Where are you in your dietary plan? Are you handling most foods well?

My husband and I eat out lots. That is a double edged sword! I have a restaurant card from my surgeon that requests that I be allowed to eat as a child, from the children's menu (that leaves a lot to be desired!) pay the child's price at a buffet, or order a smaller portion of a regular menu item.

The only real restaurant that I've found that has good choices on the kid's menu is Longhorn Steakhouse. The other places sometimes have good choices on their appetizer menu. At Carrabas, I get crab cakes off the appetizer menu, with a small Caesar salad. I take half of it home. Ruby Tuesday, it's usually their blackened tilapia and green beans. I eat all the fish and about 2 bites of green beans. At Cracker Barrel, sometimes it's grilled chicken tenders with Caesar salad, sometimes it's chicken and dumplings with green beans. If I get the chicken and dumplings, I eat only the chicken (being a bit saucey, it goes down easy) and a few green beans. They are country style, so they are easy on the Frankentummy. Chilis, I get the grilled chicken southwest wrap and eat the insides only, and still do not finish all the lettuce. At Sweet Tomatoes, I make a very small salad with whatever looks good to me. Then, I go to the soup bar and pick 3oz. Of chicken out of the chicken noodle soup. I don't feel bad about doing that, either! :). They charge me the price for the child's buffet.

Most places have things for us to eat, you just have to get creative! Enjoy you outing!

Blessings,
Spotz

You could go to Olive Garden and have soup. Or Red Lobster and have shrimp.

I have eaten in most types of restaurants and I handle it several ways:
a. I will order an high protein app in lieu of an entree ie. shrimp cocktail.
b. I will share an entree with someone. For instance my husband ordered suppa de pece at an Italian restaurant with pasta on the side and I had a salad and ate some of the seafood. Restaurants portion generally are so large that you can share and still bring a doggy bag home.
c. If you are in a situation where you cannot share order something high protein and either have half packed when presented or eat what you estimate to be your serving and take the remainder home.
You can do this! Best to you. d

so here is what I have done, and hopefully some helpful pointers, you can order water to drink, but don't drink it (I found myself having to remember especially when others with you are drinking with their food.) I wou;d make sure you can go somewhere that you can order grilled chicken or grilled fish (if those foods agree with you) cut your meat into very small pieces, 1-its easier to chew 2- it takes longer to eat. if not everyone you will be with knows about the WLS and you want to keep it that way, just be prapared for comments/questions such as, is your food ok? are you just not hungry? you hardly eat anything! anf from the waitress as well -is everything ok with your meal? would you like a to go box? because you will be leaving a lot of food on your plate. the last time I had to eat with a work group I 'played with my food' to make it appear that I was still working on it (cut up more of my meat that I had no intention of eating, pushing my food around on the plate) striking up conversation at the table helps too. Have a wonderful time

i have a card as well that allows me to order off the kids menu however i haven't had to use the card. At village inn you can order off the kids menu but they are going to upcharge you because you are over 10.

IHOP i found is great because i can order there with no problem and i can get egg substitute as well as turkey bacon vs. regular bacon.

At Cracker Barrel i order off the kids menu no problem and i get chicken grilled with mash potatoes or something soft. (the kids meal is three tenders and i was only able to eat 1 1/2 piece and a couple forks of my potatoes) I always get water still playing mental game with wnating a soda but so far so good haven't had one. :) When my meal arrives i push my water glass further away from me so i don't have the temptation to drink.

I have found fish to be good for my pouch chicken i have come to realize that it irritates me.

As the others have said just make wise decisions. You will be fine, would love to hear about your experience with this outing.

I've been to several restaurants and my husband and I go to breakfast every Sunday. I order anything high in protein and I bring a lot home, which my kids love. One resturant I went to and orderd a chicken dish with roasted veggoes, the portion was so huge that I had leftovers for lunch 2 days and had to throw out the rest.
Go out have fun and enjoy the company you'll be keeping!
Shelley

I agree about the water. I used to say, "nothing to drink for me" and they'd keep pestering me the whole meal. Now, I ask for water right away and let it sit there.

I've had really good luck at Mexican restaurants. I ask for a small bowl of their seasoned chicken (whatever mix they use for their chimi's and enchiladas) and get some guacamole. Put the two together and Im in heaven!

JJ

Great ideas everyone! Thank you all for your input. I'll let you know how it goes!

There is a tapas restaurant that just opened in my area...and I have to say that I am tickled pink at that idea. (I live in a small town, so we are sort of late in getting this type of restaurant) We can go with friends...each order one of the appetizer sized entrees and share wonderful food. It means that I can try interesting and yummy items, yet I don't have to have a large plate of food in front of me. Excellent for portion control...and not feeling like I have a ridiculous amount of food in front in front of me.

I actually am still really early in this journey. I have been out several times and am still able to keep on my puree stage. I find that researching there menus online and I know exactly what I want and can have when I get there.

I often do what skinny does, read up and choose the best option for me ahead of time and then stick with it. Also, Eggface theworldaccordingtoeggface.com has a whole section on restaurant food that she has checked out that is good for WLS folks. I havejust learned, like Spoz says, to be creative.

Another Spotz phrase helps me: sandwich guts. Makes me laugh and reminds me I can eat lots of things I would put in a sandwich, I just leave the bread.

the only time that I have went out in one year was at Grizzly's and they took a card I had', and let me order half of an adults meal. It was excellent. I took the rest home and had meals for a couple days. I just never seem to see any stuff off of kids menus but breaded, mac andcheese and burgers, fries, and the breaded chicken or nugget stuff. Oh, when I ordered half the meal they charged me half the price.