There is something in a lot of restaurant food that sets my stomach off. I often come home with cramps and a "forced trip" to the bathroom, probably 2 times out of 3 when eating out.

I am not sure if it is some kind of oil, or food preservative, or what. It is really a bummer. I eat processed foods very infrequently (a few times a year) so it could be that I've grown sensitive to something in your typical restaurant fare.

For me it's the opposite. Restaurants can afford much nicer food ingredients than I can on a regular basis (eg grass-fed beef, etc.). As long as you're in a nice place (and I mean an actual nice place, not a chain) and order something sensible, I always feel great after eating out. Not that I eat out more than once every few months or so, but when I do, I eat well.

I prefer to go to a few places but get to actually know the cooks and/or owners. This is especially important for me with my allergies (peanuts, nuts, soy) but might be a good thing for anyone who wants to eat healthy. They know I can't have margarine and don't eat bread, so I don't have to worry.

Its bad for me mentally - I'll stress. I don't feel 'healed' enough already to eat foods which I don't know what has gone into it.

Definitely depends on the restaurant. Most places, even if they say they're healthy, use the cheapest ingredients they can get away with. They are running a business after all.

My hubby and I meet friends weekly for "All You Can Eat" Wings at a local place, but I no longer get the wings. The oil they are fried in upsets my stomach. I can barely wait an hour after the first round of wings before I need a bathroom. It's definitely the oil doing it, as I make sure to get a "good" wing sauce. I now get a salad topped with grilled chicken and use the wing sauce as a dressing. No digestive issues with this fix.

My favorite restaurant is Carrabba's. They are on the pricey side, but I think it's worth it for the higher quality food. I avoid the bread basket and steer clear of the pasta/pizza. They make everything from scratch and we always ask for the same waiter who knows I'm on a different eating plan. I'll ask him about specific ingredients and they have a big poster that he references in the back that tells him every single ingredient in each dish. I've never had a problem eating there (except that it's hard to resist the breaded calamari!).

Oh man... I love eating out. Everything about it. Science be damned!

The thing is, I was starting to develop a fear of eating food that others had prepared for me. I actually caught myself having a small panic attack one morning when trying to order a simple brunch- and I LOVE brunch. I didn’t feel like myself and I certainly was not enjoying some of life’s small pleasures. So, I made the decision to change my approach. My new motto when dining out is:

“Do your best. Don’t sweat it. Enjoy it.”

I’m starting to post about stress-free paleo dining in Portland, OR. My first post on it is here --> http://notinmoderation.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/portland-paleo-la-buca-italian-cafe/ and I plan on posting my second in the series later this week.

“Do your best. Don’t sweat it. Enjoy it.” works for me. I stick to my diet (more or less) and actually enjoy the experience. Seriously. What do I have to stress about at a restaurant? They even do the dishes for me.

-Ryan Wilder

With us, eating out was such a convience, a source of entertainment for us. Plus it was "lazy" because we didn't have to cook or clean up. Since going Paleo/Primal we have really just gotten use to preparing, cooking, and yes even cleaning up at home! I prefer it to eating out. We have eaten out a few times in the last few months, and it is always a diappointment! Even at Moe's, where the steak on my salad is grass-fed, I see them divy out the meat like it's gold. I never get enough on there! Plus it's probably cooked it canola oil. I leave telling myself-I could have made a better (tasting) salad! So for me, it is a better experience to make it myself. I have grown way too picky! :)