Jump to content
×
Are you looking for the BariatricPal Store? Go now!

Small Portions At Restaurants



Recommended Posts

I know that some restaurants are opposed to letting adults order off the kid's menu, so a lot of our food goes to waste when we eat out (my doc says no heating up meat because it gets too tough). Went out to dinner today at Houlihans and they have a small plates menu that included a couple of "mini me" meals. They had a 4 oz filet mignon that came with a side of veggies and fries, which I subbed out for mashed potato (they also have a cauliflower mash, but I'm not a fan). Get it without the butter on it. I ate 1/2 the filet and a couple bites of potato and was full. A great meal for $10.99 and the dog got the leftovers. Best part is it's trackable on MyFitnessPal.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Sounds like a great meal. It does seem hard to eat so little and pay so much. I've pretty much resigned myself to that fact that it's gonna happen. If I get something super healthy, I will probably bring home leftovers. If its not super healthy, the leftovers are going home with someone else or remaining at the restaurant.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I went out twice this week to Celebrate a family event. First restaurant let me have a 3oz sample of crawfish bisque and I almost died and went to heaven. I just explained my situation and they were very accommodating. No charge! Second restaurant also have me a 3 oz sample of beef stew broth no chunks, gratis. Guess I have just gotten lucky.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I find it very awkward going out to eat now. I do t want kids menu food. I don't to have to change my food choices because of my small stomach. I want to eat normal. We went out yesterday and I ordered the appetizer fried calamari. I rarely eat anything fried so this was a treat. My hubby (also sleeved) ordered a chicken panini. The portions were huge. The price for each meal was only 9.95. ( diner ) so after we're done, the waitress comes and looks puzzled as to why we ate so little. I guess it's because we're still big people and well it just doesn't make sense to her. But I want to order what I want, and I'll just take it home. I actually love having restaurant leftovers. Lunches for a few days .....

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don't want to go to regular restaurants anymore, just fast food. I can find something small off each menu. If i do go out to a nice restaurant though, i just eat my kids and husbands food. I get an appetizer plate and get a couple of bites off each of their plates. You figure it out as you go.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How can i eat so much i could of ate the whole fish and prob all the potatos.........i can eat twice as. Uch as you. I dont get it either others say they eat 600-900 calories where i can eat on average 1000-1500 still better than what i use to eat but come on... :(

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How can i eat so much i could of ate the whole fish and prob all the potatos.........i can eat twice as. Uch as you. I dont get it either others say they eat 600-900 calories where i can eat on average 1000-1500 still better than what i use to eat but come on... :(

The trick is stopping yourself at 800 or 900 calories. Don't eat all you can hold. Aim for half cup meals.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I know that some restaurants are opposed to letting adults order off the kid's menu, so a lot of our food goes to waste when we eat out (my doc says no heating up meat because it gets too tough). Went out to dinner today at Houlihans and they have a small plates menu that included a couple of "mini me" meals. They had a 4 oz filet mignon that came with a side of veggies and fries, which I subbed out for mashed potato (they also have a cauliflower mash, but I'm not a fan). Get it without the butter on it. I ate 1/2 the filet and a couple bites of potato and was full. A great meal for $10.99 and the dog got the leftovers. Best part is it's trackable on MyFitnessPal.

A restaurant like that would get all of my eating out dollars!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I went out twice this week to Celebrate a family event. First restaurant let me have a 3oz sample of crawfish bisque and I almost died and went to heaven. I just explained my situation and they were very accommodating. No charge! Second restaurant also have me a 3 oz sample of beef stew broth no chunks, gratis. Guess I have just gotten lucky.

