Learning how to function with a band can be a little challenging. Places like this forum are a good place to share your insights and tips that you think others might want to know. So please let us know what your stragegies are for eating out.

Here are some of my favorites.

#1. Don't be afraid to take stuff home or even just let it go

#2. Share. Why order an entire portion if you can just have a little off your family member's plate. After all, most restaurants serve enough for two. You'll be doing them a favor anyway by reducing their calorie count. Admittedly, not a good strategy if you are on a first date, but with family it works pretty well.

#3. My personal favorite...Order off the 'sides' menu. Portions are closer to what we people should be eating anyway. Generally sides consist of veggies so your off to a good start for making a healthy decision.

#4. Order a CUP of Soup, not a bowl if they offer it.

#5. Know, before you go. If possible, know what the restaurant has to offer. We know our favorite restaurants and wether or not they have anything our bands will tolerate.

#6. Never be afraid to just have a drink & chat. I used to meet a friend a lot for lunch several times a week. She would get a little freaked when I wouldn't order. I couldn't eat anything at the sandwich shop she liked to go to. I spoke up and told the truth..."There's not much here I can eat but I don't care, I just want to hang out with you and talk. I appreciate our time together. If I'm not distracted by eating I can really listen to what's going on in your life."

What are your favorite restaurant dining tips?

We eat mostly at chain restaurants, and they all have their calories on the menu (it's a law here), or have a supplemental menu with the calories. That helps. I try to look before I go... I'm surprised, some places, it's actually not that bad. I've had good luck lately at Panera Bread, Red Lobster (the best!), Mimi's Cafe, Chili's (fajitas!) and even Cheesecake Factory has a few things (their portions are huge, you could make 2 or 3 meals out of their "weight management" meals even) and a few others. Where I can find a good meal, that isn't a HUGE portion for under 500 calories, and I can't generally eat the whole thing.

You can usually find grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp, and veggies at any restaurant. If you look for something that is Protein that isn't fried or in a sauce you should be good. Or I like sushi, if you get one roll that doesn't have some kind of sauce all over it or is fried it's not bad.

DON'T EVER GET AN ENTREE salad. I'm sorry, but I haven't seen one restaurant salad, with dressing, for under 1000 calories.

The worst place I've seen is California pizza Kitchen. The calories were so high on everything I had to get a cup of minestrone. Mimi's is pretty bad too, but they have a "light and fit menu" with things under 600 calories.

I split off what I am going to eat immediately. I just push the extra over to the other side or draw a "line" and once I finish my portion, I stop eating and take the rest home.

Ask for a to-go box when your meal is delivered. Put everything you expect to NOT eat in the box, and set it aside. Leave your meal portion on the plate. Eat it at your own pace while socializing with your dinner companions. When the plate is clean, you're done eating, just like everyone else at the table. No more "I'm not very hungry" embarrassing questions, or making your companions feel weird while you sit with a mostly uneaten meal watching as they eat.

Dave

I will admit that I was scared to death to eat out after I first got banded. Also, I have not eaten at a fast food place since before I started the preop diet on November 8th.

When my family goes out to eat, I order off the kid's menu if the restaraunt allows it. If not, my husband and I will share a meal. Sometimes, I get my own adult meal and take over half of it home and eat on it for a few more meals.

The trick is to plan ahead. Look online and see if the restaraunt has a nutritional guide on their website. You may be surprised at the amount of calories in some of the choices you would think are safe. I always thought seafood was a safe choice, but it is often much higher in calories than chicken. Of course, this all depends on what seasonings, sauces, toppings, etc. are used.

We went to Chili's last weekend and I hadn't checked the nutrional guide before we left the house. I thought it would be safe to order an appetizer portion of their boneless buffalo wings. After placing my order, I used my cell phone to google their nutritional guide and noticed that the appetizer had 1100 calories!!!! I immediately had the waiter change my order to a cup of their chicken enchilada soup that only contained 200 calories. Quick save for me since I am only allowed 600 calories per day!!

Don't be afraid to ask questions about how things are prepared. Request any high calorie sauces on the side...if you want some of the sauce the dip the tines of your fork in the sauce and then pickup whatever food you want to have the sauce with. You will get a taste if the sauce but will only end up using about a tsp of the sauce.

All these tips are great! I have found it helps if I don't let myself get too hungry before going out to eat. For me, it makes making a healthy choice much easier.

great tips....I've used them all and they WORK for ME !!!

