Question:
eating out in resturants

I am curious does anyone know how long after RNY surgery will you ever be able to go to a resturant to eat. When you can go what are you able to eat? Will we always have to eat protein first months down the road. Just wondering.    — cuppaloopy (posted on November 28, 2009)

November 28, 2009
Barb I waited till The September following my surgery to eat out. I had RNY 2 June 2009(241/170). First I studied the menu before I went and ordered the item with what I felt had the most protein. Then when I ordered I asked for a box to be brought with my meal. Then I sectioned off my 1/2 cup of food and the rest went into the box...YES I ate my protein first.... If you start a good habit it will continue and help you succeed. It is possible to eat out and remain within your guidelines but mostly I make meals here at home and place them in the freezer. Hope this helps
   — karensaporito

November 28, 2009
Don't order anything you haven't tried before. Don't experiment with your pouch. First of all I avoided restaurants at first. When I had to go, I ordered soup and ate my protein before or after going. Later on, and I am 5 years post op, I still order a small soup or better, chili. If I'm with family or friends I beg for food off their plate.LOL Sometimes I share a plate with someone or take the rest home for another 3 or 4 meals.
   — smparker2

November 28, 2009
I had surgery in June 08 and in July went out, I ordered a turkey burger, ate about my pinky finger size of burger and brought the rest home. Ate on that for 3 days before the dogs got it. lol After that I found that eating soup croth out was better for me personally. It feels like you are having food and yet its a liquid and when i go home I eat my foods. Try it. Many places are ok with you only getting the broth. I go to olive garden and get the zuppa tucscanna broth, applebees for the onion soup, paneara gives me chicken soup broth, etc, just tell the waitress you are gonna be a pain in the ass and could she just ladel out broth for you. They are usually quite good about it. Best of luck to you! hugs,kim
   — gpcmist

November 29, 2009
Hi Barb.... I LOVE sushi, and was really bummed that I wouldn't be able to eat it after the surgery. But, I had a revelation about 3 weeks post op, when I was on soft foods, that HEY!! I CAN eat sushi, just not the rice and seaweed and vegetables!! So, we went to the restaurant on our regular Friday night sushi date, and I asked them to chop the raw salmon almost as if it had been put through a food grinder, and the same thing with the scallops (my two favorite kinds of sushi). They did that, and used just a tiny bit of mayo, and some masago (the microscopic orange fish eggs), with just a taste of extremely finely chopped lemon zest, and that's what I ate, and it was delicious!! As far as other restaurants, I didn't start going out to them until about 4 months out. In the earlier months, I would just order a side of cottage cheese and fruit, but after a month or so of that, I ordered side dishes of either sliced turkey with a little bit of gravy on the side to dip in for moistening, or the shredded chicken or pork that they use for burritos (with the liquid), or (for instance, last night - and I am nearly 9 months out now) I ordered pistachio encrusted salmon. Of course, I only ate a couple of ounces, and three of the five asparagus spears that came with it, but now I've got at least 3 more meals of it in the fridge. I've also gone to Chinese food restaurants and ordered the chicken and broccoli. I'm not sure what they do to cook the chicken, but it is very tasty, extremely tender, and goes down really easy. And, I can eat one or two of the broccoli florets, and they go down just fine. And the Golden Tofu appetizer, steamed (not fried), goes down really well and is very high in protein. And YES, I ALWAYS eat my protein first. No matter what.
   — Erica Alikchihoo

November 29, 2009
My WLS support group meets at restaurants periodically, and we're all newbies. People order soup and just eat the broth, or order other things they know they can tolerate but take home most of it. Check out the menu online before you go.
   — Janell C.

November 29, 2009
I think it was about 3 months after my surgery before I went to a restaurant. I don't do fast food restaurants ever. If at all possible check the menu online - they have the nutritional values a lot of times. If you can do that, decide what you are going to eat and stick with it. I find that once I get there it is so easy to change your mind, so I usually tell a friend what I am going to get and then if I change my mind, she reminds me of what my original plan was. It is really great to have support even in going out to eat!
   — Dawn A.

November 29, 2009
Always eat protien first. once you are on solid foods you can do resturants. Just order small amounts and expect to have lots of left overs.
   — trible

November 30, 2009
Eating out is OK....order broiled fish or lump crab cakes and chew well with small bites. I definently need a box to go because I never finish but I feel like a "normal" person being able to go out. The other key is do not drink with the meal, I order a water and push it aside. I even went out to breakfast for the first time. Scrambled eggs or an omlette with cheese worked fine for me. Be creative.
   — HeatherNP