Restaurant Food Ideas

Ok, so I'm starting to venture out to eat & I'm finding it somewhat difficult to find things to eat on the menu.  I know I can get chili at Wendy's and refried beans at Taco Bell but are there other restaurants that you guys go to, in the metro area, that have good food for us WLS peeps? 

Could you let me know which restaurants they are, whether they're sit down or fast food, and what you order?

I've been kinda let down twice now at a couple different sit down restaurants not being able to find anything to order on the menu so I'd love some suggestions for some places to go to eat. 

I'd really like some ideas of what to order at some popular food chains, like Applebee's, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc. just incase I'm ever out & about with people and we want to go out to eat I could suggest a place that I could eat at.

Thank you in advance for your advice!! 

I love spicy so I often order a grilled chicken sandwich, ditch the bun and ask for a side of buffalo hot sauce for dipping.  I also do a lot of grilled chicken salads and taco salads (minus the sour cream and leaving the shell).  I am not a fish eater but if you are you can often find baked fish on the menus.  If I am at a Mexican restaurant I like the meat and veggies in fajitas and a few bites of black beans on the side instead of refried beans. 

And what I find crazy is how I can find a lot of meat (protein) options but not a lot of side options.  So many places have vegetables but they are already made in buttery sauces, or their mashed potatoes are prepared with heavy creams.  It's frustrating.  I don't want to just eat meat and nothing else.  I ended up getting a salad at a restaurant with the dressing on the side (since they had no low cal dressings) and just ate the meat and a few of the veggies.  Not a very flavorful meal. 

Wow, I am surprised that you found a restaurant in this day and age that didn't have a low cal dressing option.  Even w/ low cal dressings I order them on the side and use them sparingly. 

It can be difficult to find side dishes.  When I eat out I often do just eat the protein and a few bites of salad.  I love salsa and sometimes us that as a dressing.  It adds flavor and I figure it is made out of tomatoes and onions so it counts as a fruit/veggie, right?  ;)

If I am going out to McD's or BK w/ the kids I will order a side salad and have them add grilled chicken.

Eating out was very difficult for me early on.  It does get a little easier as you become more comfortable w/ your new rules of eating.

Back when I was a newer post-op, I really liked the Arby's roast beef sandwich - I'd eat the beef plain without the bun. 

Honestly, I rarely ate much fast food post-op and rarely eat it to this day.  When I do eat out, it's usually with my husband and kids at a restaurant (Red Robin is our favorite) or a date night at a restaurant with my husband.

Nearly 3 years post op, I can eat probably a bit  more at one sitting than you can but at Red Robin, I love getting the Aisan Chicken Salad or the Clucks & Fries  (minus the fries).  At a place like Red Lobster, I treat myself to shrimp scampi.  If we do go somewhere Italian, it is SO rare that I eat at a pasta place that I do treat myself and get like a chicken or shriimp alfredo and eat the chicken/shrimp off mostly first and have a little pasta just for that taste and a little treat.  At Applebees, I like the Asian Chicken wrap.  On my 37th Birthday last August visiting my friend in Maryland, they introduced me to Calamari and I loved it.  I can't believe I had never tried it before.

Anyway, good luck on your new journey and enjoy the ride!

I know you're a fresh post op so its tougher than those of us who can eat more or tolerate more foods...

I would just stick with protein options if you can eat them.. chicken, shrimp, fish, etc.... and yes most sides at the restaurants are fries, or like you said veggies in sauces, or mashed potatoes, etc.

I'd ask if you can subsititue a side for a side salad, or maybe order a salad, order extra chicken or whatever protein is on it, and split it into a couple meals in a to go box. 

I order alot of chicken/turkey wraps, or I'll order a sandwich that has alot of protein on it and ditch the bun like someone else mentioned.

I dont' really eat fast food because so much of it is full of fat.. but there are options out there that are okay too. And yes, I get my McD's french fry fix about once a month... we're only human!

I'm 3.5 months out and can manage pretty well most places, I like Chipotle, I get a burrito bowl, nix the rice and get black beans with the chicken instead, I add salsa and a little cheese and I can actually have a pretty nice dinner out on the go.

I steer away from fast food in general so i cant help there, but most restaurants I find a bean or lentil soup is a good option, or a crabcake, or broiled fish.  I even opt for the appertizers instead of getting a full meal which I'll have to dump most of.

my favorite thing is a grande Starbucks skinny vanilla latte...130 calories and about 12 grams of protein....yum!  when in doubt drink coffee! ha!

I am pre-op, but I am losing weight for the surgery. I went to Ruby Tuesday and had Chicken Fresco , I requested the potato be exchanged for another vegetable, I added two pats of butter, the butter being 1/3 of  total calories of the meal. So I learned a valuable lesson there. Remember, you as a customer can always ask for exchanges
    When I got home, I saw an ad on television that  Applebee's was touting thier new 535 calorie meals. Looks and sounds good. .
    Another idea was given at the St Joseph SG. They give thier patients a card that requests a kids meal, and explains the restricted intake from surgery.