Hello all. I am 9 months out and still have not gone to a restaurant. Mainly because of Covid. Now that it seems to be getting better, I am still very leery about it. I am so afraid of not being able to find something I am able to eat. I know that most places try to accommodate people with special diets, allergies, etc. but I have never done it before, and a little embarrassed also. I am looking for some advice on what other people do when they go out. How do you discreetly order without saying, No butter, no salt, none of this or that without feeling weird about it? I don't want them to think that I am being "too picky" or a pain in the but. Better yet, I am afraid that my order would still have the stuff I can't eat on it and I would not be eating healthy and the way I am used to.

Edited May 30, 20215 yr by HealthyLifeStyle

I love eating out, but in doing so, I generally accept the fact that whatever I get in a restaurant isn't going to be as healthy as if I had prepared it at home. I make up for it with portion control, and eating a little lighter in my other meals that day. Plus, any meal I get in a restaurant will result in leftovers, and I can usually turn 1 meal into 3 or 4 meals which is fun!

I usually look at the menu online before I get there, and pick out my meal ahead of time. I do this to not only meal plan, but also to resist the temptation of ordering something else by not even looking at the menu when I get to the restaurant. As far as asking for no butter, etc, do not be afraid to order exactly as you want it. There are so many people with food allergies, vegan, gluten free, etc, that servers are used to special orders and won't bat an eye if you make any special requests.

1 minute ago, ChubRub said:

I love eating out, but in doing so, I generally accept the fact that whatever I get in a restaurant isn't going to be as healthy as if I had prepared it at home. I make up for it with Portion Control, and eating a little lighter in my other meals that day. Plus, any meal I get in a restaurant will result in leftovers, and I can usually turn 1 meal into 3 or 4 meals which is fun!

I usually look at the menu online before I get there, and pick out my meal ahead of time. I do this to not only meal plan, but also to resist the temptation of ordering something else by not even looking at the menu when I get to the restaurant. As far as asking for no butter, etc, do not be afraid to order exactly as you want it. There are so many people with food allergies, vegan, gluten free, etc, that servers are used to special orders and won't bat an eye if you make any special requests.

Great advice! Looking at the menu online is a great idea. Also eating lighter for other meals during the day is something I never thought of. Thanks

I can count on one hand the number of times I've eaten at restaurants since my surgery, but the few times I have, I've gotten salads, and one time at a Mexican restaurant, I got a tostada (which is basically a salad on a tortilla, and since the tortilla is at the bottom, no one can tell you're not eating it). You just have to be careful about salads because of the dressing. I ask for the dressing on the side and bring my own light dressing. A lot of restaurants also have meals like grilled chicken breast with a choice of sides, and you can get a side of veggies. I like to get salads because I can eat a more "normal" portion of salad, but not a whole giant chicken breast.

My husband and I LOVE to eat out, so we've probably gone to restaurants 4-5 times since I graduated to normal foods. Covid restrictions are also easing up in our area so we've gone mostly with friends because we're just so excited to see each other again. I make sure I know the menu beforehand and if possible, even check the nutrition info. Most chain restaurants can break down everything for you. And I agree, don't be afraid to ask for modifications. I used to love sushi so when we went to a sushi restaurant, the first thing I asked was what could I do as a person who can't eat rice right now but still wanted sushi. They pointed out a few riceless rolls they had on the menu that I didn't know about, and bam! I had sushi!

I'm trying to not fall back into old habit so my husband and I are trying to limit ourselves to two restaurant trips a month now that we've got it out of our systems. My hard and fast rule is no fast food. If we go out to eat, it's a sit down experience. It's harder on the wallet, but I think it's better because we're more apt to make better choices and only go out when we really want to.

I eat out occasionally (not very often during the pandemic, though). I also check out the menu online before I go and figure out what I want. Like ChubRub, I focus mostly on portion size when I eat out (although I never order super fatty things, like fried things, since I know I don't stomach that very well...and I don't often get things that include bread, either - but when I do, it's never "big" bread items like buns. An occasional thing like a piece of whole-wheat toast I'll eat sometimes, though).

