Requesting Suggestions - Eating Out

It's been almost a month since my surgery. The 13th will be my month mark. It was a rocky start, but I learned a lot from you all, my medical team and trial and error.

Now, something new is about to happen. Next week, I will be away from home from 7am to 10pm, Tuesday thru Friday. I'm stage 3, ground foods. It makes things easier, but I'm still at a loss. 

I've thought of string cheese for snacks. Then I thought of chicken salad, chopped ham and egg salad. Usually when I'm busy like this, I'd just skip eating and binge when I'd get home. That isn't going to work this time around. Also, the puddings, yogurts, protein shakes, sweets won't work for me. Lord help me, I never thought I'd say these words, but sweet things make me sick. I'm anywhere between 2 and 4 ounces per meal.

I really am not sure what to bring with me or buy out or even if that's an option. 

Thoughts and suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks

Wendy's chili and Taco Bell refried beans.  You won't be able to eat it all, but at least it will be convenient.  Soft deli meats ( like smoked turkey or chicken) and Baby Bell cheese are easy to pack.

I"d suggest canned tuna, chicken and/or ham.  Cheese strings, Babybel, cottage cheese or ricotta (if you can keep items cold with a cooler bag or if a fridge is close by), plain greek yogurt, hard boiled eggs, egg salad.  Try to get in a protein shake if you can.  I understand the ick factor but you have to get a boost of protein in where you can.  Mix it with unsweetened almond milk to cut the sweetness if its a prepared shake.  If your meal plan allows turkey pepperoni (chewed well) is a great snack.  If eating out, soup is a good choice as is salmon.

At that stage I got by with buying snack size cheeses and hardboiled eggs at a convenience store - they even have mayo or mustard packets so you can mush up an egg and make impromptu egg salad. I avoid protein shakes/powders/bars, but I will have a glass of fairlife milk (it's filtered so it's lower sugar and higher protein than regular milk) in the morning if I don't have time to have a real meal. Not ideal, but better than skipping breakfast altogether, which I used to do almost every day before surgery. I always carry a single serving packet of cashew butter in my purse as my emergency meal, it's not super high protein but I tolerate it well and it doesn't need refrigeration.

Some of my favorite go to foods during that stage were:

1. sliced deli turkey smeared with seasoned Greek Yogurt (I used Penzey ranch blend).

2. Egg bites - all types later on, but mostly at that stage egg and cheese with a few herbs mixed in (chopped extremely finely).

3. Ricotta bake - freezes well and is easily heated in the microwave.

4. Egg drop soup (homemade was the best, but I did get it at a couple of local Chinese restaurants, too.)

5. Cheese sticks (kind of boring to me though).

6. Turkey chili without beans.

Not sure if those will work for you, but I hope so. Make sure you eat and drink a lot of water on those days. It's so easy to go back to an old habit - especially the not drinking water - when you're out of your normal routine.

Appetizers can be your new friend depending on the selections.  Most restaurants or fast foods will have something that you can eat.  Fish is easy to digest.  Try tuna salads or chopped shrimp.  Bean dishes are easy to digest- chili, etc.  Cottage cheese or yogurts can can be ordered or a small cheese omelet.  Meatballs remain one of my go to foods.  This is your new food life- you can do this.

Nancy

Thank you all so much! I now have my meal plan for next week and I'm no longer fearful of it. :)

my nutritionist said no salads until 6-months post-op. :-)

The insides of a taco from Chipotle or Moe's. Get the ground beef, cheese, sour cream. It might last 2 meals for you.