Best places to buy post op foods

Looking for best places to shop for post op foods like baby food, apple sauce, Ensure, protein powders and meal replacement drinks, Cream of Wheat pureed foods etc.

Thanks, Mike

I picked up apples sauce and jello at Walmart when it was on sale. Got my protein drinks at Costco. I'm sure you have more choices to shop at then I do in Portage la Prairie though...

Karen

I'm a pretty astute shopper but have no idea what's a good price on baby food, apple sauce and the like as these are items I don't buy. I know that sometimes WalMart prices are not the best even though its assumed by some that they are the least expensive place to shop. Shoppers Drug Mart recently had baby food on Sale for $0.89 a jar. I have no idea if that was a good price.

I've managed to stock up on Ensure for my pre op diet getting them for $7.99 for a six pack as well as using Ensure Club coupons to further reduce the price. Right now I found Ensure on 'sale' for $8.99. In my experience London Drugs has been the best place to buy Ensure and Boost.

Since I'm an Edmonton bariatric patient, I browse the Alberta forum too and there are a couple of good threads on protein drinks and supplements there. Costco sounds like a good bet but I'm single so I don't shop there as I don't need the bulk quantities and not sure if in the end it would be worth the $50 annual fee to shop at Costco.

The premier drinks at costco are palatable and have great stats ( lots of protein , low carb etc)

Most people don't realize that you actually can bypass paying for a membership if you know someone who can fill a gift card for you. You can't reload without a membership  but you don't need to be a member to shop with the gift card. Might be worth looking into.

Muscles by myers is awesome. I have ordered online for most of my shakes. I only use premier, mint cookie by syntrax and click.

I totally over stocked on stuff like baby food, soup and other stuff. It is crazy how little you eat post op.  I could make a can of soup last several meals. I never ate the babyfood or applesauce. I felt fine to shop after. Was up to driving by the time I got home from Mexico. I went out for supper on Saturday with the family after I got home ( I had consumee soup at the chinese place we went to.) 

I had a friend who went back to work 1 week post op  as a nurse. ( would not suggest that !)  but I wouldn't really plan for more then a week of being not up to much. You will be able to shop and stuff at that point.  You can't even comprehend how little you need post op and if you were like me you will over stock.

Mike I bought chocolate protein powder and have used hardly any of it. If you want it, just let me know. I didn't buy anything special as I made oatmeal, bought Greek yogurts and made jello and made chicken and beef broth. 

Thanks, I'll take you up on the offer. Drop me a PM please so we can coordinate how  to meet.

Mike, I'd suggest you don't buy too much of any type of protein powder until after your surgery. Your tastes will change immensely. I could barely stand protein shakes for months afterwards. I also developed a certain amount of lactose intolerance, which I never had before. The nutritionist warned me of this possibility. It wasn't really bad, but drinking protein shakes meant a trip to the bathroom shortly afterwards.

Muscles by Meyers (in Meyers Drugs on William Avenue) had samples packets of some of their products when I was in there a couple of years ago. They have a good selection of protein powders. Popeyes will mix up samples for you to try in the store so you can taste before you buy. Anything sweet tasted sickeningly sweet to me after surgery.

I didn't eat babyfood of any sort. It wasn't even suggested on my plan. I would buy very small amounts of anything ahead of time so you don't end up with a bunch of stuff you can't stand the taste of. 

I have no idea why having your digestive  system rearranged or partially removed does a number on the tastebuds, but it does. 

Thanks Diane, I'm not wanting to stock up too much as I'm aware that taste change after surgery but I want to be prepared somewhat as I don't believe I'll be too mobile after the surgery (at least initially) and don't have someone to grocery shop for me.

The program dietician has suggested Greek yogurt, milk, baby food, apple sauce, cream of wheat etc. Other shave suggested protein powders and meal replacement drinks/shakes (the dietician may have as well). As I'm sure you're aware I need to maintain adequate protein levels after surgery and have to be able to consume it in the consistency I'll be able to tolerate. I've read on the Alberta forum that Popeye's has samples and allows returns.

Meyer's would also be a place to try samples but again that involves me being mobile. If I buy baby food and can't eat it I can always donate unopened ones to Winnipeg Harvest.

I bought applesauce and jello and have used very little of them. I mostly used the applesauce to get some crushed pills down and now I use yogurt. I used a couple litres of low sodium chicken broth and I go through a couple of individual greek yogurts a day. I bought the 50 calorie greek yogurt and found it was ok. This week I am on cream soups, tried oatmeal but that wasn't a favorite before surgery, puddings, yogurt and tried a yogurt smoothie but got full pretty quick.

Tonight we are going to use the yonanas machine to make dessert and I am going to try some of that. So far haven't had a problem with anything I have tried. I gave my leftover boost to my Dad as I would rather use the protein drinks. So far I haven't found anything I liked before surgery  that is turning me off.

Perhaps when you need to get protein drinks someone with a membership might be able to go with you to Costco? If I lived in Winnipeg I wouldn't mind helping out but since I live out of town it would be harder to coordinate.

Have you gotten a surgery date yet? I hope you get good news soon!

Karen