Sometimes I'll get an appetizer, sometimes I'll get an entree and take at least half of it home. I focus on (non-fried) protein and vegetables, mostly. For example, at Chinese places I'll order a (non-fried) meat and veggie dish, eat about a cup of it (I'm six years out), and skip the rice. Mexican places I'll order a fajita and eat about a cup of the meat and veggies, and take the rest home. Or sometimes I'll order one of those small street tacos (with just meat, onions, and cilantro on it). Early out I'd just eat the innards, now I eat the tortilla as well (they're pretty small - usually either the 4" kind of the 6" kind).

I remember getting shrimp cocktail a lot when I was early out - a lot of restaurants have that in their appetizer section. Chili is always a good choice, too.

10 hours ago, BigSue said:

I can count on one hand the number of times I've eaten at restaurants since my surgery, but the few times I have, I've gotten salads, and one time at a Mexican restaurant, I got a tostada (which is basically a salad on a tortilla, and since the tortilla is at the bottom, no one can tell you're not eating it). You just have to be careful about salads because of the dressing. I ask for the dressing on the side and bring my own light dressing. A lot of restaurants also have meals like grilled chicken breast with a choice of sides, and you can get a side of veggies. I like to get salads because I can eat a more "normal" portion of salad, but not a whole giant chicken breast.

I didn't know you could bring your own dressing to a restaurant?

9 hours ago, lostmykeysinspace said:

My husband and I LOVE to eat out, so we've probably gone to restaurants 4-5 times since I graduated to normal foods. Covid restrictions are also easing up in our area so we've gone mostly with friends because we're just so excited to see each other again. I make sure I know the menu beforehand and if possible, even check the nutrition info. Most chain restaurants can break down everything for you. And I agree, don't be afraid to ask for modifications. I used to love sushi so when we went to a sushi restaurant, the first thing I asked was what could I do as a person who can't eat rice right now but still wanted sushi. They pointed out a few riceless rolls they had on the menu that I didn't know about, and bam! I had sushi!

I'm trying to not fall back into old habit so my husband and I are trying to limit ourselves to two restaurant trips a month now that we've got it out of our systems. My hard and fast rule is no fast food. If we go out to eat, it's a sit down experience. It's harder on the wallet, but I think it's better because we're more apt to make better choices and only go out when we really want to.

I haven't nor will I ever eat fast food again in my life. Not just because of the surgery, but because I know its just bad all the way around. I figure I have gone 9 months without out so I can just keep doing it.

9 hours ago, catwoman7 said:

I eat out occasionally (not very often during the pandemic, though). I also check out the menu online before I go and figure out what I want. Like ChubRub, I focus mostly on portion size when I eat out (although I never order super fatty things, like fried things, since I know I don't stomach that very well...and I don't often get things that include bread, either - but when I do, it's never "big" bread items like Buns. An occasional thing like a piece of whole-wheat toast I'll eat sometimes, though).

Sometimes I'll get an appetizer, sometimes I'll get an entree and take at least half of it home. I focus on (non-fried) Protein and vegetables, mostly. For example, at Chinese places I'll order a (non-fried) meat and veggie dish, eat about a cup of it (I'm six years out), and skip the rice. Mexican places I'll order a fajita and eat about a cup of the meat and veggies, and take the rest home. Or sometimes I'll order one of those small street tacos (with just meat, onions, and cilantro on it). Early out I'd just eat the innards, now I eat the tortilla as well (they're pretty small - usually either the 4" kind of the 6" kind).

I remember getting shrimp cocktail a lot when I was early out - a lot of restaurants have that in their appetizer section. Chili is always a good choice, too.

I never thought of just getting an appetizer for a meal. Thanks for the suggestion.

9 minutes ago, HealthyLifeStyle said:

I didn't know you could bring your own dressing to a restaurant?

LOL, I don't know of any laws against it... I put some of my light dressing in a little 2-ounce container and stashed it in my purse. When I got my salad, I discreetly took out my dressing and poured it on my salad. No one was the wiser.

I haven't nor will I ever eat fast food again in my life. Not just because of the surgery, but because I know its just bad all the way around. I figure I have gone 9 months without out so I can just keep doing it.

