Cereal...

Can we eat cereal? I really would like a serving of cereal.... Just wondering...

I asked a friend of mine that had the surgury 4 years ago.  She told me NO because she said it swells in our pouch.  So I have not tried to eat any.  However, I am curious too if anyone eats it with no problems. 

Yes you can eat cereal - as long as your surgeon allows it at the stage you are at. You want to pick a healthy cereal that gives you protein, fiber without a lot of carbs and sugar. A good choice is Kellogs High Protein Cereal - its high protein and low carb, low sugar. It tastes good... mix with milk/soy milk and you have a good protein packed breakfast - I add a  little fruit to mine to sweeten it up for a little splenda.  Also keep in mind a serving of cereal is only 3/4ths cup... a trick is to use a smaller bowl so it looks like more... trust me its very filling but at first looks like sooo little compared to the cereal most of us would pour pre-op or how they show it on TV :-)

Thanks Jennifer 

I am a bandster and I have just started (after 4 years) to eat about 1/2c. of Cheerios or Rice Crispies with non-fat milk (I don't use sugar on mine.) My band is really tight so it usually takes me 30 mins. to eat this amount of cereal but my NUT said up to 3/4c. was OK. Cereal does not "grow" in the pouch as much as bread does. But the first few times you try it, go very slowly. I agree with Jennifer's post  - it all depends on where you are on the food stages. I would not try cereal until you have been given the OK for solid foods. My NUT suggested this because I am not use to eating breakfast (never have been a person who could eat when I first get up) and he said I was stalling my metabolism by not eating until 11am-noon.

Thanks Donna and Jennifer... I guess I need to wait until my next Feb, Appointment to ask my doctor..... I just want a nice COLD bowl of cereral.. LOL.. thanks all

Your surgery date was a month before me.  I had my first cereal about 5-6 weeks out.  My NUT said it would be OK to try but get LOW fiber.  (I give more credence to what my NUT says about foods than my doc... she's the one with more nutritional training that the doc.)  We chatted about it again last week and she asked me how I was tolerating it and I told her fine, but I'm not tolerating milk so well these days. I don't eat it often... not had any for a couple of weeks, but bought several kinds to satisfy a craving when I have one.  Since the milk hasn't been sitting well, I either stir the cereal into some yogurt or pour a little orange juice over it instead of milk.  I do look for lower fiber cereals due to the "swelling" thing. I've personally tolerated it well.  I figured if I could add crackers, why not cereal... sometimes I will eat a little handful out of the box if I'm a tad hungry and want to crunch on something, but it's not a habit or something I do often. 

I'm 5 months out and cereal is ok in moderation per my NUT.  I like the Kellogs High Protein, but it gets too sogy to fast for me. My personal preference is the Kashi Go Lean High Protein. It's low carb, good fiber (10g), and 13g protein. Add milk and you have a 20g protein breakfast!

I love cereal....Everytime I go grocery shopping, I pick up the Special K cinnamon pecan cereal and read the box.  I don't know when I will be able to eat it, but that is one thing I have seen that I want.  I am not going to try it yet though.