My first meal out!

Congrats.

Sometimes it can be a challenge to find the foods we can eat at restaurants, but most times I find something.

As an empty nester, we go out 2 times a week, so I have learned which local restaurants have what I like and accommodate me the best.

Most times I take enough food home to last 3 more meals the coming week.

Congratulations on a successful outing!  I know that getting back to a "normal" life is so important.  I found that Mexican restaurants usually have enough options that I can order something with meat and veggies, as long as I skip the chips, beans and rice.  I usually spend time looking at the menus online - most restaurants now post menus and some even post calorie counts.

I eat out once or twice a week and have from about 8 weeks out.  I also check out menus online to pre-plan.  If there are protein based appetizers that is usually what I get and I still have at least 1/2 left over.  When I do get a regular meal, 2-3 nights of leftovers are the norm (which I enjoy).

I had my first meal out this past week as well ... grilled salmon (menu said it was 8 oz., I ate about 2oz. and had enough for 3 more servings at home), green beans (I had 2 fork-fulls) and one bite of mashed potatoes. I was stuffed. I finished eating and everyone was still devouring their full plates of food and then ordered homemade pie. The contrast between how much I used to eat (and what others eat) and how much I eat now is so huge.