I could see getting it if I were traveling or had like....a super exceptionally busy schedule (the latter of which I rarely experience). But in my day to day life, fast food has no place. Pre surgery we used to have fast food at least two or three times a week, and learning to make my own food at home rather than relying on fast food was one lifestyle change I was determined to make. I am learning to love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen.

If anyone else is looking for ways to avoid fast food,I recommend learning to meal prep. We don't prep all our meals, but having plenty of tasty food in the fridge makes it so much easier to avoid fast food when you're tired after work and don't want to cook.

1 minute ago, BigSue said:

LOL, I don't know of any laws against it... I put some of my light dressing in a little 2-ounce container and stashed it in my purse. When I got my salad, I discreetly took out my dressing and poured it on my salad. No one was the wiser.

Thanks for the tip. I usually don't like the dressings in the restaurants anyway. I always would get oil and vinegar if they didn't have anything I liked. Now I am ready to bring my own. LOL

1 minute ago, HealthyLifeStyle said:

Thanks for the tip. I usually don't like the dressings in the restaurants anyway. I always would get oil and vinegar if they didn't have anything I liked. Now I am ready to bring my own. LOL

I've gotten Egg McMuffins when I've been on the road - 300 kcal and lots of protein (I'm also six years out, so...)...but other than something like Wendy's chili (also eaten while on the road), that's pretty much the extent of my fast food eating these last six years.

Just now, lostmykeysinspace said:

I could see getting it if I were traveling or had like....a super exceptionally busy schedule (the latter of which I rarely experience). But in my day to day life, fast food has no place. Pre surgery we used to have fast food at least two or three times a week, and learning to make my own food at home rather than relying on fast food was one lifestyle change I was determined to make. I am learning to love cooking and experimenting in the kitchen.

If anyone else is looking for ways to avoid fast food,I recommend learning to meal prep. We don't prep all our meals, but having plenty of tasty food in the fridge makes it so much easier to avoid fast food when you're tired after work and don't want to cook.

Before surgery I would eat fast food at least 3 times a week and sometimes more. I never cooked or hardly ever and if I did, it was all bad, quick stuff like mac and cheese. I do a lot of meal prep now and it is a lot easier to just heat up stuff I cooked earlier in the week. I am freezing a lot of things now also. I put them in portion control containers and just take out one at a time. It is so much easier than I thought it would be. I was never a big soup eater, and now I eat soup at least once or twice a week for dinner. Progresso lite soups are great. I take out the pasta and add chickpeas, carrots and green beans.

Before surgery I would eat fast food at least 3 times a week and sometimes more. I never cooked or hardly ever and if I did, it was all bad, quick stuff like mac and cheese. I do a lot of meal prep now and it is a lot easier to just heat up stuff I cooked earlier in the week. I am freezing a lot of things now also. I put them in Portion Control containers and just take out one at a time. It is so much easier than I thought it would be. I was never a big Soup eater, and now I eat soup at least once or twice a week for dinner. Progresso lite Soups are great. I take out the Pasta and add chickpeas, carrots and green Beans.

I've been obsessed with salads lately which isn't something I thought I'd ever say lol! My current favorite is spinach with a few strawberries, sliced almonds, some feta cheese, and some shredded chicken I slow cooked earlier in the week. The add some lite raspberry vinaigrette, and it's a delicious meal! But I realized I bought way more spinach than I'm able to eat so now I'm experimenting with green smoothies (which are a great way to sneak in some protein powder!).

1 minute ago, lostmykeysinspace said:

I've been obsessed with salads lately which isn't something I thought I'd ever say lol! My current favorite is spinach with a few strawberries, sliced almonds, some feta cheese, and some shredded chicken I slow cooked earlier in the week. The add some lite raspberry vinaigrette, and it's a delicious meal! But I realized I bought way more spinach than I'm able to eat so now I'm experimenting with green smoothies (which are a great way to sneak in some Protein powder!).

Yummy salad idea. I can't tolerate regular salad stuff. Lettuce and sliced veggies are really hard for me to digest. I can however tolerate spinach, strawberries, almonds and feta. Not sure about the chicken as I have had a very hard time with meat also. Thanks for the idea. I am def going to try that.