Question:
Can anyone please give me some ideas for foods to eat postop?

I will be having the surgery soon and am trying to prepare myself. I am curious if anyone has some different food choices for postop eating. You may email me at [email protected]. Thanks    — hawk4life (posted on December 17, 2001)

December 17, 2001
Our surgeon recommends clear liquids for the first 4 weeks following surgery. We are then transitioned to 10-14 days of soft foods, then slowly transitioning into solids. We are told to stay away from all sugar and milk products. My first meal was mashed potatoes. I have never used milk with my potatoes, but chicken broth instead. My clear liquid stage included popcycles (sugar free), crystal lite (sugar free), chicken broth (swansons brand), and of course water and my protein starting 7 days after surgery. Good luck and congrats!!
   — trtorrey

December 17, 2001
I was on a clear liquid diet starting in the hospital. Every 2 hours from 8am to 8pm I got 8 ounces- 2ounces each of things like chicken/beef broth, apple/grape juice, tea/coffee and sugar free jello. I went today (5 days post op) and was graduated to a full liquid diet. This is what my paper says about it: This diet consist of milk, milk based products, strained cereals, strained juices and sugar free liquids. Protein sizes are restricted to 2oz each food item allowing 8oz at each feeding. Meals should be eaten three times per day. Patients should consume no more than 1 oz in 10-15 minutes. Concentrated sweets and carbonated or alcoholic beverages are not allowed. This diet is used for 4 weeks post op. When my Gtube is taken out, I will graduate from it. Some suggestions: skim and low fat milk, coffee, tea, sugar free drinks. 100% juice. Strained cereal gruels: grits, cream of wheat or cream of rice. Soups: blenderized creamed soups (made with skim milk) and blenderized broth based soups (veggie soup is one they mention) Desserts: sugar free jello, sugar free pudding, plain yogurt or sugar free yogurt. I started this diet today, and for dinner I had: 2ounces tea, 2 ounces apple juice, 2 ounces cream of chicken soup and 2 ounces of sugar free (coconut creme pie) yogurt. Hope that helps you some!!!LOL
   — Amy G.

December 17, 2001
It really depends on what kind of diet your surgeon has you on post-op. We had to eat puree before we could be released from the hospital. Anyway, examples of what I ate...pureed carrots, cream of wheat, oatmeal, applesauce, mashed potatoes, pureed beans with cheese, cracker w/peanut butter, yogurt, cottage cheese with canned soft fruit in own juice. Good luck
   — Cheri M.

December 18, 2001
When I was pre-op and researching my post op foods, I went to the library on this site. I found a huge amount of information. It took several "sittings" to read them all. I sat with a notebook and wrote down every different suggestion that I could find. It was extremely helpful and I referred to that list quite a bit. There is such a variety of answers in the library and they go back several years. So, what was popular then may not be popular now and so might not get suggested. However, it will work just as well for your post op diet. Happy reading!!! Shelley
   — Shelley.