Eating Out Over Christmas With an Ostomy

It’s the most wonderful time of the year; December is here and I have the annual festive evening out, normally this involves copious amounts of alcohol, a serious hangover and waking up in suitcases and working out how on earth we manage to get a McDonalds when we cant remember how we got back to the hotel. However due to recent surgeries, childbirth and a rather busy schedule we have decided to introduce our husbands to a civilised meal out that will hopefully end with us all being clear headed on the Saturday morning…

Eating out with a stoma

Eating out just after my first operation used to fill me with a certain amount of fear, however six years in I am now a fully fledged person who can eat most things and I always check the menu prior to booking and ordering. Our meal this year is at The Herbalist in Maidstone and we are having a set Christmas dinner.

Having a stoma means foods affect us differently, I have compiled a list of foods below to either avoid or eat in small quantities due to the effects they may have:

Cabbage – causes excess wind

Brussels – causes excess wind

Nuts – fortune favours the brave. I myself can’t eat these but others can. Please proceed with caution.

Satsumas, oranges – due to the skins these have the potential to cause a blockage

Onions

Stuffing – excess wind

Chocolate – all those tins of chocolate can have a laxative effect and cause the stoma to flush. Small quantities are fine, just not the whole tin

Dried Fruits

Pineapple

Coconut

Mince pies – love these but please be careful and chew well

For those of you worried about increased output over the festive period, this could potentially be caused by the amount you’re eating. The more you eat then the frequency of output will also increase.

Alcohol & Fizzy drinks

Beer & lagers – Can cause excess wind
Fizzy drinks – Can cause excess wind – please bear in mind diet versions can cause the stoma to flush more frequently.

Alcohol should be enjoyed in moderation, this has both a diuretic effect as well as causing dehydration. Plus, no one likes a hangover.

Our night out was filled with much laughter, a good old catchup and a lovely meal, alongside some rather amusing Christmas presents. I checked the menu pre booking the table as I can eat most things but there’s still a few things that I can’t eat.

After a quick check I requested my orders as it was a pre-set menu for the festive period.

The food was great, company was amazing, thankfully other than the cabbage everything was edible and we just played let’s swap our root veggies for Louise’s cabbage. To this day I can’t eat cabbage because of the pain it causes my digestive tract, it’s not even worth the risk for me.

The evening was rather grown up for our merry group of six. This was remarked once home via our group What’s App, now the fact we are getting closer to 40 tells you we don’t quite have the same tolerance for alcohol any more.

I would say to any of you worrying about eating out, please don’t – the menus can always have slight changes, you can make dietary requirements an added note on your booking so they are more than aware.

As always

Many thanks for reading

Louise Xx

*Disclaimer*

This blog post is intended to give advice to ostomates. The information given is based on Louise’s personal experience and should not be taken as clinical advice. Each ostomates needs are unique to them and their stoma care routine. Please consult with your Stoma Care Nurse before undertaking any changes to your stoma care routine.