Discouraged with "planning" meals

[SlowlybutSurely 73]

I'm getting so discouraged with trying to plan what I will eat each day or for lunch or dinner! This is causing me to just not eat because it's so time consuming and tedious. I buy Healthy Choice meals which are great but I get tired of picking out the Pasta and rice. I have to admit that I don't like a lot of foods and when I find the recipes online for post-op, most don't catch my fancy. I have to eat in order to keep my metabolism rate up but it's getting harder and harder. When I find something that I do like, I eat it until I can't stand it anymore. I like SIMPLE, easy to prepare meals with simple ingredients. As far as meat, I only like chicken and beef, no pork or fish. I'm not into a lot of different veggies and the ones I do like I can barely eat now due to the gas. Last week, I nibbled on some cheese crackers the whole day for 4 or 5 days because I didn't want to even think about trying to plan a decent meal. I was full and STILL had weight loss success but crackers wont' sustain me. It's TOUGH and I haven't come up a solution yet.

Edited March 12, 2014 by SlowlybutSurely

[JanaAZ 16]

I know it's tough to plan meals for what we can eat. I'm still on soft foods and haven't expanded my selections yet. I tend to eat the same thing for a few days, then move on.

I don't want to preach....please don't take it that way....but my NUT said not to eat crackers and stuff. In my mind, it's not different from the rice and Pasta you are picking out of your frozen dinners.

Is there a way to prepare a few of your favorite 'safe' foods, then keep them in the freezer to use for lunches or dinners? If you do a few items a week, in a few weeks, you'll have a lot of variety.

Your deli may have pre-made food items that are 'safe' and may be better choices than crackers/cheese.

I know this whole process is tough; but we all know things worth having are worth working for. I know you will get past this.

One other thought--there are sites online that have meal planning as part of them. I remember seeing one that allowed you to select pre-defined meals, and I think it even had recipes for some of the meals. That might be helpful for you. That way you can pick and choose what you want in your meal.

Good luck and I'll be rooting for you. You're just a little ahead of me so I know this is shades of things to come in my life, too,

[pupichupi 124]

Do you like Soup? What kind of Veggies will you eat? You really gotta try to change your taste for food, cause your right you won't be able to sustain on crackers alone. How long has it been since you have had surgery? I am sorry to say but no one said this was going to be easy, but if you take one day a week and cook a few meals you know your going to eat and that you like, and then make enough that you can alternate days, and freeze them so when you get home all you have to do is take it out put it in the microwave and warm it up for yourself that is the way I am going to do it, and it will make it easier for you. I get out of work now and I am on my pre-op diet and I go home and cook for 2 kids and my husband, and I am not making 2 meals every night after I have my surgery. So I figure if I take saturday or sunday and make different things and freeze them, and all I have to do is choose what I want to eat for that day, I will be good to go??? Try it??? Maybe you will like that better? Good Luck!!!

[PdxMan 4,292]

Sunday evenings are my prep days. Here is what I have done and it is working for me.

I bought 4 cases of mason jelly jars. On Sunday, I go to the store and get my ingredients and make a huge batch of whatever and put them into the jars. As I walk out the door to work, I grab a jar. It sits on my desk and by lunch, it is ready to go into the microwave.

I have been doing this for awhile, so I have a nice variety in my garage freezer. If you have a garage freezer, great, but just clean out your kitchen freezer and you will have plenty of room. So, what do I have in there?

• Turkey Chili - Ground turkey, Beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes, chilli spice. Takes me about 20 minutes to prepare, I let it simmer for an hour and jar it.
• chicken Veggie Soup - I bought a rotisserie chicken, put it in the fridge to cool. It is easier to pull apart that way, too. Bought a few bags of frozen veggies I like with some chicken broth. Again, about 20 minutes to prepare and simmer for about 30 minutes. Jar it.
• Lasagne - Trader Joes has Italian chicken sausage that I take out of its casings and simmer with ground turkey. I added some spaghetti sauce and some extra Italian seasonings. No Pasta, but when I jar it, I add a teaspoon of low fat parmesan cheese. 20 minute prep and simmer for 20 minutes.
• German cabbage and ground turkey - This is probably my favorite. Red cabbage with vinegar, spices and veggies simmered with ground turkey.
• Mahi Veggie Quinoa - I know you don't like fish, but this is to die for. Baked Mahi, quinoa, tomatoes and veggies with lot of garlic and lemon. Smells a little with you microwave it so be sure nobody is in the office or just save it for home. Fish dish in a mason jar? Yup. 20 minutes.
• Shredded pork - On sale at QFC for $1.77 last weekend. Put in crockpot for 10 hours with onions. Pour off liquids after and add your favorite BBQ Sauce. 10 minutes.
• Yankee Pot Roast - They had them on sale last weekend at QFC BOGO. In the crockpot for 10 hours with onions, carrots and potatoes. 30 minutes because I also make a gravy to pour into the jars. Having this for lunch today.

