Looking for ideas about where to go out to eat. What's your favorite restaurant (chain - so we can all enjoy) now? Do they let you order off of the kid's menu? What Entrees have you found that are good to eat? Do they offer nutrition info?

I think Red Lobster would probably be my favorite - there's a lot of healthy options.

I havent gone to many chains rest. since banded but I have gone to Pondarosa and they charged me the senior price for the buffet but it was still a big lose of money since I couldnt really eat much but atleast I shared the time with my family. I basically eat out at the mom and pop kinda places. I do Wendy's but only the chilli. I cant wait to have a small ice cream cone from the dairy queen when the summer comes.

Here are my favs. I eat cheese, but when I get the items below I remove extra calories/fat, like extra cheese or white flour items in order to try to eat reasonably so I can have a steady wt loss. Some of the following may be in my area only (western Washington)

Wendy’s:

Value meals, order chili and sour cream baked potato (no cheese) scoop the chili onto the potato and enjoy. The SC is FF and to the cost here is: 2.80 with tax.

McDonalds: 1 grilled chicken chipotle snack wrap (no cheese) – I eat the meat and chuck the tortilla. (cost is under $2)

Panda Express: If I show my surgery card they let me order a kids meal, I don’t like rice so I get the noodles and an entrée (nutritional is here) – My fav is the orange chicken or the new bejing beef http://www.pandaexpress.com/menu/nutrition.aspx -. I eat half of the kids meal and save half.

Skippers:

Clam chowder (<$4)

Taco Time: white chilli, crispy shelled chicken taco (from their light menu)

Taco Bell: pintos and cheese, hold the cheese .99 cents, cina twists .89 cents

Starbucks: Tall, quad, sugar free vanilla, nonfat carmel machiatto

Baskin Robbins: $1 scoop Tuesday – any healthy choice

Panera Bread: Soup and ½ sandwich (kinda pricey tho)

Burger King: Light Minute Maid, apples, and grilled chicken (again I toss the bun)

I was banded in May of 06 and am still getting filled. Its a lifelong commitment because the fluid doesn't stay in there forever.

seafood --- small cup of gumbo -- do not bring the rice-

and one bacon/shrimp

My favorite eat out place is Applebee's. I get the tomato basil Soup and cheeseburger slider's meal. I take the bread off the sliders and the patty's and soup are just right.

Most restaraunts have allowed me to order off the kid's meal menu without explanation. Claim Jumper has some great appetizers and the Lettuce Wraps appetizer at Elephant Bar is also a good meal.

I ate at I-Hop tonight. I had Tilapia fish and broccoli off the kid's menu. It had hollandaise sauce on the side. It was good and I couldn't even quite finish it. And, only $4.00!!

I like to eat at Romano's Macaroni Grill, I get an order and split it with my wife. The staff always splits the order in the kitchen and we still take home plenty of food:cool:

Living in a small Texas town there is Mexican and then there are some other restaurants.

For Chains:

Chili's Baked Potato Soup - after a fill - yummo!

Golden Corral - I know, lots of people hate these buffet places but I find their green Beans very easy to eat and you can also find a good Protein to go with it. Baked chicken or chopped steak. be warned - you have to control your own portions here. If you don't have a good eye for what a 1/2 cup looks like stay away.

Olive Garden - Give me their Caesar salad any day of the week

Texas Roadhouse - Salmon and a Caesar Salad again.

Now if you are asking about fast food - can't help you. I have found nothing at any of these places I can eat. I keep trying Chick-fil-a Nuggets but they don't seem to work for me. They do have yummy chicken soup.

Soup is always a good choice when it is available.

I have been able to get the kids discount prices at several restaraunts including Sizzler. I had the kids steak and had about 1/4 to 1/2 and then had some fresh veggies from the buffet. It was cheap and very filling. I have found out to just ask and most places wont give you a hard time about senior or childrens pricing.

I have to add St. Louis Bread Company. I think they go by Panera in other parts of the world. They have a big binder with nutrition info on everything in their store and they let you take it to the table to look at it. (That is if you can bypass the pastry display).

Also, IHOP (of all places) has a nice selection of healthy foods with nutrition info.

I'm down with anywhere I can get breakfast foods,omelets & stuff.I like this place called Mimi's,they have an awesome breakfast quiche!! (dont know how low cal it is?) but it's soo good!!:tt2:

I find that I can go almost anywhere ... what I do is when I order I ask for only the portion that I can eat be brought to me and the rest put in a take home. Right now I am only eating 1/2 cup total...I have had some awesome waiters...one teased me about that's not enough to fill you...I assured him it is exactly what I could have...my DH then ordered a steak with a loaded bake potato...he told him he was mean (teasingly)...when he brought me my broccoli chicken fettecini - he put it in a small dip bowl made sure their was equal parts of broccoli noodles with 3 strips of chicken very pleasing arranged. At the end of the meal he came back and said he was not being mean but it was part of his job...did we want any dessert. I have found that most restaurants will try and accomodate your wishes. I have also been pleased that the take home portion usually will portion out 3 or 4 lunches for me. My freezer has all sorts of choices for other meals.

Highest Lifetime Wt. 386

1st Visit to Dr. 376

Surgery Day Wt. 343

Today 314

First thing I did was get my brain around that fact that I don't have to stuff myself or clean my plate to enjoy eating out. Since I've accepted that I enjoy eating just about anywhere, I order whatever I want, eat my normal banded amount of it and take the rest home. If I don't eat the leftovers somebody here does and I figure I make healthy choices nearly every time I eat at home so when I go out I order whatever I want with no guilt.

That being said, I have an awful time getting chicken chewed enough lately so I nearly always order beef or fish, even pasta is ok if I chew it like crazy.

You all don't have any idea how much help this topic has been. Thank you all for all the information. It is sorta like something that I knew in the back of my mind but wasn't sure where to go and what to eat.

Again... thanks for all the wonderful information.

i went to fridays last week. i ordered the grilled chicken ( you get two breasts...but i took 1 and 1/3 home for later) you also get mashed potatoes and green Beans (which are steamed). i had all the green beans and about 1/3 of the potatoes even though they are starch that was my treat for being out to eat.

it worked out well and the food was tasty so i didnt even miss ordering a burger and fries which is what i would have had pre-band