Question:
Are the Gerber Baby food meats a good source of protein?

Just curious to know if the little jars of meat made by Gerber are a good source of protein? If not..what would be a good source?    — Robin B. (posted on September 13, 2003)

September 13, 2003
I am 5 weeks post-op, and I choose not to eat baby food, because the sugar contents are so high, try the vennia sausage in the can or potted lunch meat in the can.
   — cindy

September 13, 2003
I have in front of me Gerber Turkey with gravy, veal with gravy and Heinz beef or turkey with gravy. There is no added sugar, infact the label says Sugar-0g. Some of the fruits and veggies may have sugar in them but there is very little and it is natural forming sugar that is in the foods already. And think of this also you will not be able to eat very much of it maybe 1 TBLS if that. I used the baby foods, stage 2 for putting on my mashed potatoes or just eating it plain with a little added salt & pepper because they are so bland. The baby food stage 2 foods are on my doctor's office list of foods to eat while on the blended portion of the post op diet. I of course blended most of my foods but the baby foods came in handy when I was pressed for time.
   — ChristineB

September 14, 2003
I tried baby food meat at the suggestion of my dietitian, but I thought it was repulsively gross. It was much better to just cook some meat (poached to keep it moist), and then put it in a mini-blender with some canned chicken or beef broth and whatever seasonings you like. It tasted much better, and you control what goes into it.
   — Vespa R.

September 14, 2003
Hi Robin...I went out and bought a large selection of baby foods when I was pre-op, especially the meats (turkey, chicken, lamb), and a few of the vegs and fruits. The meats were absolutely REVOLTING as far as taste, although they smelled okay warming up. The only thing I ended up eating AT ALL was the baby food squash...it was pretty good. Some of the fruits were odd-tasting to me...I think the texture was just too weird. Anyway, you may LOVE the baby foods, so buy a <b>few</b> and try them. When this question comes up on the board the answers are generally that the taste of the baby foods is so off-putting that most folks don't find them a good menu idea. But no harm in trying! And some of the vegs and fruits aren't too bad for the pureed stage. Just watch out for sugar content on the fruits. In the early soft food stage (Kaiser doesn't have a Pureed Stage post-op) I lived on non-fat refried beans and cheeses for my protein. I couldn't eat meat (tuha, chicken) until about 2 months out, even if it was pulverized, shredded. Everything felt like it was sticking in my esophagus for the first few months. It's a learning experience for everyone...a lot of trial and error. Hugs, Joy
   — [Deactivated Member]

September 14, 2003
I also thought they might be a great source, however, I found them inedible. My cat wouldn't even eat it!!! I can't believe we subject poor, innocent babies to this stuff!
   — jen41766

September 14, 2003
Most people here have advised me that they taste and smell so bad to a new post op that it would be a waste of my money. Most of them have blended all their own food!
   — Saxbyd

September 14, 2003
How ironic I just finished a jar of the Gerber Graduates Chicken Sticks and hadn't even gotten up to throw the jar away when I read your question! I'm 9 months post op and love to snack on the meat sticks. I've actually been eatting these for years. They have 6gm of fat, 1 gm of sugar and 11 gms of protein, These are great for travel and I take them to work too. BTW - I remember how nasty the pureed meats where when I fed them to my children 20 years ago. I didn't even try them after my RNY surgery.
   — jocelyn