[molly1029]

Hello! This is my first time posting. I had the gastric bypass a couple weeks ago and all. I'm trying to figure out what to order at restaurants. I have a job where I often eat out with people. I want to make sure that I order the best things for myself.

I know to follow the protein first rule. What has worked for any of you? What should I be cautious to avoid?

Thanks for your help!!
-Molly

[judijo]

My 2 cents here. Don't eat ANYTHING out that you haven't tried at home first.
Careful of sauces. sweet/oil can make you dump.
Can you tolerate veggies yet? Ask for well steamed (stress the word "soft"), not al dente. No sauce/butter.
Is this for dinner? For breakfast or lunch, you can have a side of cottage cheese.
If in a "ethnic" place, say "no rice".
And ask for a "to go" box at the beginning. Stress the importance of this. If the waitstaff "forgets", remind him/her as soon as you are served. You don't want anyone asking, "Is there anything wrong" when you just can't eat a large amount of the entree.

Once you are farther (>4-6 months) out and you have tried a wide variety of food, you can order almost anything and just take home what you don't eat. Even last night, I got three meals out of one trip to a Mexican place.

[Perfesser]

Avoid pasta, cream sauces, alcohol (especially alcohol!!!), and anything that is made with sugar, such as honey-glazed, BBQ sauce, sweet, or many other terms that mean the same thing that you may find in a menu description. Breads, rice and fried carefully. Fats in moderation.

I'll usually look for something with chicken or pork, maybe a chef's salad, maybe an appetizer portion of wings and a side salad (of which I don't eat much, but just having it avoids comment from others.)

Mexican has a lot of choices. The beans are usually safe, but you need to be cautious about the fats in them. I'll do surgery on a burrito by slicing it open and scooping out the guts.

Chinese is iffy at best. There are things on the buffet that you should be able to handle, but beware of the sauces and fried meats. As a general rule, the spicier, the less sugar.

You're still a ways out from trying any of this, but when you start to reintroduce solid foods, it's a really good idea to do so one thing at a time, and in a place where it won't be a problem to excuse yourself to go into the bathroom and puke your guts out, or maybe it'll make its escape the other way. Until you know, go real slow!!

CT

[johnms]

Chili works well for me. Chicken dishes, meatloaf, chopped steak, you can find something if you just look all over the menu. I come right out front with the server and tell them that I have had Gastric Bypass and I will not need anything to drink and if I don't eat much it is not because I don't like it, it is just because I can't eat much. You will be surprised how many servers have dealt with this before and are very understanding.

[judijo]

Perfesser just reminded me of my first restaurant meal (where I just didn't nosh on hub's plate)...

It was wings. Red Robin's. I made sure they were not battered. I asked for them without sauce (the "buffalo" sauce is usually added after baking).
that was also the first restaurant meal where I "fit" in the booth!

[DocSanae]

Welcome to the board, thank you for joining us.
Congratulations on joining the Losers's Bench.
(((((HUGS))))) May your journey go well.

In the beginning everything about eating will be trial and error. Always be sure to have a safe *backup* snack with you just in case things don't work out when you try to eat out.

[SummerBreeze]

Welcome to the board...I am 4 months out and today i had chinese , shrimp pea pods..so yummy , steamed shrimp, lots of pea pods , which i love and was surprised i could eat them so soon..just pulled the string off of them lol , brought mos tof it home and ate again tonight on it , gave hubby the rice.....I agree with CT , dont eat out until you try it ar first on your own , my first exp I on the way to the car....my pouch was 2 months old and just didnt enjoy mexican then , still havent ate mexican since lol..which was something I could eat when nothing else sounded good before surgery...good luck and let us know how your eating out adventure goes...oh and Sizzler makes a habachi chicken i really like now , and the sauce is on the side so you can use to your discretion... , hugs , Annie

[bluedelight]

My job also presented many occasions for me to eat out, in restaurants or at events (cocktail parties etc.).

In the beginning when I had a business lunch I stuck with soup (the first 2 months post op). My doctor wan't too pleased as he preferred I chose something solid however I never had any gagging episodes with the soup, never felt too full or too empty afterwards, made certain the soup I chose had protein and other goodies.

For cocktail parties and similar events where waiters would bring you items as you stood and talked, I ate nothing at all and would either eat before I attended or afterwards. A glass or water replaced a glass of wine and I was just fine with that.

Its a real challenge at restaurants even a year out. I don't do salads at all as there is too much water in lettuce. Many of the foods are fatty or breaded or generally not good for our diets.

My wife wants us to go out for meals as a treat, I prefer to eat at home because I am challenged about what to choose and usually don't enjoy the meals I have in restaurants any longer.

[FinallyForMe]

I am a big fan of shrimp at restaurants. You can usually get something to dip it in (FF dressing, etc). I also choose soups, since I know at least they won't get stuck. Since I eat so little, out food bills are WAY down. A few weeks ago I order an appetizer (coconut shrimp - ate one) and a cup of chili. I took almost all of it home and it was so yummy. My hubby eats my leftovers, since they don't go down well. I do get funny looks from wait staff and many ask me if everything was OK, but I always feel like I'm doing so well eating anything... I just tell them I don't eat much . Then I feel like the skinny bitch I aspire to be!

Good luck and try, but be careful.
-Kath

[dixieladybug]

I think C T nailed it " Until you know, go real slow!!"