Semi-solid foods diet (five weeks post-surgery)

During this stage, patients continue to gradually add soft, or semi-solid, foods into the diet. The semi-solid foods stage can last for eight or more weeks. Surgery wounds are nearly healed, but solid, sharp foods can still cause damage. This diet increases the emphasis on low-calorie, high-nutrient choices.

Foods List

This phase allows all foods on the pureed foods diet plus:

• Canned tuna or chicken
• Extra—lean ground beef, chicken or turkey
• Eggs, egg whites or fat-free, cholesterol-free egg substitute
• Well-cooked rice and pasta
• Fresh, ripe fruit
• Well-cooked vegetables (not broccoli, asparagus, celery)
• Low-fat or fat-free cheese
• Imitation crab meat or fresh crab meat
• Fish—be very careful of bones
• Cooked beans and lentils

Sample Meal Plan

Tips and Guidelines for the Semi-Solid Foods Diet

• Have only a bite when trying a new food to see whether it is tolerated. If the food is not tolerated, try it again later
• Eat protein first, then vegetables and fruit, at each meal and snack
• Continue to measure portions, stick to recommend serving sizes and stop eating when full
• Limit or eliminate caloric beverages, including protein shakes, unless told otherwise by a surgeon or nutritionist
• Chew thoroughly before swallowing
• Patients may need to return to pureed foods if semi-solid foods are not yet tolerated
• Patients with the adjustable gastric band (lap-band) get their first fill around this time and will start to feel restriction
• Fluids and solids should be separated by 30 minutes to avoid stretching the stomach pouch or stoma, and to feel restriction to limit food intake and promote weight loss
• Lap-band patients should avoid sticky foods, such as peanut butter
• To prevent dumping syndrome, RYGB patients should avoid sugary foods, such as candy, desserts, undiluted fruit juice and large servings of fruit