Eating out after a gastric sleeve

A meal out is about more than food. It is time with family, friends or colleagues, and a gastric sleeve does not mean giving that up. With a smaller stomach, eating out simply takes a little more planning. Here is what helps.

When can I eat out again?

In the first weeks after surgery, you move through fluid, puréed and soft stages while your stomach heals. Restaurant food is hard to fit into these stages, so most people wait until they are back on regular textures. Your dietitian tells you when you are ready and which foods to try first.

Even then, start with places and dishes you know. Try one new food at a time, so you can tell what sits well and what does not.

Plan before you go

• Look at the menu online. It is easier to choose calmly at home than at a busy table.
• In Ontario, food-service chains with 20 or more locations must post calories on their menus. Calories are not the whole story, but they help you spot heavy dishes.
• Do not arrive very hungry. If dinner is late, a small planned snack earlier, such as a yogurt, helps you eat slowly at the table.
• Sip water through the day, so you are not thirsty when the food arrives.
• Choose the place yourself when you can, or suggest one with simple grilled dishes.

What to order

The rules you follow at home work well when you eat out: protein first, then vegetables, then a small amount of starch. Canada's food guide suggests choosing foods that are baked, grilled, broiled or poached, and asking for sauces and dressings on the side, so you control the amount.

• Fish, chicken, eggs, tofu, beans, lentils or lean meat, cooked so they stay moist.
• Soft cooked vegetables, or a broth-based soup rather than a creamy one.
• An appetizer or a side dish instead of a full main, if the restaurant allows it.
• Go easy on fried food, rich sauces, bread and dessert. They fill a small stomach with little protein, and in some people sugary food can cause dumping.
• Tough or dry meat and soft white bread, rice or pasta can feel heavy. Choose moist, tender options.

Portions and pace

Restaurant portions are made for people who have not had a sleeve, so you will probably eat only part of a plate. That is expected. Guidelines for life after bariatric surgery advise small meals, small bites and chewing each bite thoroughly before you swallow.

• Ask for a take-home container when the food arrives, and set part of the meal aside before you start.
• Share a dish, or order one main for two.
• Take small bites, chew well and put your fork down between bites.
• Stop at the first sign of fullness, even if others are still eating.
• You do not owe anyone an explanation. Saying that you are full, or that you are taking the rest home, is enough.

Drinks at the table

Canadian guidelines advise keeping fluids and solid food apart: no liquids within 30 minutes of eating solids, and no carbonated or caffeinated drinks. At a restaurant this can feel awkward, because a drink is often the first thing on the table.

• Plan your fluids around the meal: stop drinking about 30 minutes before you expect to eat, and start again about 30 minutes after you finish.
• If water or a drink is poured for you, it is fine to leave it for later.
• Choose still water over pop or sparkling water.
• Skip alcohol unless your team has said it is okay. After a sleeve, alcohol hits faster and harder.

If a meal does not sit well

Pressure, pain, nausea or vomiting after a meal usually means too much food, eating too fast, not chewing enough or a food your stomach is not ready for yet. Stop eating, rest, and sip water slowly once it settles. Call your care team if you cannot keep fluids down, or if it happens often.