Dining Out Challenges with an Ostomy - Portion Sizes and Food Choices

Does anyone with an ostomy find it difficult to order food in a restaurant? I find the portions are always too large and most of the food does not agree with me. The food cooked on a grill I cannot digest. Going out to dinner, especially with friends, is a nice way to socialize; however, lately, it causes me anxiety.

No issues at all. If the portions are too large, get a box and take it home for another meal.

Personally, my ileostomy has not stopped me from enjoying the occasional eat-out with friends or family. It is true that sometimes the portions are a bit large, but most restaurants have take-home containers, and I am not shy about using them. My wife does that all the time, and she is a "normal."

When you say you cannot digest grilled food, what does that mean? Are you saying you get a blockage? Or is it that there is some chunky stuff in your bag afterward? I get a lot of the latter sometimes. But if it is good going in, I don't worry about some chunks on the way out. Fortunately, I have been blessed with a stoma that does not easily get clogged. I find I can eat almost anything. I do realize that not everyone is that fortunate.

Daniel

Hello Rosebud. I always get a to-go box and take half my food home for later. It is slim pickings in my area for restaurants in general. When I had my ostomy and we went out, I ate a lot of grilled cheese and tomato soup because they were my safe food. :) I didn't eat a whole lot with my ostomy, so that seemed to always do the trick for me. Edit: another thing I like to do is order from the kids' menu - it always seems to be enough food for me!

I don't have a problem with grilled foods, however, my mother-in-law has had Crohn's for 50 years and cannot eat grilled food (meat in particular) - it upsets her stomach so much that she is sick for days. So my in-laws rarely eat out. She was on Remicade for treatment and her Crohn's has been in remission for the past 8 years, but I'm not sure if she has attempted grilled foods since remission. I'm sure she doesn't want to risk a flare-up, so probably not.

Best to you, Rosebud!

Grilled, like from a backyard grill, can be tough to digest for some. It was on my list when I came home from the hospital to avoid while healing. Of course, it's about the only way my Neanderthal self cooks, so we eat grilled food quite often.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Yes. Avoiding such food soon after surgery is a must. However, I didn't have much of a choice for the first 3-4 months when I was mostly on IV and then TPN. So, I suppose I had a leg up on the healing process. Then I went to rehab where every bad thing you have ever heard about hospital food came to fruition. Even the sloppy joes were tough, and that's not easy to do. It was during that time that I developed pancreatitis and found myself back in the hospital, where they fitted me with a TPN again. I carried that damned 10-pound bag around for another month. Maybe that is why I have had so few problems with food. Plenty of time for everything to heal.

Daniel

Go to the ones who have what you like, like veggies for instance. Can you take grilled vegetables? Nearly everyone with an ostomy doesn't have the same appetite they had before. At times, I just have a starter for dinner. Sometimes we go 'Dutch' if it is a fairly large group. I end up paying disproportionately for the others' steaks and other goodies. Some order the most expensive items like grilled lobster and snails, which are delicious, by the way. Sometimes an alcoholic drink can stimulate the appetite if you can have one. All the best wishes.

Oh my gosh! I miss Auntie Pearl's snail salad!

Kittybou's got me thinking about Auntie Pearl and snails. 😉

My wife used to enjoy garlic butter Escargot Puffs on cruise ships. (Not served anymore). They are technically mollusks and therefore classified as seafood. The word escargot descends from the Latin word for mollusk, conchylium, by way of the Provençal escaragol, "shell."

Alas... I would have to be very... very... extremely hungry to masticate these little jewels. In fact... I warned Mrs B... don't even kiss me, after she scarfed down half a dozen little beauties.

Mayhaps eat a bit at home first...

When you get to the restaurant... have whatever you love... even if it is just dessert...

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Mrs Beachboy doesn't cook. So we go out to restaurants and diners every day. We always eat half, take half to go.

I ate a bean and cheese burrito for the first time since having a colostomy 18 months ago. Not too bad. Just a little more gas.

Also ate a full-size Caesar salad. So far, so good.

Ate some grapes, strawberries, broccoli. No adverse reactions.

Tonight it's Marie Callanders, to watch the All-Star game home run derby. I'm getting Chicken Pot Pie with cornbread. Chocolate Satin Pie for dessert.