I don't really eat at chain restaurants so I don't know the calorie count (thank god), but when I eat out I order soup as an appetizer, the fish as an entree and sorbet for dessert. I start with a glass of white wine. I don't worry about portion size or sauces or calories really. No one ever got fat from eating too much fish every once in a while!

Here in Fla., many restaurants have a 'Sr. menu' that has smaller portions. Usually can get away w/ < 500 cals. total.

In restaraunts where bread is served, I ask for them to hold the bread. If I am with others who might enjoy the bread, I make sure that the bread is out of my reach. Entrees: I place them on the bread plate and set the rest aside to either be taken home or discarded.

Hi, I was banded 2/15. And I still have only the initial min. fill the surgeon did to tighten the band to make it snug so it would hold a little better after initial surgery. And I just went to pureed meat.

I travel alot. I go through the KFC drive through for Mashed Potatoes if I am hungry and on the run.

I always order water: the waitress/waiters are all to happy to bring it, and I really hate explaining that I do not drink fluids with my meals. Plus, my nutritionalist said that a small sip is ok. If I am careful.

I had Soup at Goldberg's deli yesterday. She-crab soup (calories were off the chart - but it was rainly and i was walking the mall for excerize AND the soup had no big chunks of anything in it). Good to the last drop.

At Cheddars, I ordered their soup, sandwich and salad combo and got them to serve me mashed potato instead of salad, and to bring a box for the sandwich. If forgot to ask for more mostly broth, but I will remember next time. I left the veggies in the soup bowl and ate my mashed potatoes.

At O'Charlies I had (what else) mashed potatoes that my hubby got on the side for me and their soup. Soup was very full of things and I wished for more broth and less things I had to leave. Hubby took pity and gave me his soup to eat the broth our of and then ate the lumpy stuff in both soup bowls. The waiter never even asked.............

Have not been to a Mexican rest yet. Their soup usually has so much rice............. but I am thinking cheese dip!.

Breakfast here in the SOUTH ------ Grits with butter, Grits with jelly, Grits with .............( I am slightly allergic to eggs and eat them very sparingly) It is so funny. I almost get a smile of approval when I order "just a bowl of grits" for breakfast - Like I am a Good Southern Girl for eating my grits. Let me tell you (but not them) I am from Pittsburg and I have no love for grits. BUT they are VERY FILLING and every eating establishment has them (its a SOUTHERN THING). BTW - I am a Yankee that NEVER intends on going back. Its too cold up there.

Asian restaurant buffet: Hot and soup soup, Egg dop soup, (still careful with the eggs) pudding (choco and vanilla) and Jello on the salad bar. Also, squeezed the cheese filling out of the fried cream cheese things.

Family Rest: Cottage cheese (add some cheese or salad dressing for extra flavor) and chicken salad on the buffet. OR, baked potato or baked sweet potato

Next week when I am allowed mushies I am dying for some BRUNSWICK STEW ( YES- I do love southern food )

I think we are going to squeeze in a trip to Carabbas before my first fill. I am planning one night of food sin - Pasta weezie or egg plant parm in a reasonable quatity,(hey - its mushy)

So that's my tips and slips.........

I have two calorie tracker apps on my phone. Before I order anything, I look up the item to see the calories--I usually do this ahead of time but I often just pull it right up at the restaurant before I order. Like other posters, I often ask for to go tray to put half away. Because I check the calories, I make sure to get a good workout in if I eat a meal above 450 calories. Most importantly drink tons of water--a glass before I eat usually. I find even the healthiest of meals are loaded with sodium. No bread with the meal either way. Planning ahead helps.

When i dine out with hubby we split a dinner and share the salad. It's great, we just decide together what we want and ask them to bring an extra small plate. When dinner comes i take off the plate what i want. It's wonderful and talk about saving money. Hubby is excited too, not only about the money but he's eating less, feeling better, and losing some weight also. Totally win win for both of us.

When I go out we usually go to Longhorn or applebees which both have a huge selection. Applebees has the weigh watchers points and calories so I look at that.

I got steak, broccoli, and roasted potatoes there and it was 380 calories (not bad at a restaurant) I couldnt even finish it all so ended up with lunch for the next day.

Longhorn I love the steaks so I order off the kids menu, which you get 2 sides so I just get double broccoli or other available veggie to stay away from the carbs,

There is always a way to eat semi healthy when you go out to dinner just think about it before you order and dont go back to old habits

If you don't mind the carbs get the baked potato when you eat out; but instead of butter or sour cream ask for salsa. Gives the potato lots of flavor. I don't have potatos at home so it's part of the eating out treat.