If you've recently begun following a low-carb eating plan, which requires you to steer clear of most starchy vegetables, grain products, and fruits, eating out may seem intimidating. You cannot order the burger, pizza, or club sandwich you used to order prior to adopting this lifestyle, and even common side dishes like French fries and rolls are off the menu.

Don't despair. You don't have to sit at home while your friends go out to eat, or relegate yourself to only ordering a side salad. With these low-carb dining tips for beginners, you can eat out with confidence and without blowing your diet plan.

Consider ordering a burger or chicken sandwich without the bun.

You might cry at the thought that you can never have your favorite burger or chicken sandwich again -- but you actually can! Burgers themselves are low in carbohydrates. It's the bun that's loaded in starch. Order your favorite burger without the bun, and you have a delicious meal. As low-carb dieting has become more common, restaurants have become accustomed to this request and most will gladly accommodate you. Some will even wrap your burger in lettuce, so you can eat it out of hand instead of with a knife and fork.

Order a meal salad -- and pay close attention to the ingredients.

Meal salads are great choices in the low-carb diet, since they tend to consist of meats and vegetables. Just pay close attention to the ingredients before you order one -- you don't want a salad with a mountain of croutons or a side of pita. If a salad that sounds delicious to you comes with these ingredients, ask for them to be left off. This way, you won't be tempted to eat them when your meal comes.

Say no to the fries up front.

If your meal comes with fries, ask your server if you can substitute a small side salad or a cooked vegetable. If the answer is "no," simply ask for your meal to be delivered without the fries, so you're not tempted to indulge in them, and then order a separate side salad if you feel you need something besides your main course to eat.

Ask for any bread baskets to be taken away.

Many people have trouble resisting fresh, warm bread. Your willpower might be super high when you first sit down, but the longer than bread basket sits in front of you, the greater the chances that you'll cave in. To avoid temptation, ask for the bread basket to be taken off your table. If you're dining with others who do plan on eating bread, let them serve themselves what they want, and then ask for the basket to be taken away before you give into temptation and eat that last slice.

Order water to drink.

Soft drinks are terribly high in carbs, as is beer. If you're a fan of diet soda, you could indulge. However, there are studies that suggest that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda make people crave sweets later on. If you don't want to be craving cookies and sweets later that night, your best bet is to order a simple water. If your dining partners are enjoying alcoholic beverages and you want to partake, liquor on the rocks is a good low-carb choice. You could also order a simple vodka or rum and tonic if you're not a fan of plain liquor.

As you get more accustomed to eating low-carb, dining out won't seem like such a challenge. Get in the habit of following the tips above, and before long, you'll know just what to order and how to avoid the temptation of fries and bread without giving it much thought.