restaurant and takeout eating

I am curious....

How have people adapted in relation to their favorite takeout meals and restaurant food post DS.

Have your tastes totally changed?

Do you just omit the carbs and get meats/ sauces and veg?

Do vet post ops recommend staying away from takeout until you reach goal... is that even realistic?

If you care to share what do your order?

For example, I would imagine chicken tandori (mild), would be a good option for an Indian takeout.....

Thanks Sara

We eat out or get take out about once a week (sometimes more often). Honestly, the kids love pizza, so I order a pizza and just pick the toppings off of it and maybe have one or two bites of crust. I on the other hand love chinese, I like to get the chicken & brocolli or the pepper steak. I don't eat the rice or noodles. When I go to a buffet I usually grab whatever protein is available- especially if it's not breaded. And if I'm really craving some spuds I'll be a baked sweet potato with lots of butter.  Also, KFC is a staple for busy nights when I have appointments all day and running late to make dinner. I just bring home the bucket of chicken and make a salad to go with it.

LOL, I used to get KFC when I was constipated, cured it everytime.  Now that I have everything regulated, I never eat KFC or any other fast food.  Most of them use artificial and processed foods and I can taste the chemicals..

Hi Sara,

Initially my tastes changed big time, but now they are back to pre DS normal.  I'm almost two years out-still a semi-new DS'er-and I have yet to be able to finish anything I've ordered. I mainly order something with high protein, such as steak, chicken, hamburgers, etc. If eating at a deli, I get roast beef or pastrami, or some deli meat and chuck the bread. I fill up on as much of the protein as I can, but I always save a little room for my veggies-usually greens of some sort or a salad. If on occasion I have room still, I'll eat a bit of starchy taters, like fries or baked tater. I always ask for a go box right off the bat...and if I don't eat it the next day, hubby takes it for lunch. Nothing goes to waste. For fast food like Hardees, I always order the low carb burger-it's to die for. Taco Bell I can just about eat two taco supremes...funny when I first had my DS, I could only take two small bites of pintos and cheese and be full.

Hi,  
Sorry this is long .. 

Since I'm a consultant and I work on the road, I eat the majority of my meals in restaurants or as takeout since I am home a day or so a week.  

My suggestion is to not be afraid to ask for what you want.  You're paying your own good money so if you have to ask 100 questions or make adjustments, so be it. 

In the beginning, you're not going to have space for much in the way of carbs or even veg.  You'll have little space available for meals so protein needs to be your number focus until you can comfortably handle your protein requirements.  

The meat should be moist for you to tolerate it well otherwise it will sit like a brick is your chest.  I never order chicken breast.  I can handle grilled chicken legs or thigs fine.  Otherwise I order a lot of beef or seafood.   Beef I order medium.  I also developed a fondness for sashimi which used to gross me out before.

For lunch, if I go to a fastfood place, I'll get a burger with no bun but I don't like McDonalds burgers since they seem too dry.  I prefer Wendy's or Five Guys.  I went to one place in MN where I ordered a side of cheese curds but they were breaded so I peeled them and felt like I was eating pistachios.  If I go to Subway, I always order a Big Philly Steak and Cheese with chioptle southwest sauce.  I never order subs anywhere with bread.  I get looks.  And I have been told they don't do that at certain restaurants and was even told recently - no bread, no service and to leave.  Funny.

I used to go to this one Mexican place a lot when I was working in a certain area for a while.  I'd always say no rice, no beans, no tortillas.  Just give me meat (carnitas), cheese, and sour cream.  

Even if you eat something from fast food or a regular restaurant there instead of to go ... always ask for a carry out container because you won't be able to eat all of it.  

I liked going to places that had salad bars because I could get things like cheese cubes, chunks of ham, hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, etc.

Unless you're going to a pizza or noodle place, you can pretty much adapt a meal from any restaurant.  But even still... I was home last night and baked a pizza and ate the toppings and threw out the rest.

I did get a lot of ready to drink protein shakes early out but that's because I don't often have access to a fridge.  

