Do you order a plate of food?

[kymomofmany 3]

We've talked about this, and I'm planning to just eat off the husband's plate. As a family we always order too much food anyway, between the 4 kids and us, we all like a variety of stuff and we usually have at least 2 apps on the table so theres something for everyone (pickey eaters).

The day before surgery when I was on the clear liquid diet, we went to steak and shake for lunch, the husband ordered a yummy burger and I ordered a spoon (I made the husband stop at the store so I could get a jello). The waiter gave me a weird look, but I'm sure he's seen worse. LOL

[Jhealan 62]

This is going to be something we probably do different based on the restaurant. If there is a salad bar, we can share a plate of regular entree and he can have the salad bar. Or maybe I will just order the salad bar. Soup -cottage cheese-small salad-- done. I'm also lucky cuz my husband will eat leftovers for lunch the next day! I cannot eat leftovers-- it's a mental thing. Ok truth here, I can eat leftover spaghetti but that will be probably only 2x a year that I eat my moms spaghetti she lives 1,000 miles away thank goodness! And it will be much smaller portions!

[mvickyway 256]

Sometimes i will order my own dish and have several meals but I try to share whenever possible and just tell the server.

When sharing, I do plan on tipping as though I ordered a separate meal and have only had the waitress go AWOL one time and the tip suffered because of her action.

In that situation I feel completely justified since it is a gratuity based on service, not an unalienable right

[devonn 12]

We usually get apps as well as an entree so I just eat apps and its enough for me. If there is something I really want on the menu i will order it and eat it for the next 2 days! I have never had the wait staff say anything about it and when i go out it is usually with my 4 kids and husband so it is a big bill anyway so the tip is big.

[Arts137 1,811]

HAHAHA

My program gives me a card that says something like:

"The bearer has had gastric surgery so please, please, pretty please let him/her order off the clild's menu"

But I just order...

and take home what I need

ALSO I special order...

Like

"I'd like a chicken salad sandwich with just the chicken salad, lettace and tomatos - no bread"

[purplefaery 48]

My card has a picture of the sleeve on one side and says, "This person had a weight reduction surgery, and as a result is unable to eat a full adult portion. We request that he/she be permitted to order from your children's or senior's menu, or be allowed an extra plate."

I thought it was pretty silly until I got to "...or senior's menu" since those are typically much healthier than what you could find on a children's menu. Now, to find a restaurant that will honor it!

[weeziex2 25]

The last time we ate at IHop I asked if I could havean omlete off the kids meal with a small bowl of fruit and our waitress was wonderfull about it. I still had to take over half of it all home.

[AuntieAmbee 9]

I order what ever I want. I can take it home and eat off it for days, or freeze some. Going out to eat is a treat so I don't worry about wasting. I order as smart as I can and sometimes hubby and I share a dish.

I don't like wasting but we go out to eat for enjoyment and do enjoy.

Having a grown son helps a great deal. Those dudes will eat anything!

I too order whatever I want and then pack up the leftovers for another time. Nothing goes to waste in my house with my family;)

[Idlewood4 93]

I do a lot of socializing with friends by eating out. When I had my band, I got used to asking for a takeout container when my meal came, and I'd put 1/2 or 2/3 into the container before I ate. Now with the sleeve, I will do the same thing. We drove to Cape Cod last weekend, and stopped at a Subway. I was trying to figure it out, and ended up with the 3 inch flatbread egg, ham and cheese. I had them add spinach and onion. I ate 1/3 of it, and it was 2 more meals for me. It tasted great, and they serve it all day long, not just at Breakfast. The hardest for me is not drinking while I'm eating. Tough, tough habit to break.

[NMJG 1,266]

I prefer to share but family often doesn't order anything I want to eat. I tend to order side dishes or appetizers. I also have a card from my dr but have never used it. I embarrass my 20 yr old son all the time because I'm so high maintenance eating out, but I do tip well for good service.

My town is very small and the waitresses all know us, so sometimes they worry I'm not eating enough or didn't like my meal. I have to reassure them it's ok. I've given up trying to avoid a drink, they get so concerned. Now I just order Water and don't drink it LOL.

[weeziex2 25]

That's me I would prefer to share with family but no one orders what I want, and I hate to order a regular plate because I may eat off it one more time then have to throw it out. I only have a freezer over my fridge and it's allways full.

[Memily 86]

I order my own and eat the left overs later. My hubby and I don't always like the same thing. If I did like his I would just ask the server for anextra plate to sshare. In my opinion you don't need to explain to your server why you are sharing. I have been a server for several years and actually it is very common.

[California Kelly 22]

I am only 5 days out and on liquid/purée stage. Hubby wanted to go to to local Italian restaurant. I ordered minestrone Soup in a cup and asked the server if I could have it put in a blender. He went to the bar area, blended it up and it was delicious! Two servings out of that little cup and only 3 bucks. Hubby had lobster bisque, clam florentine and lava cake for dessert. Good lord, he ate all that in the time it took for me to sip my little timed servings of minestrone. Good news is I didn't feel deprived or like I wanted his food. I was happy and full with just the soup. Love my sleeve!

[LouiseC 1,029]

We eat out a lot. We tend to go for places that do tapas style dining with small sharing plates so it is rarely a problem for me. So we for Spanish tapas, Japanese Izakaya, Chinese Yum Cha and so on.

If we go out for Indian,Thai, Korean etc is usually always family style so only ordering one main is never an issue there. Italian is a bit harder, as while family dining may be normal, eating small isn't! In these situations I just explain I have a very small appetite.

We have a couple of local cafe places where the staff and owners know I have had the surgery. One in particular that we often weekend brunch at is very accommodating and they will make me a half portion of anything on the menu.

If we are going out for a special occasion then we do chose fine dining places which, of course,are known for small portions. I have done a degustation five course meal with matched wines in the past month! I did not finish every plate but my husband and friends were happy to help! Otherwise, in fine dining places I will go for an amuse bouche as an appetiser, an appetiser for my main (entree), and have gone for dessert too! Petit fours work well.

For more 'regular' restaurants I order what I want. Usually from the Soup or appetiser menu. I find the kids menus to be revolting and unappetising so rarely even look at them. If I order off the main menu then I will eat what I can and if my hubby doesn't scoff the leftovers, and it is something that will survive going home with me then I take it home. However as I travel a lot for work this isn't always an option so I have learnt to be okay with waking away from an unfinished meal.

Something else I have found is that the more local the business, the better the individual service for special needs diners. If you chose a restaurant that is a chain style restaurant, then the menus are set by some corporate office somewhere and the staff are limited in their ability to change these. I avoid all chain style restaurants.

[carstanger 346]

I have a card too that I got from my surgeon's office! We share a lot of meals though!! Depends on where we are eating!!