all are great but some are lovely and better than the other sugared versions. Don’t miss the low sugar crumbles and custard they are yummy and they definitely don’t spike the blood glucose. It tasted so good I checked straight away. Wish I’d asked for the recipe. They will also provide low sugar ice cream if you give 5em some advance warning. Plenty of sugar free jams etc too. Pity they are not calorie free lol

Thank you both for those comments. Jennifer is T2 so very aware that she needs to control her diet as well as taking medication. She is now looking forward to investigating the desert situation on QV in September and QM2 in December '19!

Peter and Jenny

I wonder if the nutrition label is available. I count carbs closely.

The only nutritional information I have seen is for the spa selection, it gives calories, fat & fibre but not carbs.

That's too bad (for my diabetes), but thanks for the reply Host Hattie.

That's too bad (for my diabetes), but thanks for the reply Host Hattie.

I know! Crumbs! It would make my life so much easier if all food came with a bar code! Lol. However, through trial and error I have learned that eating what I want within reason, the 3 course evening meal including a small brown roll in the Britannia Restaurant works out to be between 50 and 55 grams of carbs. Obviously it’s easy to go less. Drop the bread, have the salad to start, don’t eat the starchy main accompaniment and you can always go for the low cal dessert or ask for berries and cream!

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Pleasantly surprised by cunards nutritional support. They go above & beyond to help you. Canyon ranch, sugar free , gluten free is very available including large special areas in the Kings court. I've encouraged family to try Cunard due to food allergies.

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Got home from QV today and one of our table companions was diabetic and the waiter happily brought him a “diabetic dessert” each evening

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I follow a ketogenic diet and restrict my carbs significantly , on my last 2 cruises with Cunard, I notified them before we sailed and they catered for my diet. I don’t normally have a sweet dessert, usually opt for cheese with nuts olives and celery. However I did occasionally ask for strawberries with whipped cream or a pannacotta. On QE the chef made me a lovely sugar free chocolate mousse and trifle. I am not sure which sweetner they used and I did not enquire as it was a treat and I did not eat them every night.

I normally take liquid stevia with me when I travel as well as chocolate made with stevia or 85 % coco solid greens and black, this is if I need something sweet with my coffee.

Does Cunard include stevia-based sugar substitute packets, along with the usual mix of pink/yellow/blue packets?

No, I did not see any stevia sweeteners only sweet and low and a sucralose one which I think was canderel this had maltodextrin in. I take my own liquid stevia as well as coconut oil and almond milk. The alternative milks they supply are also high carb although you can get cream for your coffee.

I asked the chef. The response was that instead of sugar they use fructose. I was unhappy about that, so all my desserts were unsweetened (platter of cheese). While fructose does not elevate blood sugar levels, it does spike insulin. It’s very bad choice for diabetics. Those who recommend using it for diabetics use 1950s science, before the discovery of what insulin does. It’s pretty sad, actually.