By the way, your tastes will change early out. Things will probably very salty.  I do like spicier food now than I used to like before.  

You can also go to places like Macaroni Grill and ask to substitue the pasta in a dish for something else like spinach.  Someone from here shared that.  

Good luck but it's not that hard.

The first thing straight out of surgery and the only thing that agreed with me was takeout hot and sour soup from my local Chinese takeaway. (note: it wasn't truly hot..I'd not suggest spicy on a healing tummy)

I haven't found any place difficult to eat at except Italian and most of those have grilled options. My taste changed early out, but I am pretty much about the same now, except I love seafood more than I ever have. Like most have stated, you just learn what and how to order, and how to toss out bread and rice. One of my favorite things lately is Thai curries. I can eat a small amount of the rice with it now..but why bother when it's so good without the bland white stuff?

Examples of how I order now:

Micky D's- Mcdouble with thousand island, onion, lettuce, cheese...basically I make a 1 buck big mac and keep on the bottom bun. I might steal a few fries. Or chicken nuggets.
Taco Bell- tacos go down real good, nachos with double meat...I don't ever eat any white flour tortillas, they hurt me.
Wendy's- Chicken pecan salad, chili, spicy chicken no bun, burgers no bun, fries dipped in frosty as  treat.
Panera- LOVE the Thai chicken salad
Mexican- mixed fajitas, seafood dishes, tacos, tamales,chili relleno (my fav)
Chinese- something spicy and not breaded, toss the rice, hot n sour soup, buffet=little bites of all
Japanese- sushi minus almost all the rice
Steak joints- steak, seafood, salad
Seafood places- heaven, crab and shrimps
Pizza places- thin crust, lotsa meat and veg, wings

At well past five years out, I basically eat what I want nowadays.  I still avoid bread, because I have so many problems with gluten, but will eat small amounts of it from time to time.  If I'm feeling very daring, I'll eat a couple of slices of pizza.  Some pizza gives me terrible gas (Pizza Hut) but my favorite local homemade pizza joint does not.   I can eat a almost a whole hamburger and a few fries nowadays.   I will often order food at a restaurant that makes good leftovers.     Sometimes though, my husband eats what I can't finish.  He is my human garbage disposal, LOL.

The big difference though, is that I do NOT like fast food.     I will occasionally order two Arbys junior roast beef sandwiches and put them into one sandwich.    That's about it.   I swear that I can now taste the chemicals in most processed foods, so I avoid it unless absolutely necessary.

When I was early out (first couple of years) if I didn't want leftovers i would simply order an appetizer as my main meal. If I wanted leftovers when they brought my plate I would immediately ask for a to-go box and I would remove at least half of whatever was on the plate.

I'm almost 9 years post-op and eat whatever I want, wherever I want (protein first of course). I have learned what agrees with me and what doesn't, and adjust accordingly.

I'm one of those who never completely lost hunger, nor did my tastes really change. My husband and I are young - I had surgery when I was 26 - and we don't yet have any children (well, one's cookin' right now, but obviously none earlier post-op!), so our lifestyle is such that we literally eat out 6-7 days a week, sometimes twice a day.

Very early out, I would order french onion soup (no bread/croutons) and just eat the cheese and the broth, leaving the actual onions at the bottom of the cup/bowl. And that was it - I'd be stuffed!

Fast forward, and now I have many, many options. Personally, yes, I do tend to order just meats and veggies, but that sounds so restricted when, in reality, that offers a lot of variety! Here are some go-tos for me:

