Carrabba's Italian Restaurant

[NJGirl32 43]

So I went to Carrabba's last night (I start my pre-op diet on the 18th) and I am thinking I could still have the lentil Soup (which is delicious), ut no more dipping bread and no more ling. and clam sauce. From my understanding bread items tend to get stuck. How would I handle this after the band? Maybe soup and a fish dish? I am just trying to be aware and think ahead.

[Rachel412 116]

I've never been there so I don't know their menu, but you should look for a grilled or broiled chicken, steak or fish dish, no Pasta, no bread. Salads topped with steak or chicken are a great choice and pretty common at most restaurants.

Some people can eat bread and some can't. If once you're banded you're able to get bread down, you can always have a bite of dipping bread if you really want it. You'll have to decide if you can handle to eat "bad" foods in moderation, or if you're better off staying away from them altogether.

[isit5yet 37]

Everyone is different in what foods they can't tolerate and which they may be able to eat but restrict due to the carbs/calories. I can eat bread, any meat, Pasta and rice, but I chose to keep the bread, Pasta and rice down to a minimum. If I have pasta at home, I use whole wheat pasta and only about 1oz cooked (which is 1/2 oz dry pasta).

Check out restaurant websites for their nutritional info. I think that's more important in making the decision on what to eat. You may be surprised how high cal some fish dishes are if they are encrusted with anything. Soup is a great choice, just be careful since it's a slider food and may not fill you up. That equals empty calories that don't help to keep you full and prevent from eating more.

I looked on Carraba's website, and they don't post their nutritional info. That's a little scary and could be telling. For a LONG time The Cheesecake Factory refused to post their nut. value or provide it. Well, now there are a handful of states that require chain restaurants to provide this info either on their menu or in a handout/on their site. I was shocked when I saw their values.

Remember you can tailor your orders to remove butter or cream sauces, and put dressings on the side.

[NJGirl32 43]

Thanks for both of your responses!

Soup is a slider food? That makes sense but I was guessing since it's in the liquid diet it would be a good choice-totally forgot about the slider thing!

I know PA had all their calories on the menu but I haven't seen it in NJ yet. I am sure their are websites that have restuarnt items nutritional data on them-I'll have to do some research.

Someone I know who has had the bad said chicken get stuck with her - I also thought salads could be and issue. I sure hope not because I love, LOVE sald-especially with grilled chicken or shrimp ; )

[NJGirl32 43]

BTW - you both have amazing weight lost since your surgery dates- I can only hope I have the same results!!!

[Shoegal217 0]

I have eaten at carrabba's since being banded in August. It was actually one of the first restaurants I ate after surgery. I ordered the grilled chicken with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Made two meals out of it! It is delicious! The salad made be hard to handle at first. The potatoes make it easier for the food to slide down. Love Carrabbas!

[Rachel412 116]

Thanks for both of your responses!

Soup is a slider food? That makes sense but I was guessing since it's in the liquid diet it would be a good choice-totally forgot about the slider thing!

Well it's a slider food in that it goes through the band really quickly, so my understanding is it might not trigger the "full" response and won't help control your hunger. So it might be a good choice nutritionally- it just won't help you feel satisfied after only a small amount.

[HeatherinCA 10]

Not everyone get stuck on bread and Pasta, I can eat both. Try everything, I would assume you CAN eat it, instead of assuming you can't. But, neither are very healthy choices.

Remember, restaurant food has a lot of calories... Carrabba's doesn't show the calories on their website, but I'm sure it's not super healthy... I would look for something grilled, like fish or chicken, and veggies if you eat out.

[stateofzen 46]

I can eat everything. I choose to limit my carbs, so I bypass the bread, etc. for the most part (when I'm doing my part of things, that is-- sometimes I fall off the wagon).

If I were to go there, I'd look at grilled/non-breaded fish or chicken, Soups, and salads. Thankfully I can eat salad-- I love them and they are filling to me.

[Humming Bird 275]

Soup can be a great source for many things that our bodies need. I love soup and it is the one thing I may eat the most of. I eat quite a bit of Dairy as well. Sliders are not always a bad thing. The bad ones are icecream , candy bars and such.

Soup is always a great choice when I'm eating away from home. I eat soup often at home too. A crock-pot full of good things does not hurt a healthy diet.

[LapNYC 3]

I've never heard of that restaurant but I think that even once you're banded, Soup is a great restaurant option. It is indeed a 'slider', but it's been a key part of my weight loss equation. It's an easy way to get vegetables, easy to find, often low carb and very satisfying. There's absolutely nothing wrong with eating slider foods--even all slider foods--if you're total calorie count is in line. Soup and then fish in a restaurant is also a great option because you most likely won't get stuck which can be a pretty rough experience in front of others. Good luck to you! The band is the best.

[L12 13]

Soup can be a great source for many things that our bodies need. I love soup and it is the one thing I may eat the most of. I eat quite a bit of Dairy as well. Sliders are not always a bad thing. The bad ones are icecream , candy bars and such.

Soup is always a great choice when I'm eating away from home. I eat soup often at home too. A crock-pot full of good things does not hurt a healthy diet.

I agree! I eat soup all the time. Some all-liquid Soups (I LOVE Tomato soup), but in many Soups it is only the broth that is the "slider" part of it! Many soups have vegetables, legumes, chunks of meat, etc. in them--THOSE are not typically considered sliders.

[1970MaleJaxFL 7]

I was banded about 10 days ago and ate there last night. I had the chicken Trio, skipped the salad/ Soup option and took half of the entree home. It was still probably a 1,000 calorie meal but it is one of my favorite dishes. I had about 2/3s of one piece of bread when I would normally eat 3/4ths of the entire loaf, plus 100% of the salad and entree. Hopefully, once the fills start, I will probably only be able to eat 1/4-1/3 of the entree.

[BOONEBANG 1]

I was banded 14 days ago and i'm on the pureed stage, but 2 days ago I had half a ceasar salad wrap and I was stuffed. I find that you can eat most of the samethings as long as you chew chew chew. I usually go for 25x then swallow

[nomorejellybelly 77]

So I went to Carrabba's last night (I start my pre-op diet on the 18th) and I am thinking I could still have the lentil Soup (which is delicious), ut no more dipping bread and no more ling. and clam sauce. From my understanding bread items tend to get stuck. How would I handle this after the band? Maybe soup and a fish dish? I am just trying to be aware and think ahead.

I think you should give it some time before trying different foods after you get banded. I'm able to eat bread, but I try to stay away from it as much as possible. I eat soup sometimes and don't have a problem with not feeling full. The last soup I had was a canned lentil soup, which was pretty good.

Good luck to you.