Company event....suggestions please

during week three I have a company event that is of course a dinner.  I will still be doing limited soft foods.  Can anyone give me ideas of how to deal with these situations?  This will be the first of many to come but this one in particular will be a little tougher because I doubt I can eat anything there. Thanks!

Is it absolute that you must attend? Can you attend just the ****tail portion? 

At this early stage you must adhere strictly to the food rules and that would mean pureed soups, soft fish, cottage cheese, eggs, things of that nature. Do not try to get through on mashed potatoes, either. Is it table service or buffet? Maybe you can order something soft from the menu?

Personally, I'd skip this one or just attend ****tails unless you know there are foods there you can eat from the approved soft foods list. Or, If people know of your surgery then eat beforehand and explain why your not having dinner.

Please do not assume you can put a little on your plate and nibble unless its cheese or hard boiled eggs, you must respect your healing sleeve at all times. Plus head hunger is a trigger and can be a challenge in a setting with an abundance of food.

I am currently on pureed foods and had a wedding/reception yesterday. I packed a yogurt and applesauce in a little cooler bag and ate it in the car between the wedding and reception. At the dinner I just drank water - got a few odds looks from the catering staff since I was not eating but it all worked out! ; )

You can find out who is organizing the function or contact the venue and let them know of your dietary restrictions because of recent surgery (no need to get into details). They should be able to accommodate you.

Good luck and enjoy!

I would pack my own food. Pack some cottage cheese or chicken salad in a plastic cup with a plastic spoon. Then you can throw the cup and spoon away after you eat =] This is what I do anyways.....

Also, if the event is a few hours long, I would eat before you go. Then you can eat something small while you are there.

Good luck =]

If your co-workers know about your sleeve, they will understand if you can't eat anything. You can have your dinner packed up to give to a friend or take home for your family.

If you don't want your co-workers to know about your sleeve, or the dinner is more formal and includes clients or other people who need to be "coddled," then eat something at home first, and when you're at the dinner, push the food around on your plate. It's amazing how easy it is to fool people into thinking that you're eating. If anyone remarks at how little you've "eaten," tell them that you're not particularly hungry. I know it's a sad waste of food, but sometimes that's necessary.

Once you're back on solid food, these dinners should be easier to manage. You can eat some of the chicken or beef or fish entrees, maybe some vegetables if they're not too sauced up, but at least you can eat along with everyone else.

Good luck!

psychoticparrot

Any chance you can get the menu ahead of time to plan?  That's something that works well for me!

Thanks for all the replies.  These are great tips since I know this situation will come up again going forward.  

What if you were recovering from heart surgery or gall bladder surgery?  WLS is no different.  If you are under doctor's orders to eat "XXX" - then you eat "XXX".  Either eat before going, or bring something with you.  "Doctor's Orders, thank you" -- they don't need to know any details.

Believe me, there will be many challenging events post-op.  You'll get a handle on eating the right food with confidence.  Your health is #1 - don't worry about what others think.

I had to do something similar at 4-5weeks. The restaurant was kind enough to let me choose a fish dish and I ate my 1/4c and was done.

it wasn't easy watching everyone have their lovely ****tails though 😋