Question:
I want to eat a salad but afraid of crunchy veggies with it, what can I eat?

I am 7 1/2 weeks post-op and want to try a salad but I am afraid of getting veggies stuck in my pouch. What are some good choices to start out with and what about the dressings? I hate fat free or low fat dressings but I like almost any other kinds.    — Robin A. (posted on November 5, 2002)

November 5, 2002
It's weird salad was the first thing I could eat easily! I never had any problems with anything getting stuck. I don't like salad dressing so I can't help you out there. What I did do though is add some cheese, boiled eggs, and sunflower seeds to salads to up the protein.
   — Linda A.

November 5, 2002
I have no problems with salad at all. I would suggest that you cut your lettuce up small. I also eat on my salad: cucumber, shredded carrots, peppers, egg, sun flower seeds (sometimes for protein), chopped up celery, pretty much what ever I want. As for dressings, I agree with you about the fat free..is is down right nasty, but the low fat dressings taste the same as the real thing to me. SO that is what I go for. I like honey mustard the best. Wathc buying the caesar salads when you are out, they area VERY high in fat! Good Luck!!
   — Vicki L.

November 5, 2002
Lettuce pretty much turns to water when you chew it. Just be sure to chew everything well and you should be okay. As for dressings....Big Boy has a great low-fat Buttermilk Rance and it does not taste low-fat (I don't like low-fat either). You can buy it in a cup with a lid on it. I do have a couple of great dressing recipes in a recipe book that is available at my profile page or www.freewebs.com/recipes-after-rny There's a great one for no-added sugar french. Let me know what dressings you like and I'll see if I have it and email it to you.
   — Lynette B.

November 5, 2002
Our surgeon allows plain lettuce/tomato salads at 3 weeks, then advances patients to a regular diet, including "crunchy" vegetables, at 6 weeks post-RNY. The usual cautions apply: small bites, eat slowly, and chew thoroughly. He also tells his patients NOT to use low-fat dressings....what the manufacturers eliminate in fat content, they add in sugar content. He instructs patients to use regular salad dressings in moderation. Salads were my favorite "regular" food post-op, and still are....never had any problems at all. Best wishes!
   — Diana T.

November 5, 2002
I had salad at 6 weeks. My surgeon allow us to start eating raw fruits and veggies at six weeks and salad was the first thing I tried. I didn't eat but a couple of bites - it was my son's 18th birthday and we had steak, baked potato and Ceasar Salad. Of course that salad didn't have carrots but after that I was eating bell pepper, raw onion, celery, etc daily.
   — Patty_Butler

November 5, 2002
I tried salad at 5 weeks and also do not like the fat free or lo-fat dressings. Watch out for them-many are made with corn syrups. I love salads with lots of items in them and protein laden. Try lettuce, tomato, cuke, onion, mushrooms, shredded cheese, hard boiled egg, chunks of meat (chicken, turkey, tuna fish), kidney and garbanzo beans. YUM!! My problem is I always make the salad too big and end up throwing 1/2 of it away..
   — Cindy R.

November 5, 2002
hiya. i didn't really have salad until about 6 mos post op, the raw veggies just didn't "feel" right so i stuck with lightly blanched veggies. however this past summer my work had a salad bar and i ate it almost daily. i just use small amount of lettuce but then load up on the protein foods such as ham, turkey, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, cheese, hard boiled eggs then add olives, cucumbers, carrot shreds, bacon bits and ranch. i steered away from croutons because they are just empty carbs and take up room in my stomach. i don't eat low fat dressings or cheeses because i don't like their taste and i don't eat enough in one sitting to worry about the fat content. good luck! kate open rny 6-14-01 pre op: 268lbs goal: 135lbs current: 126lbs
   — jkb