We went to Uno last night to celebrate older son's 24th birthday. It was my younger's son's last night here before returning to school in Dallas. When I went on the Uno website to see what I could eat, I was appalled to find that their two salmon dishes have 33 grams of fat apiece! The lowest "dinner" thing I could find (I wanted to eat more than veggie soup and salad) was the barbeque shrimp skewers over pilaf. Even so, the pilaf is 280 calories (!) and almost no fiber. I had a glass of wine too and wanted dessert, so on one meal, I used up 15 flex points. I am really going to have to watch it through next Wednesday, and maybe spend a little more time on the treadmill. These chain restaurants don't often have meals that fit in with diet plans...I know Applebee's has its WW menu, but even they are high in points and when you only have 20 to spend in a day, it's very, very hard.
I find it is difficult eating out. If I know I am going out I stick to the ww soup and jello during the day so I can enjoy what I eat at the restarant.
I eat out several times a week and sometimes 2 times a day several days a week and find it easy. It is more making a wise choice and being very specific on things such as NO BUTTER, DRESSING/SOUR CREAM ON THE SIDE. COOK DRY. STEAM without butter/oil. And planning.
Sometimes it is as easy has 1/2 of the entree (which is usually more than enough food) a large green veggie salad only with dressing on the side and a nice herbal tea for a dessert or sharing a real dessert.
No one (and I am not telling you what to do or how to feel) should starve to enjoy eating out.
I've run into major difficulties getting what I want
Once I asked for an egg white omelet, and was told this wasn't possible because they used "pasteurized eggs," whatever that means. Another time, my husband, who is a vegetarian, asked for the meatballs to be left off his manicotti entree and to make a substitution for the meatballs. No dice. Lots of restaurants are still unwilling to be accommodating to their guests with dietary restrictions, and although I will not return to those restaurants, for the time I was there I found it difficult to eat within my plan. We don't eat out very often for these reasons. There is often nothing on the menus that my husband can eat, and restaurants still cook with way too much fat.
Once I asked for an egg white omelet, and was told this wasn't possible because they used "pasteurized eggs," whatever that means.
I don't know what why pasteurized eggs would have any effect they are still whole eggs...unless they were using a 'powdered' 'reconsituted egg product. Did you ask for Egg Substitute like EggBeaters then? Some restaurants just don't use real eggs and that may be the reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thinfor5Minutes
Another time, my husband, who is a vegetarian, asked for the meatballs to be left off his manicotti entree and to make a substitution for the meatballs. No dice. Lots of restaurants are still unwilling to be accommodating to their guests with dietary restrictions, and although I will not return to those restaurants, for the time I was there I found it difficult to eat within my plan.
I have never encounted a place with the except on one place (will explain later) unwilling to make it exactly how a customer wants. If the waiter/waitress says they can't I asked for the manager or if it is a small Mom&Pop place the owner. Once I explain my reasoning to the manager or owner there is never a problem. Maybe it is just because I truly assert myself and insist on what I want.
The one and only time I asked for a special order and they said they wouldn't and the manager was not willing to make the accomodations for me I then said here is $1 for my soda/coffee. I then left.
We stayed at that Italian restaurant because my H does not like to make a big scene that he is a vegetarian. We were on vacation in Cape May, NJ and I guess the management did not care if someone was unhappy; there were 40more people waiting at the door to get in. We go to Cape May frequently and will never go into that restaurant again. It is particularly hard to feed my H at the Jersey shore b/c all the restaurants seem to be steak or seafood places. He gets sick of pasta primavera and the like, and that's about all most restaurants seem to have for vegetarians.
My dad is a vegetarian and finds it hard to eat out sometimes. He usually ends up eating a salad or veggie lasagna and then you're not sure if it is 100% vegetarian or has come in contact with meat (ie. the grill or deep fryer that meat has been cooked in or on). I imagine that it is even more difficult if you are a vegan.
I've also been in the position where you end up at a restaurant and everything is fatty/creamy/fried - I once had a 25 point dinner
Sometimes if you pick a garden salad with dressing on the side and an appetizer (not fried) it is better than getting an entree.
and listening to my griping about how hard it is to be on 20 points. The good thing is that my pants are too loose. It's hard to understand when my scale says otherwise -- it's up and down by the same two pounds all the time -- but something must be clicking in, somehow, if my clothes are getting larger.
I used up a whole BUNCH of flex points last night