Daniel, you just reminded me of why I lost 15 lb. in the hospital. It was the food! I hated lifting the lid from the plate to see what was underneath. One time it was a rubber chicken - it looked like they boiled the hell out of it for a few hours and then slapped it on the plate. It was totally white. My husband happened to be in my hospital room at the time and he said, "WTF is that supposed to be?" We laughed so hard. I ended up surviving on Greek yogurt and Carnation Breakfast Essentials. The dietitian even rolled her eyes when I told her about all the meals - even the macaroni and cheese was dry and rubbery. At least it was a strong incentive for me to get well and go home!

M

xo

Hi Rosebud, I have an ileostomy, so not much is absorbed in the small intestine. A lot of what I eat comes out looking the same way as it went in. But as Daniel mentioned, if you're not feeling discomfort from certain foods, it's okay for some chunks in your output. Just remember to chew really, really well to avoid any kind of blockage. On the other hand, if grilled foods give you an icky reaction like lots of gas or any kind of pain, try to go to restaurants that have a varied menu. Most of them will be happy to accommodate your specific needs if you ask them.

Don't feel bad about finding it difficult to order food if your options are limited. Maybe you could do a bit of research on the restaurant before you go out... sometimes you can read menus and reviews online... I always do that nowadays so I'll know if I'll find anything to eat there other than breadsticks and water!

For most of my 28 days in the hospital, I wasn't allowed anything to eat or drink. Nurse used to give me one Tums a day for something to chew on. I was on TPN. Finally, after my surgery and colostomy, I could eat again. At first, only liquids, so I got a cup of hot chicken broth. It was so good. A day later, I was given a menu. I ordered all kinds of stuff. They delivered chicken noodle soup. I was pressing the nurse call button. "Where's the rest of my order?" Turns out the doctor only cleared me for soup. So I took a big spoonful... yuck. No salt, no nothing. Tasted like lukewarm soap water. I complained to my nurse. She zipped off and returned with... jello. God bless nurses.

I usually go with the kids' menu and sometimes the senior menu for the smaller portions. I tend to stick with my "safe" foods when I go out to eat, like baked potatoes (no skin), hamburgers, etc.

kitty ou … Ummm. Salad yes, but please keep the snails in the pail… 😝

Better yet, keep them in the sea. :-)

Marjatta, the food in the hospital I was in was not too awfully bad. It's a new hospital and they haven't had the chance to deteriorate yet. The terrible food was in the rehab center, which, by the way, is no longer in business. Thankfully. :-)

Daniel

I once heard this comment:

Those folks eating right, exercising, getting plenty of sleep... they're just dying a little slower.

When out for Sunday lunch with the family, I ask for a children's serving.

I ask for children's potions, no meat options.

Hi, have you thought of asking for the children's menu? I do this all the time when I'm eating out. They normally have two parts, one for smaller appetites and a larger appetite option. Both are there. None are as big as an adult's portion. Under where the mains are listed, you often see a choice of sides; these often include mash or pasta to add to the meat or fish you choose, each easily digested.

It may not be what you would normally eat, but it would allow you to socialize without fear.

Also, staff are very helpful, once you explain, and can often prepare smaller meals of those offered on the adult menu.

Hope this really helps.

Love and happiness, have a fab time dining with your friends XXX

Not sure if my comment was shared, but little kid grilled cheese with the crusts cut off and a cup of chicken noodle soup works for me. I too always look at the online menu ahead of time.

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And let's not forget Euell Gibbons. Or Adelle Davis, for that matter. :-)

Portion control. I take at least half of my order home, doggie bag. Eat slowly and chew many times. I eat out twice a week.

That saying made me chuckle… and I needed the laugh. I'm still adjusting to having an ostomy and it's been two years. Unfortunately, G.I. infections and complications along the way inhibited my recovery the first year. And, I entered my “8th decade” 🙄☺️ the same time I received my ostomy. I was “sailing along” with little to no health issues up to that point. Then all hell broke loose. So I understand why people have a tough time psychologically dealing with and accepting these sudden changes (as in my case). It's not always comfortable; and certainly not always easy…

No problems. In a fine restaurant, sometimes the chef or sous chef will come out and discuss meals, or when they are given your diet issues, will put together a meal for you. I had my daughter make up business cards for me when I had lupus, listing my food allergies. You can hand it to the waiter, and they can help you. I've found people want to help more than not when someone has a medical issue. Large portion size? Take-home time! I can't eat Chinese food except wonton soup, so I don't go to Chinese restaurants. Your friends should be considerate when choosing a restaurant.