CrackerBarrel - OMG!!!!

I think I am very thankful there are no CrackerBarrel restaurants in CA! I visited a CrackerBarrel for the first time EVER while visiting my friends in Georgia. Okay, I know it's not a five star restaurant (BWAHAHAHA), but holy moly it is a place that made this former fattie's head spin!

Now before anyone goes all nutso on me, I am in maintenance, was on vacation and was delighting in experiencing something totally new.....

And yes, people, I ordered food fit for my formerly obese self!

CrackerBarrel is comfort food heaven. IT IS NOT A PLACE FOR ANYONE WHO IS IN WEIGHT LOSS - SERIOUSLY! Okay, you could eat there if you had to, but boy it would have been so hard for me during WL because of all the tempting carb-i-li-cious food on the menu.

I did find something that was semi VSG friendly to order - Smothered Chicken Tenderloins - grilled marinated chicken breast tenderloins. Oh, yeah, the smothered part....... topped with applewood smoked bacon and melted cheddar cheese. Then with my order I got to choose 3 sides. Seriously???? 3?????? okay, so I chose..... salad (somewhat good), collard greens (still good, I'm thinking....) and since it was so highly recommended the hash brown casserole.  I'm thinking I had to try the collard greens since I was in the south and they were my father in law's favorite. I needed to know what I was missing all these years.

Well, the food comes and I'm so shocked by the portion size. I had to take a pic! Sadly, I can't get it off my phone to post tonight!

I sampled a little of everything.

Okay, peeps...Collard greens....maybe not so healthy prepared the Crackerbarrel way! but, a new favorite food! Who doesn't like greens all fried up with bacon? Hmmmm? then hot pepper sauce on top to give it some heat. MMMMM, MMMMMM! Damn! Probably not as bad as I think, and who knew that greens could taste so yummy?

My friends also ordered biscuits with sawmill gravy and the table was over flowing with food. Okay, I did have some grits, too. Had to! I LOVE grits. They rank higher for me than mashed potatoes or rice! LOL! So I had a couple bites.

Anyhow, I ate off that meal for two more meals - both breakfast and lunch the next day!

Then everyone ordered dessert. My "sister" said to just order anything I wanted a bite of and her family would finish off the rest. I chose something that I had never heard of and just knew I had to because the name just screamed the south or Paula Deen, or something you know was going to be ooey gooey like that - Double Chocolate Coca Cola Cake! Had a wonderful 3 bites and passed it on. Totally lived up to my idea of ooey gooey crap food!

Anyhow the whole point of this post is to let you all know that every so often I eat totally off program. 90% of the time I eat on plan and as I've learned to over the last 18 months. I don't get upset with myself for not being perfect or going off plan. I knew that I would. I didn't know how, but I knew I would and I gave myself permission for a few off plan food activities while in Georgia. (Greenwich was a different story, but that's already been posted.)

I got home late last night and today I was back on plan and actually in WL mode because I was up a few pounds when I got on the scale this morning. So, I'm under 1000 calories for the day and sitting at 40 carbs and had a kick ass workout and cardio session. I'll stay this way until I'm back to where I want to be.

This sleeve is a great tool and always waiting in the wings after a little vacation over doing it.

 

Kairk,

I think the great thing is that you have the discipline to be able to go off plan and not get consumed and then drown in the carbs.  That is great, that you have the ability to do that.  Even while I have been on my 3 month diet I really have to focus if I eat anything sugary or carby or I lose control and just go crazy wanting more and more.  I am definitely envious of your ability to stop yourself and get right back on track.  I hope I can get to that point someday!  Thanks for sharing your stories, it's always good to hear the hard human times that the vets have. For me, it makes it a lot easier to believe I will succeed at this when the time comes.  Your great inspiration!

smiles

Lisa

The description of your Southern orgy just cracks me up. Not everyone in the world would get the pleasure and pathos of your post, but we here on OH certainly do. LOL

Many kudos for being able to enjoy a walk on the wild side then rein it back in. I struggle with that.

Oh, and one more thing: If you haven't been there, Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah, The Lady and Sons, does have some ridiculously rich and delicious food. For me, it has to be a happy memory, because it's definitely not sleeve-friendly. :-)

Thanks for posting about your experience at Cracker Barrel.  Our family is goin' south for a vacation next month, and I've been concerned about where we could eat out.  I really couldn't care less about eating out, but I don't want to ruin the trip for my family, so ...  From your description Cracker Barrel sounds like a better bet than, say, Golden Corral, where it would stick in my craw to pay full-price for an all-you-can-eat meal where all I can eat is about 3 oz.  :)  I could probably order something at Cracker Barrel, doggie-bag the uneaten portion, and have motel meals for days from the sound of things. 

Glad you shifted effortlessly back into WL mode to return to Ideal Kairk.  We really need to read about people like you and Elina and others who have a plan for that and who dive right into it.  Great job!

Nancybefree

Hi

i would think Golden Corral would still be the better choice because there are so many different healthier things that you can choose from, although it may be more pricey in the long run.  The Cracker Barrel in Georgia actually sounds a lot different than the one here in idaho, the one here only has comfort foods, lots of carbs and fat, nothing healthy that I can remember, even their veggies that you get three of are drenched in butter or brown sugary glaze.  Haven't gone in quite a while but the last time I left sick to my stomach from all the grease and at that time I was trying to make a healthy choice.  Just saying the cost may be more at GC but you might get a better variety of more nutritious foods, and lots of different varieties of protein.  Just a thought!  Hope you have a great time on vacation.  That "moes" place Kairk posted about in the prior post also sounded wonderful and might be another good place for your and your family!!!

Have fun!

Lisa

Thanks for the info.  The last time I went to Golden Corral they had lots of carby and greasy stuff, which was fine with me then because I ate a lot of that stuff and ate for pleasure.  If worst comes to worst I could enjoy some lovely unsweetened iced tea in a restaurant while the family dines -- which I'm used to and have done off and on for years anyway -- or have a vegetable side and either eat my own stuff before or after we go out. 

I'll be very busy anyway telling my son to sit still/eat nicely/move your glass away from the edge of the table/don't wipe your mouth on your shirt/use your fork and spoon/etc etc etc, so the less to deal with on my own plate, the better. 

The one thing I did decide is that I'm bringing my own food, my protein powders, and some water bottles so that I have no excuses to eat off-plan because I'm in active WL mode and want to stay there.  :)  I can see where someone in maintenance mode like Kairk would have more options, but I am set and determined to do this vacation on my terms and really enjoy it with my dear husband and dear children w/o guilt or worry from eating off-plan. 

I was done with Paula Deen when I saw her put butter in hamburger patties.  LOL

 

anne

If I'm not mistaken, Paula Deen had a serious diabetic problem which finally motivated her to lose weight, so I guess she backed off the butter some as a result.  But, yeah, the Paula Deen butter jokes ... 

Crackerbarrel is one of the only resturants that sill has a low carb menu. You have to look online for it and ask when you get there for the meal. It is much higher calories that I would normally do now..but I would go there pre op when I was doing Atkins. I am in the midwest so there is one on every cornor... It tickles me to see the description from kairk.