Question:
It is hard to have kids, eat out, and have any choices. Idea?
I am about 5 weeks post-op and am finding that, with the weather getting nicer and with my renewed energy to spend time outdoors with my kids (parks, zoo, and the like)...and the subsequent eating out that that seems to cause (I have 3 kids, ages 6, 5, and 4)...I do not really have any good choices. I am watching my fat and carb intake very closely and often cannot find any options. My concern is that I am just choosing to NOT EAT (just drink water) a lot of the time because it is easier. I KNOW that this is not good but I have not mastered what to eat and not to eat. I know that I should just pack something but things happen often on the spur of the moment. Any ideas?? — April S. (posted on April 26, 2003)
April 26, 2003
it is difficult but not impossbile..you can still do life and eat!! just
make better choices and you will see you kids will benefit too.
i plan more and carry water and fruit in the event i am not able to find
foods that agree with me.
soups and salads are great for me (4 months post op) i am sure you will
find things that agree with you too.
good luck to you and!! nan 12.18.02 -70lbs
— nan K.
April 26, 2003
I too, eat on the go alot. I am almost 10 weeks out. Some of the fast
food items I have had succeess with are the Wendy's chili, and their
chicken BLT salad. McDonalds and Burger King also offer salads with
grilled chicken. Even though they are made w/ white meat, it seems to be
soft enough that I haven't had a problem. I use less than half the
dressing they give you, starting with eating the protein then the rest of
the salad. Most of the greens are left over. In a deli or diner, I ask
for a side salad with a scoop of Tuna, chicken, egg or shrimp salad on top.
I minimize any dressing on them, as the mayo is plenty of fat. I have
begun looking at the nutritional content of these items at the restaurants
or on the websites. The managers have copies of thye nutritional content
of almost all the items they serve. Oh, and Boston Market chicken is good
w/o the skin as is their chicken ceaser salad and steamed veggies. FYI, I
started looking into these things before surgery so I would have an idea
waht I could eat if my family was on the go. Good luck!
— Fixnmyself
April 26, 2003
Hi, April. Great question! I'm 5 weeks post op, too. The others had
great suggestions. I actually ate out twice today. First time eating out
and went out twice. Lucky me, huh? I'm happy because I made GREAT food
choices and nothing got STUCK! Lunch...pasta fagioli and ricotta cheese
(at a pizza joint, neither of which were on their "menu")..ask
and ye shall recieve! Dinner: broiled fish and mashed tatos. Suggestion
for spur of the moment: Put a couple of protein bars in the glove box
today for tomorrow or the next day! That's helped me out in a pinch many
many days. Good luck
— msmaryk
April 26, 2003
Hi April~ I have 4 small children, and we eat out alot. I am a home health
nurse also, so I am in my car driving alot, and eat out. You can order a
burger, throw away the bun, I order a grilled chicken bacon ranch salad
from McD's, and eat the chicken, and a few bites of salad. KFC has the
tender roast sandwich, throw away the bun. I also get one taco from Taco
bell sometimes, or the beans and cheese. Get creative, there are alot of
good things out there, just share it with your kids, so you don't eat to
much. Just watch out for the hidden calories, keep away from the mayo. Good
luck
— Sandy H.
April 26, 2003
I don't do protein shakes or bars, but I always have jerky in my glovebox
without fail so that when we picnic, I have something high in protein to
gnaw on.
— [Deactivated Member]
April 27, 2003
At 5 weeks, you are probably still healing and need to take it easy. I had
to travel with 120 teenagers to Florida less than 4 weeks after my surgery
and was a little worried about what I would be able to find. Burger King -
Chicken whopper junior plain and just eat the very tender chicken breast,
baked potato from any fast food place - just watch the toppings. (A little
butter and/or sour cream is okay - I couldn't finish one at that point,
anyway). I couldn't do salads that early, so the sandwich without the bun
worked best for me. I couldn't tolerate ground beef, so I stuck with
chicken. (But, as it has been noted on this board before by others, I
could tolerate chili!) Eating baked potato is not a bad thing, especially
if it is an alternative to eating nothing! You do need some fat and carbs
in your diet, so don't be afraid to eat something. I carried a can of
Choice DM in my pack pack in the theme parks in Florida, in case I couldn't
find anything I felt I could eat. If you have one, a small lunch box with
an ice pack and some small containers of cottage cheese or yogurt could
come in handy. At five weeks, I was on soft foods, so not into the protein
bars yet. By the way, with three kids, and having the new-found energy, you
will do great - you have some real built in motivation to get moving! (Did
you ever stop???!!!) I bet being unconscious for surgery was the last time
you got any rest! LOL!
— koogy
April 27, 2003
Hi, good question. I have two children and we eat out sometimes too. At
restraunts, you have more to choose from like salad, fish, chicken, etc.
But, at fast food places, their is a quite of few places I found out that
you can go too. I like burger king and wendy's baked poatoes and side
salads. I also can eat kfc's mased potatoes and cole slaw, and taco bell's
refried beans and $.99 nacho supreme. Hope this helps out alittle for
ideas.
— Melodee S.
April 28, 2003
Okay, I hate to be the meanie and say this but...isn't the reason you had
this surgery to make some MAJOR lifestyle changes and hopefully, therefore,
breaking the cycle of obesity that is so easily passed on to our children?
We too have three children each 17 months apart (5,6,8) and I know that in
today's fast paced world, it is much EASIER to just go grab fast food. As
a matter of fact, before my surgery, our family used to go out to eat 3-6
times a week! But part of my (our) decision making process in having this
surgery was that it would be a significant health benefit for our whole
family. I'm not saying we never go out to eat...but it's more like twice a
month now. Again, I know it is hard with three small kids, but couldn't
you just think ahead a bit and pack a lunch for all of you? Even if you
just made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, crackers, fruit and
cookies...it has to be 1,000 times better for your kids than fast food! As
for yourself, maybe find a nice, small cooler bag and some ice packs and
start packing yourself what you need for the day...so that even if you find
yourself at McDonald's for the second time that week, at least you have a
healthy alternative for yourself. Sorry to be so hard on you, but I hope
it gets you thinking beyond yourself and helps you look at the example you
are setting (and habits you are forming) for your kids.
— eaamc
April 29, 2003
You might try keeping some things in the car trunk for those "spur of
the moment" outings. Things like bottled water, protein bars (though
heat might make them melt), almonds, dried fruit, beef jerkey, peanut
butter crackers. How 'bout healthy cereal that your kids could eat as
snacks, things like spoon-sized shredded wheat? Obviously if you have more
advance notice you can pack a cooler bag with better choices. And truly,
the fast food places do have better choices than they used to; I hardly
ever go (don't have young kids) but the last time I did I was pleasantly
surprised by a chicken and mandarin orange salad at Wendy's--just don't use
too much dressing, which is *really* high in calories.
— Celia A.
Click Here to Return