I need some help and certainly others can relate. Currently am 5 weeks out and have not been out to eat at a restaraunt since surgery. My family would love to go out occassionaly but I am so unsure of what I can have and/or what restaraunts might be a better choice than others. So we have been eating only at home which is fine but a night out would be really nice as Mommy is doing all the cooking.

It would be great if we could start a thread with a list of restaraunts and specifics about what others order at those places.

Thanks for any help in advance.

I had my surgery a little over 5 weeks ago. My friends wanted to go out to celebrate my birthday, so we went out to Cracker Barrel Country Store/Restuarant and I got a vegetable plate. I wasn't able to eat but just a few bites of each veggie, and didn't have much protein in the meal. I got my protein in for the day with a protein smoothie for breakfast and one for lunch. Since they serve breakfast all day, I also considered getting something off the breakfast menu (eggs for instance). It's not like going to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse or anything, but it satisfied the urge.

If at all possible, I share with someone. That's pretty easy with family. If it is friends, I stick to soup or I order a small salad and eat the chicken, cheese, etc off the top. I went to a family dinner, as we were celebrating a few birthdays tonight. We were at a Chinese food restaurant. I ate a few of the vegetables, chicken, and a bite of fried rice. It was very good. My sleeve did it's job and I only ate a few bites! I had no room for birthday cake, so that was great for me. I didn't even really want it. I love my sleeve!

The wife and I order ONE full size entrée, I take a bit of it and she eats what she wants, we take home the rest. At a few restaurants we eat at there is enough for use to EACH have one more meal or at least one of us a meal

Most places will serve you just what you want. Ask if you can have JUST what you want. We go to a burger place and I get JUST a burger on a plate with cheese on it, I eat a few of the wifes fries. Same with a chicken breast.

It depends on what foods you are allowed to eat. My first experience was Cracker Barrel for breakfast. I order one egg scrambled with eggbeaters/bacon and no toast or biscuit. I was able to eat one piece of bacon and the most of the egg. We have also done mexican and my husband order chcken fajitas and I order just refried beans. I ate 2 small pieces of chicken with some of the beans. Focus on protein first then if you have room than add veggies.

good idea for a thread....I have been thinking about eating out lately too because I too do all the cooking. I have been too afraid to eat the wrong things. I do love egg drop soup so that would be a great choice at a chinese resturant and it is made mostly of chicken broth and eggs. LOTS of protein.

Early on, when dining out, I opted for breakfast items (if they were available) or seafood. I could easily do a scrambled egg with a little cheese or a shrimp cocktail. I know I've mentioned it in other threads, but Red Lobster will let you order the "add on" portion of crab legs without ordering a normal entree, and crab is soft, easy to digest and full of protein...just skip the drawn butter! Most fish items are soft enough for five weeks out, too, I would think.

I find that most chicken/beef/pork items at restaurants are overcooked and I feel like they sit heavy in my sleeve. At almost six months out, I still look for eggs or fish when I'm dining away from home. My other trick is to pack a ready-made Protein Drink that I can pour over ice (I like the Pro Joe drinks from Bariatric Advantage) I'll have that as soon as the server takes our drink order and then I'll sip some soup or have some steamed veggies.