I get to start pureed foods - want some guidance

ATXHeather

I was cleared to move to pureed foods today. I am two weeks post-sleeve. I have a list from my nutritionist:

tuna/chicken salad forked mashed
hummus
ground turkey (i.e. chili)
cottage cheese
ricotta cheese
thinly sliced deli meat
mashed soybeans
mashed cauliflower
mashed potatoes (watch carbs)
can add veggie to blender smoothies

Any other ideas or favorites? I'm nervous to move on to this stage because it seems this is where I will start to feel restriction. I also need to start the 30-30-30 rule with my water. I should be starting with 1/4 cup of food, right? Should I only have 1/4 cup or should I go up to 1/2 cup if I can? Any other advice or suggestions for this stage?

SibylDiane

I would eat 1/4 cup max. I wasn't allowed even that much on puree (my surgeon has a rule of 3 tablespoons max) and I'm glad I kept amounts small. It helps preserve your restriction and makes it less likely you will accidentally eat too much and end up with the foamies or vomiting etc.
Watch for signals like a runny nose, hiccups, or coughing - stuff you wouldn't ordinarily expect to come with over-eating. They happen because so much food is in your tiny stomach that it is pressing on and irritating the vagus nerve. It basically means - you ate too much - eat less of this food next time.
I did well with refried beans and poached eggs on puree and really enjoyed them. Also guacamole. If you are allowed nut butters, you can stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter into cottage cheese or Greek yogurt - sounds weird but it is good!
And Shelly (eggface) has some great puree recipes, especially her famous ricotta bake, here:
http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/08/pureed-foods.html
Have fun and good luck!

Mangopickle

I was cleared to move to pureed foods today. I am two weeks post-sleeve. I have a list from my nutritionist:

tuna/chicken salad forked mashed
hummus
ground turkey (i.e. chili)
cottage cheese
ricotta cheese
thinly sliced deli meat
mashed soybeans
mashed cauliflower
mashed potatoes (watch carbs)
can add veggie to blender smoothies

Any other ideas or favorites? I'm nervous to move on to this stage because it seems this is where I will start to feel restriction. I also need to start the 30-30-30 rule with my water. I should be starting with 1/4 cup of food, right? Should I only have 1/4 cup or should I go up to 1/2 cup if I can? Any other advice or suggestions for this stage?

Here is a great list to refer to.

http://weightdestiny.com/glycemic-index-of-food/

Puréed beans like cannellini,Lima, black beans, garbanzos are far better option than potato. Just season them like you would potato. Also puréed corn (that you puréed yourself-not creamed corn that is loaded with sugar) turnips, rutabaga,parsnip and hominy make great purées. Just make sure to season everything. Potato is a big no no on my surgeons food plan, also major trigger food for me. But sweet potatoes are A-OK. I would start with 1/4 cup of meat purée and then see if you have room for veg. Shred the crap out of the chicken!! It likes to mat. I use Greek yogurt instead of mayo because to get it wet enough you will blow 250 cals on mayo. Meat first always!! Yes, veggies go down easier. That is why they are last. Your meat should be wet enough you don't feel the desire to drink. Drinking with meals trains you to bypass the restriction by washing more food thru and should be avoided. My worst problems always came from chicken. I had to switch to the SAMs club canned salmon instead. I could eat chicken better after 3 months.

katematt313

Yay!

I second pureed beans. They are carb-y but also full of protein. Very yummy. With some low fat cheese...

I am a sucker for tuna and chicken salad.

How about eggs? Can you do those?

Just remember to keep it really mushy - add liquid to make it just thinner than yogurt.

Also, try to keep servings to 1/4 cup of food by volume.

ATXHeather

I hate most beans so that's not really an option, except for hummus and soybeans. Using plain greek yogurt instead of mayo or 1/2 and 1/2 is a good idea to get things wet.

I don't think I can do eggs yet. I think that is on the "soft foods" list. Though I was surprised that deli meat is okay. Although, I guess if you chew anything enough it becomes pureed.

MangoPickle - I'll check out that website, thanks! And I have the eggface website bookmarked, though a lot of the stuff on her list grosses me out, mostly the refried beans and hash. Ewww.

I'll make a pot of turkey chili this weekend, because my kids will eat that too (but with chips, cheese and sour cream) but I would really like to get back into a mealtime habit with them.

bikrchk

I ate a ton of egg salad at that stage. You might check on the eggs. I also did a lot of noodleless lasagna, (whizz ricotta with mozzarella and garlic and bake with pasta sauce. And invented a little pile of Mexican goodness, (slice of polenta, get it by the eggs in the store, top with whizzed taco seasoned ground beef, with a pinch of shredded cheese. Makes a tiny soft "tostada".

Mangopickle

i know you say eewww now, but i would retaste everything. your tastes can drastically change. you may like things pureed that you didnt like whole. i ate parsnips and radishes a few times a year before and now i eat them all the time. kale is consumed weekly as is quinoa.

asia1967

i know you say eewww now, but i would retaste everything. your tastes can drastically change. you may like things pureed that you didnt like whole. i ate parsnips and radishes a few times a year before and now i eat them all the time. kale is consumed weekly as is quinoa.

I agree with Mangopickle. Your taste buds with change. Before surgery I had a horrible sweet tooth. Post surgery I love spicy and savoury foods. Also I was not fussy on veggies before surgery, not I am actually hungry for salads. Who would have every thought such as thing was possible. Not me. :laugh: Good luck. You will do fine, we are all nervous about the new and unknown. Just keep researching, reading and asking questions.

pawoodhull

Ground turkey browned and drained, riccotta cheese and spagetti sauce. Blend, place in microwaveable dish, sprinkle with mozzerella cheese and warm until the mozzerella melts. Noodless lasagna. One of my favorites at the pureed stage.

arh0317

Ground turkey browned and drained, riccotta cheese and spagetti sauce. Blend, place in microwaveable dish, sprinkle with mozzerella cheese and warm until the mozzerella melts. Noodless lasagna. One of my favorites at the pureed stage.

Sounds great! I'm looking forward to this after Sat.!

ATXHeather

I went to the store today and picked up some stuff. I am going to make some turkey chili this weekend and I am definitely going to make that noodleless lasagna. I ended up buying reduced fat hash and ate 1/4 cup of it for lunch. It looks and smells like dog food but it was pretty tasty. I just forked mashed it and added some water while cooking. It went down pretty easily but I took small bites and ate slowly.

I think I am going to have some cottage cheese later and maybe some guacamole.