Question:
Help Please! I want to go out to eat !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please I need help.......... I am 4 months out Lap Gastric Bypass and i can eat what i want but am scared to eat out because i am scared of getting sick. Please give me some ideas of what i can order when i go out............... thank you so much.......    — alicia128 (posted on November 4, 2008)


November 4, 2008
I usually get soup when we go out.
   — Carlyn M.

November 4, 2008
I generally hit the soup and salad bar when we go out. Also baked fish is generally a safe food to order. If you have the card printed out that is available from this site telling them you had gastric bypass, you can generally get a kids portion, which is just right for me. However, not all restaurants will honor that card so if your hubby is like mine, he eats the leftovers!!!! He tells me all the time that since my surgery, I am one cheap date!!!! Good luck and enjoy.
   — sunsetyellow

November 4, 2008
Sorry to hear that it's so scarey to you. I had my Gastric By-pass on August 22, 2008, and I eat out all the time. I just order steak or chicken, cut off what looks like about 3 ounces, and either give it to my husband or put it in a take home box. I have just started ordering a sald and potato with that. I can't eat it all, but I enjoy what I have and I make very sure to quite eating when I feel a little bit full. Hope this helps.
   — katiecakes

November 4, 2008
I am 3 months out and I have only gone out to eat a couple times, got a kids portion of soup (only ate 3/4's of it) cheese burger patty(only ate 1/2 of it) my husband thinks its a waste to go out to eat, he always gets so FULL..lol I have the card saying I have had WLS most all you can eat buffets will except it in our area.(MI)
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 4, 2008
If we go somewhere nice, I opt for broiled jumbo lump crab cake appetizer with a pickle on the side. If I cut the pickle up in tiny pieces it gives a little extra moisture to the crab meat. It usually takes me as long to eat a half appetizer sized crab cake as it does for my husband to eat his entire meal. If we go to a Diner, the choices are endless, but I usually opt for chili or non cream based soup. The old stand by is a scrambled egg with applesauce or sugar free jello. Enjoy! Dee
   — Dee L.

November 4, 2008
the biggest thing to remember is do not go for new stuff!! only order what you know you can tolerate and won't make you sick. you will find that you can find something to fit your needs just about anywhere you decide to go. most places are good about letting you order the kids meals. remember to eat slow and stop when you feel the first sign of being full. i had a hard time eating out at first because it made me sick to be around people eating large portions of food, i still have a hard time sometimes and it's just best for me to get up from the table when i am done. good luck! Holly
   — RNlvnCARSON

November 4, 2008
Hi Alicia, I have to agree with Holly. It's not usually a good idea to start trying new things when you go out to eat. The last thing you want to do is end up sick and spending god knows how long in the ladies room in agony and suffering. You'll be miserable and it's just not worth it. Many of these restaurants have plenty of healthy items to choose from so I'm sure there's bound to be something you know you'll be safe with. Good luck!
   — [Deactivated Member]

November 4, 2008
When I first started to venture out, I ordered appetizers if there was a protein choice such as shrimp...If my family (kids and hubby) came I would eat off their plates, taking a bite of this or that...I didn't eat much so no one complained about sharing! (They complain now that I eat too much to share!) I order baked or broiled meats or fish, veggies and occasionally a baked potatoe or I ask for another veggie rather than a starch or a salad and they usually allow me to do that. Applebees has a weight watcher menu that is pretty good! I eat there often when we go out...I just stay away from any drinks...I ask for my drink in a "to-go" cup and to bring it to me at the end of my meal! (Or I WILL sip on it! I am bad! I cannot resist) I stay away from french fries and fried foods...and desserts... It's hard to order out...I get very stressed out if I am unfamiliar with a restaurants menu choices...If I can, I get online before we go out and peak at the menu online first to get an idea of what I might order and it's calories and other stats! That often helps me not stray or order something I know I shouldn't! Good luck...RELAX...eat slowly and don't forget to chew and pay attention...One thing that still baffles me is how little I can eat out...At home I can eat so much more....I think foods are richer and more loaded with calories or something, because I cannot eat as much at all when I am out...I have not found a good reason! Maybe I eat slower and get full faster??? Just be careful! The second or third time I ate out I got WICKED sick from over eating and by the time it caught up I was in such pain I had to go vomit to get rid of the pressure! I was with my folks who were visiting and it really upset my mom who had no idea that this was just a random thing that I didn't do daily (or ever, actually!) It shocked me too...It was quite painful. That was at over 6 mos PO...so it's not like i was not used to eating...I just forgot to pay attention to my portion and didn't stop eating when I knew I should...
   — .Anita R.

November 4, 2008
It's perfectly normal to be cautious about trying new things and getting sick is painfull and gross enough at home, let alone at a restaurant. I would recommend that you begin to get more adventurous at home by trying new foods, finding out what you tolerate well and eat those when you go out. The things that are easiest for me to tolerate are fish, shrimp, crab, tuna/chicken salad. If I make steak and chicken at home, I marinade and cook them so that I know they are moist and I can get them down. If chicken is too dry- no way. If steak is cooked more than medium- no way. I don't order pork out at all as it is challenging even on my best day at home and I'm a great cook if I do say so myself. Another thing that takes time to master is the art of multi-tasking. Being able to order the right food, cutting it up into tiny pieces, eating slowly without drinking at the same time all the while dealing with your family and trying to converse and not get something stuck. It all takes practice. Best of luck, Dawn Vickers
   — DawnVic

November 4, 2008
the few times I have gone out I order soup and ask for just the broth. I can enjoy a bowl or two wait 30 mins and then pick off others' plates. It usually works out great.
   — gpcmist

November 4, 2008
hi, I am almost 5months out and like everyone else I eat alittle bit off hubby plate but I just order soup since this surgery I'M really into soup. Good luck Alice
   — alihorn

November 4, 2008
When I go out to eat (and we do it quite often) I'll order whatever I'm in the mood for. Last week we went out and I had a broiled stuffed pork chop. It was delicious. You can still enjoy food...just not as much of it. Your tastebuds still need love even though you've had WLS!!!! I don't understand how people can only order soup when they go out to eat... when I was in the hospital all I could eat was broth, and I wanted anything but, so I decided that when I got out, soup was the last thing on my list. Good luck, and I know it's scary, but sometimes you just have to jump right in. I would just steer clear of fried, and high fat foods.
   — Bostonbabie34

November 4, 2008
I can only tell you what worked for me. I tried soups at first, then I found that Chicken quesadilas and the chicken oriental wrap & salad at Applebees worked well. Remember that you need to chew very well and you should have no problems!
   — reretheplaylady

November 6, 2008
Whatever you decide to order, just remember that you don't need to explain to the wait staff or anyone else the reason for your choice. Soup and Risotto where my first at about 5 months pos-op and going to a "tapas" resurant is always nice because all of the menu items are appetizer size. If you are anxious about the possibility of getting sick, be aware when the ladies bathroom is located in the event that you need to excuse yourself for a few minutes. DON"T BE AFRAID...just take it slow and you will do great!
   — AuntPamcakes4six




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