- chicken wings anywhere where they're not breaded or battered (plain with side of ranch, buffalo sauce, or other low-sugar sauce - place near me has an Italian flavor that's good, and I think Domino's has garlic parmesan that's also good)
- big entree salad with lots of protein toppings (chicken, eggs, cheese, bacon, etc.) and non-sugary dressing (if I really want honey mustard or thousand island dressing, I order it on the side and also get a side of mayo to mix with it so I still get the flavor but use less of the dressing) - I eat the toppings first and usually end up pushing away a dish of mostly lettuce that I can't finish at the end!
- any burger or grilled chicken sandwich, no bun, no sugary toppings (I jus****ch things like barbecue sauce, teriyaki sauce, etc., though I still do bbq sauce sometimes if I mix with mayo so I use less of it)
- STEAK (any cut) - Longhorn especialy has these amazing "stuffed" filets that I really like. I usually order steaks with a side of broccoli and/or side salad.
- non-breaded pork chops, fish, chicken, pork, beef...whatever meat you like paired with non-starchy sides. Most places nowadays have broccoli or green beans or sub salad for a side. Some places even have more veggies to choose from (for example, Ruby Tuesday offers mashed cauliflower, asparagus, and even spaghetti squash as side options).
- Thai food - I just order an entree of meat and veggies in a non-sweet sauce and skip the rice.
- Chick-fil-A - if you don't want grilled chicken or a salad, they will sell you a cup of their chicken salad (it's not on their menu boards, but they do it if you ask)
- KFC - grilled chicken pieces, Double Down, and even their regular recipe chicken is surprisingly low in carbs. Just steer clear of the potato wedges, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, biscuits, and coleslaw (surprisingly, their coleslaw has more carbs than their mashed potatoes! I learned that one the hard way)
- Chipotle (or similar) - bowl of meat, cheese, sour cream, salsa, lettuce or veggies if you want, and even guacamole if you want (guac is high in carbs, but much of it is fiber, and it also has a god bit of fat)

As a sales girl, I live my life on the road too.  So almost all food is out.  I am four months out and although I can handle quite a bit of food now in comparison to the first few months.  My tastes really didn't change that much - the biggest I would say is I swapped my Diet Coke for hot and cold teas, and now I love suckers and jellybeans where as my go-to sweets in the past were chocolate and cake.

Usually when I go out when I am home I will split something with either my partner or the baby - but on the road I just end up wasting food because there is no way around it.  

Here is where I eat 90% of the time when I am on the road:

- Any 24 hour breakfast joint like Denny's or little diners:  Ham and cheese omlette - I will eat the middle of the omlette where the most cheese in - and the ends are usually too much for me.  I pass the hashbrowns but allow myself 1 triangle of wheat toast just drowning in butter.

- Subway: Any 6 inch sub- double meat, double cheese, tomato and green pepper with mayo.  I just peel off the bread as I eat minus a couple bites.

- Steak houses:  The smallest steak they have, mashed potato loaded, and usually a side salad, but that's new because salad and I didn't get along so well until just recently.

- Starbucks:  Big ass hot tea with splenda (I like the mint one and I reccomend you get some now for your tummy) and the protien plate which comes with cheese, eggs, crackers, and some meat sometimes.

- Cracker Barrel:  Embarassing to be the youngest person in there, yes...but they are everywhere and I know thier menu.  Any breakfast eggy item or if I am not up for that I will order the chicken tenderloins meal (grilled not breaded) or a chef salad with a side of the hashbrown cassarole.  I always leave with one of those little swizzle sticks - peppermint - as a treat.

- Indian Take out:  Chicken Tikka Masala with a couple nibbles of nann. 
- Chinese:  Some sort of grilled chicken and veggie dish (ie. cashew chicken) or pepper steak.
- Mexican:  Fejitas without the tortillas, eaten with chips instead (corn seems to work, flour does not).
- Pizza:  Any pizza, I take two slices and push all the toppings on to a couple bites of crust and eat that.
- Soup places:  Chili, Chicken soup and more chili with tons of cheese and sour cream.
- Sweets:  frozen yogart kids cup (like from TCBY)
- Whole Foods:  Any meat from the hot bar,topped with cheese, and some small amount of veg.

The board members who live on the road helped me figure out what to eat, but I will say in the first few months eating out is a huge waste of money if you are paying for it- simply because there comes a point where you can't

I tend to stay away from the burger joints only because beef tends to fill me up super fast versus chicken or fish.  I haven't been daring enough to try the fast food yet, and I think I am going to try to stay away from them simply because they didn't work with me before the surgery.

Good luck and hope this helps,
Holly