Wow how accommodating. I haven't experienced eating out yet and hopefully not for awhile yet, but when I do I was wondering how to experience it. Great ideals.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How can i eat so much i could of ate the whole fish and prob all the potatos.........i can eat twice as. Uch as you. I dont get it either others say they eat 600-900 calories where i can eat on average 1000-1500 still better than what i use to eat but come on... :(

Are you drinking with your meal? If yes, the explains it. Mashed potatoe really won't sit in your stomach too long , and if you Water them down w/drinking it goes from not too long to not at all

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

How can i eat so much i could of ate the whole fish and prob all the potatos.........i can eat twice as. Uch as you. I dont get it either others say they eat 600-900 calories where i can eat on average 1000-1500 still better than what i use to eat but come on... :(

Dunno - just can't. I'm five months out - just went to a restaurant the other day. Ordered one of my favorite dishes - their lunch special of beef and broccoli with rice on the side (smaller portion than dinner but still quite big) and asked for it "to go" so I could just eat a little bit out of the container rather than having to bother with them wrapping up the leftovers afterwards. I ate a few small pieces of beef, one or two pieces of broccoli, and a few small bites of rice and felt absolutely horrible afterwards - even after throwing up most of it I was terribly sick till this morning. I thought I had gotten past that stage of constantly throwing up but clearly my I overate, and really overate. Today I had a LITTLE of the leftovers - one small piece of beef, a few stalks of broccoli, a few bites of rice - and still felt uncomfortably full. So yeah, unless I eat slider foods (ice cream for me) or really high calorie foods there is no way I'm getting past 600-900 calories a day. On the one hand, it's frustrating to still feel so restricted, but on the other hand it's good. I just have to remind myself that it's good :)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I received a card from my surgeon that explains that I had surgery that limits the amount of food I can eat and to please let me order a half portion from the menu and charge me accordingly.

I haven't had to use it yet as I am still eating at home at 5 weeks out from surgery, but it will sure come in handy when I am ready to venture out there into the restaurant world in a few more weeks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I went out twice this week to Celebrate a family event. First restaurant let me have a 3oz sample of crawfish bisque and I almost died and went to heaven. I just explained my situation and they were very accommodating. No charge! Second restaurant also have me a 3 oz sample of beef stew broth no chunks, gratis. Guess I have just gotten lucky.

I see a future of "asking for samples"--- :P YES!!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

We eat out a lot. I have not had too many issues. I have a new found love of tapas bars! Perfect sizing and beautiful food.< /p>

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

  • Trending Products

  • Trending Topics

  • Recent Status Updates

    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
      · 2 replies
      1. Selina333

        I'm so happy for you! You are about to change your life. I was so glad to get the sleeve done in Dec. I didn't have feelings of regret overall. And I'm down almost 60 lbs. I do feel a little sad at restaurants. I can barely eat half a kid's meal. I get adults meals often because kid ones don't have the same offerings at times. Then I feel obligated to eat on that until it's gone and that can be days. So the restaurant thing isn't great for me. All the rest is fine by me! I love feeling full with very little. I do wish I could drink when eating. And will sip at the end. Just a strong habit to stop. But I'm working on it! You will do fine! Just keep focused on your desire to be different. Not better or worse. But different. I am happy both ways but my low back doesn't like me that heavy. So I listened (also my feet!). LOL! Update us on your journey! I'm not far from you. I'm in Houston. Good luck and I hope it all goes smoothly! Would love to see pics of the town you go to for this. I've never been there. Neat you will be traveling for this! Enjoy the journey. Take it one day at a time. Sometimes a few hours at a time. Follow all recommendations as best you can. 💗

      2. Doughgurl

        Thank you so much for your well wishes. I am hoping that everything goes easy for me as well. We don't eat out much as it is, so it wont be too bad in that department. Thankfully. Also, I hear you regarding your back and feet!! I'd like to add knees to the list. Killing me as we speak! I'm only 5' so the weight has to go. Too short to carry all this weight. Menopause really did a doosey on me. (😶lol) My daughter also lives in Houston. with her Husband and my 5 grand-littles. I grew up in Beaumont, so I know Houston well, I will be sure to keep in touch and update you on my journey. I may need some advice in the future, or just motivation. Thank You so much for reaching out, I was hoping to connect with someone in the community. I really appreciate it. 💜

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
  • Recent Topics

  • Hot Products

  • Sign Up For
    Our Newsletter

    Follow us for the latest news
    and special product offers!
  • Together, we have lost...
      lbs

    PatchAid Vitamin Patches

    ×