Like I said, I've been doing this for awhile, so I have a large variety, but you are worth taking the next two Sundays to prepare 6 different dishes that can be stored in the jars. These jars are re-usable and will be with you forever. And also let me add, this is darn cheap eating. Everyone around me is going out to lunch to the tune of $7 a day while I have great, nutritious meals for around 50 cents a serving ... sometimes less.

You can do this. Not just the OP, but everyone reading this. It really isn't that hard. Don't make it be.

Make meals, not excuses ...

Edited March 12, 2014 by PdxMan

[pupichupi 124]

Sunday evenings are my prep days. Here is what I have done and it is working for me.

I bought 4 cases of mason jelly jars. On Sunday, I go to the store and get my ingredients and make a huge batch of whatever and put them into the jars. As I walk out the door to work, I grab a jar. It sits on my desk and by lunch, it is ready to go into the microwave.

I have been doing this for awhile, so I have a nice variety in my garage freezer. If you have a garage freezer, great, but just clean out your kitchen freezer and you will have plenty of room. So, what do I have in there?

• Turkey Chili - Ground turkey, Beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes, chilli spice. Takes me about 20 minutes to prepare, I let it simmer for an hour and jar it.
• chicken Veggie Soup - I bought a rotisserie chicken, put it in the fridge to cool. It is easier to pull apart that way, too. Bought a few bags of frozen veggies I like with some chicken broth. Again, about 20 minutes to prepare and simmer for about 30 minutes. Jar it.
• Lasagne - Trader Joes has Italian chicken sausage that I take out of its casings and simmer with ground turkey. I added some spaghetti sauce and some extra Italian seasonings. No Pasta, but when I jar it, I add a teaspoon of low fat parmesan cheese. 20 minute prep and simmer for 20 minutes.
• German cabbage and ground turkey - This is probably my favorite. Red cabbage with vinegar, spices and veggies simmered with ground turkey.
• Mahi Veggie Quinoa - I know you don't like fish, but this is to die for. Baked Mahi, quinoa, tomatoes and veggies with lot of garlic and lemon. Smells a little with you microwave it so be sure nobody is in the office or just save it for home. Fish dish in a mason jar? Yup. 20 minutes.
• Shredded pork - On sale at QFC for $1.77 last weekend. Put in crockpot for 10 hours with onions. Pour off liquids after and add your favorite BBQ Sauce. 10 minutes.
• Yankee Pot Roast - They had them on sale last weekend at QFC BOGO. In the crockpot for 10 hours with onions, carrots and potatoes. 30 minutes because I also make a gravy to pour into the jars. Having this for lunch today.

Like I said, I've been doing this for awhile, so I have a large variety, but you are worth taking the next two Sundays to prepare 6 different dishes that can be stored in the jars. These jars are re-usable and will be with you forever. And also let me add, this is darn cheap eating. Everyone around me is going out to lunch to the tune of $7 a day while I have great, nutritious meals for around 50 cents a serving ... sometimes less.

You can do this. Not just the OP, but everyone reading this. It really isn't that hard. Don't make it be.

Make meals, not excuses ...

PdxMan, Thank you for posting these items, I said the same thing, but man these all sound so good, I think I am going to follow your lead and do the exact same thing with the mason jars, I was going to buy some of those cheap little plastic ones you can get in the dollar store or whatever, and just do it with those, but i bet it's better with the mason jars. So awesome. Again Thanks!!!

