Italian restaurants

  Iv been aske out for dinner by family members I dont want to know Iv had my band in,,,
we are going to an Italian, any ideas on what I can safely choose? I thought of mussles for the main course and say im too full for a sweet . Suggestions greatfully received
Iv been on mushy foods till now, had some shrimp yesterday to test but probably ate too much and was very uncomfortable , I still eat far too quick, need to work on it...
I just want this meal over and done with before my 1st fill
Karen

Mussels can be hard to chew down to that super mushy consistency and can be a little rubbery... depends on the mussel.  I've had them since being banded but have to be SUPER careful and have had to spit some out rather than swallow when I felt that they were too rubbery.

A salad with chicken or something is a safe option as you can eat the chicken and pick around the salad to make it look like you've eaten a lot.

I see you are in the UK, so perhaps Italian restaurants there are different from our Ameri-Italian options.  Here we have a lot of pasta options with red sauce and cheeses.  If they offer something like stuffed shells you could get away with eating the cheese filling out of the pasta.  Meatballs are a good option too.  Or perhaps a fish dish.

If the restaurant has a menu online I try and look ahead of time and have a plan. 

Thanx, I just assumed mussles would be a safe option since it looks like your having lots but not much eating in them? I thought I would struggle with pasta? but never thought of the cannelloni type stuffed ... I would prob be scared of chicken at this stage. Just checked the place on-line but it does not list its menu , thanx for advice

My favorite at Italian restaurants is meatballs and marinara sauce.  If you don't want to be too obvious you can order them on pasta and then just push the pasta around but I find that if you don't want to tell everyone you know or ever eat with about your band you need to come up with a story.  It works best if it's also true.  Here's my story: I don't eat wheat or sugar anymore because of my rheumatoid arthritis.  It's true and it accounts mostly for my food choices and my weight loss if anyone asks.

Katie

Karen,

I'm over a year and a half out, post-plastics, and I avoid bivalves and other really chewy seafood like the plague.  I had a stuck incident with New England Clam Chowder about four months out and I'm not repeating that.

I recommend carpaccio.  Whether you get beef, ahi, or salmon.  It's very thin sliced, like paper.  It's delicious and it's really easy to chew adequately.  You might not want to eat the greens that sometimes accompany the meat/fish at your stage, though.

Soup is a good choice.

Best wishes.

Lisa

I have always found meatballs to be great and delicious. I can't bear pasta anymore though, over chewing it makes it yeuch. I like the idea of Katleems, I think I might start telling people I stay away from wheat as they don't agree with me anymore.

Brilliant girls, im so glad I asked, I would have made totally wrong choices, I would never have considered meatballs, thought they would be difficult to swallow... they know im on a diet so will be watching my choices and my sisters have gone for the lap band hypnosis so im saying that im gona do that, they called me up and asked if I was in hospital as someone told them id been in having abdominal surgery!!! they wont tell me who said but Im sure its came from my doctors surgery, I just laughed it off but was so angry since iv travelled for surgery at a distance to prevent anyone knowing my business...
thats why I love having you all here to support and help
thanx girls x

Eggplant Parmagiane is another health choice.

FatGuy(shrinking)inNC

I've been to a few and they had wheat pasta of which I can digest.  I usually do meatballs and sauce with it. 

I order soup!!!  You can work the broth while everyone else chows down on appetizers!  Take a piece of bread and break it up on your plate, lol.

And I agree that meatballs are way better than mussels for a lapbander!  You can take small bites and they're mushy!  If they think you're on a diet anyway, order the pasta on the side - and extra sauce!  Fish is easier for me than meatballs, especially at an italian restaurant, cause it's usually baked in fat!

Good luck and remember, it's about getting together - not the food!

Hugs,
Kristen