Ideas for "mushy" foods please!

[emily_0192010 168]

So on monday evening I can start with my surgeon's version of mushy foods. He said it was pretty much anything that does not have to be chewed. He suggested tuna salad, egg salad, ham salad, etc, but he said they must be like mushed to a puree stage. So I am thinking it has to look like baby food.< /p>

Please help me come up with some ideas!! I am on this for two weeks! I really can't stand tuna, and the idea of pureed tuna is just revolting. Egg salad I will definitely try since it is one of my favorites and I will try the ham salad (any recipes out there?) for sure. But, two weeks. What else can I do?

Thanks!

[Rebel 9]

mashed sweet potatoes, applesauce (no sugar added), sugar free pudding, cottage cheese, refried Beans, hot cereals like thin cream of wheat, etc.

[immeagain 4]

one of my faves: canned chicken, blue cheese dressing (or ranch), buffalo sauce all mixed together - Buffalo chicken! Yum

[MsC 0]

I am still two weeks away from mushies but I am already picking up some nice canned Soups. Like a vegetable beef or a lentil Soup, then I am going to pulse it in the blender just to make sure it is okay to eat.

A can of zucchini with tomatoes Italian style. costco sells a really good canned chicken that is super tender -- put in some spices and mayo, yum! Soft cheese like the Baby Bell Light. Greek yogurt - high in Protein. Avocados. Bananas. Deviled ham. Soft scrambled eggs. Vienna sausage are really soft.

Not gourmet stuff but I like easy!

[emily_0192010 168]

one of my faves: canned chicken, blue cheese dressing (or ranch), buffalo sauce all mixed together - Buffalo chicken! Yum

Do you think this would taste okay pureed? I think it sounds amazing and I can get the buffalo sauce from my work (sooo yummy!), but it would have to be pureed. My surgeon is very strict on this and I don't want to "push it" until further along in my recovery.

[emily_0192010 168]

mashed sweet potatoes, applesauce (no sugar added), sugar free pudding, cottage cheese, refried Beans, hot cereals like thin cream of wheat, etc.

Thanks for the ideas! I have definitely thought about the sweet potatoes, but I have to be careful of the carb count. I have to keep under 30 a day. I know with the small amount i'll be eating though that some shouldn't be a problem right?

[emily_0192010 168]

I am still two weeks away from mushies but I am already picking up some nice canned Soups. Like a vegetable beef or a lentil Soup, then I am going to pulse it in the blender just to make sure it is okay to eat.

A can of zucchini with tomatoes Italian style. costco sells a really good canned chicken that is super tender -- put in some spices and mayo, yum! Soft cheese like the Baby Bell Light. Greek yogurt - high in Protein. Avocados. Bananas. Deviled ham. Soft scrambled eggs. Vienna sausage are really soft.

Not gourmet stuff but I like easy!

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to have to play around though because I have to puree everything (except the yogurt and cheese of course) and I was told to avoid soups

[Soon2BMiniMommy 92]

Avoid Soups, really? Did they say why? Or when? I know some docs say to avoid soups later on as they are a liquid-y slider food and won't keep you full as long as your regular Protein and veggies later, but in the pureed and mushy stage, they are ideal. Really, anything blended with enough liquid will work. Try pureeing bean with bacon soup...split pea with ham....cottage cheese with canned peaches/pears/fruit with some of the juice, pureed cream of mushroom or chicken, really any pureed Soup. I think the chicken, tuna, egg salads, etc, are perfect for mushies stage.

I know of quite a few who have blended their regular family dinners with broth or gravy to make it thin enough for a mushie stage. And as others have stated, mashed potatoes (regular or sweet), soft scrambled eggs, mashed bananas or avocados, refried Beans with melted cheese.

Funny, my surgeon does two weeks of full liquids, then two weeks of pureed, then two weeks of mushies. He separates his pureeds and mushies...sounds like yours almost combines them? My doc says anything of thin applesauce consistency with NO CHUNKS for pureeds and anything you can mash with the back of your fork for mushies (soft fish, scrambled eggs, regular tuna w/mayo, etc). Just no chunks that your tummy has to 'work' on to digest, if you know what I mean?

And, no, I wouldn't worry too much about carbs right now...I think once you can eat meat, lunch meat, more solids, then you can really start on a low card diet, but right now, food is so limited, I wouldn't worry about the mashed potatoes, etc. Just don't overboard and eat sugary yogurts and puddings and milkshakes all the time, but I know you know that!

Check out this link....Eggface's site will become like a Bible for recipes, etc..... Eggface's Pureed's. Her ricotta bake is AMAZING, I have heard...can't wait to try it out on my mushy stage!!!

Good luck!!!

[biggriz 3]

I survived on instant mashed potatoes, egg salad potato Soup and ricotta bake during mushies. I also had a yogurt each day.

By the time you eat a few ounces of mashed potatoes, your full! Drink you 60-80 oz of fluids a day and you will be through it before you know it!

Best of luck, head held high and be proud of yourself for the changes you have made. Treat these stages like stepping stones to a normal life

- Mike

[Indymom 132]

My nutritionist told me that canned meat didn't have to be pureed . . . . as long as it was pretty moist and mushy, I would be OK. Just constantly remind yourself to chew thoroughly until the food turns to a paste in your mouth, that's ultimately the same as pureeing in a blender or food processor. Just my opinion though . . .

[emily_0192010 168]

Thanks for the help everyone! Yes it definitely says "no soups", I was shocked too! I've been doing very moist chicken with sauce, which i break apart and use our masher to smoosh up. I've also tried yogurt but I can only get down about half. I am still struggling with my Protein Shakes, but from what I can tell the mushy food is going down better than the shakes, so maybe they just don't sit well with me. I have until Friday the 14th on this. This week has gone by pretty fast so hopefully it will keep up that way!

[GetInMyBelly 80]

Helpful topic

[quazarfrog 0]

what is the ricotta bake? sounds yummy

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

If I remember correctly, you take ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, and and egg and beat it all together. Bake it and you can put spaghetti sauce over it when it's done. I am sure the recipe is in the food forum. It's yummy and perfect for the mushie stage.

One thing I ate a lot of during the mushie stage was turkey chili. I blended it up with lite sour cream and melted cheese on top. Again, yummy.

[Qwalla 132]

We can have thin sliced deli meat dipped in broth or canned onion Soup. Sounds good to me but cant start till next wednesday. Also deviled eggs made with light mayo and we can have low cal string cheese scrambled eggs.