[Photo925 100]

PDXMAN...do the mason jars do okay in the freezer?? I don't know why, but I thought you couldn't freeze glass with liquid in it like that?? Thank you for posting that idea!!! I love it...definitely planning on doing that after my surgery (you know, once im out of the puree stage!!)

[PdxMan 4,292]

Yes, when I started my reply, there were no other postings, but my response took me a bit to articulate.

The nice thing about the mason jars is they can go directly into the microwave, if necessary, can be placed anywhere in the dishwasher and the lids are totally universal. Very easy to pick up more lids, if necessary and you will discover many other glass jars which will also fit the lids. As long as you use them for freezer, not canning, alternate glass jars work just as well.

PdxMan, Thank you for posting these items, I said the same thing, but man these all sound so good, I think I am going to follow your lead and do the exact same thing with the mason jars, I was going to buy some of those cheap little plastic ones you can get in the dollar store or whatever, and just do it with those, but i bet it's better with the mason jars. So awesome. Again Thanks!!!

[Abry 28]

Sunday evenings are my prep days. Here is what I have done and it is working for me.

I bought 4 cases of mason jelly jars. On Sunday, I go to the store and get my ingredients and make a huge batch of whatever and put them into the jars. As I walk out the door to work, I grab a jar. It sits on my desk and by lunch, it is ready to go into the microwave.

I have been doing this for awhile, so I have a nice variety in my garage freezer. If you have a garage freezer, great, but just clean out your kitchen freezer and you will have plenty of room. So, what do I have in there?

• Turkey Chili - Ground turkey, Beans, onions, carrots, tomatoes, chilli spice. Takes me about 20 minutes to prepare, I let it simmer for an hour and jar it.
• chicken Veggie Soup - I bought a rotisserie chicken, put it in the fridge to cool. It is easier to pull apart that way, too. Bought a few bags of frozen veggies I like with some chicken broth. Again, about 20 minutes to prepare and simmer for about 30 minutes. Jar it.
• Lasagne - Trader Joes has Italian chicken sausage that I take out of its casings and simmer with ground turkey. I added some spaghetti sauce and some extra Italian seasonings. No Pasta, but when I jar it, I add a teaspoon of low fat parmesan cheese. 20 minute prep and simmer for 20 minutes.
• German cabbage and ground turkey - This is probably my favorite. Red cabbage with vinegar, spices and veggies simmered with ground turkey.
• Mahi Veggie Quinoa - I know you don't like fish, but this is to die for. Baked Mahi, quinoa, tomatoes and veggies with lot of garlic and lemon. Smells a little with you microwave it so be sure nobody is in the office or just save it for home. Fish dish in a mason jar? Yup. 20 minutes.
• Shredded pork - On sale at QFC for $1.77 last weekend. Put in crockpot for 10 hours with onions. Pour off liquids after and add your favorite BBQ Sauce. 10 minutes.
• Yankee Pot Roast - They had them on sale last weekend at QFC BOGO. In the crockpot for 10 hours with onions, carrots and potatoes. 30 minutes because I also make a gravy to pour into the jars. Having this for lunch today.

Like I said, I've been doing this for awhile, so I have a large variety, but you are worth taking the next two Sundays to prepare 6 different dishes that can be stored in the jars. These jars are re-usable and will be with you forever. And also let me add, this is darn cheap eating. Everyone around me is going out to lunch to the tune of $7 a day while I have great, nutritious meals for around 50 cents a serving ... sometimes less.

You can do this. Not just the OP, but everyone reading this. It really isn't that hard. Don't make it be.

Make meals, not excuses ..

Thank you for this I just printed it out and am going use this.

Edited March 12, 2014 by PdxMan

[PdxMan 4,292]

PDXMAN...do the mason jars do okay in the freezer?? I don't know why, but I thought you couldn't freeze glass with liquid in it like that?? Thank you for posting that idea!!! I love it...definitely planning on doing that after my surgery (you know, once im out of the puree stage!!)

They sure can, as long as you leave about half an inch on the top, the liquid will expand into that space. You are freezing them, so you don't have to put a death grip seal on them, either. Air can escape from the seal, if things get too, cramped, I would think. I've been doing this close to 3 years and haven't had a single jar break. You do want to make sure the jars have cooled after putting the food in before placing in the freezer, though, as the quick temperature change could make them crack.

I actually started this while in the puree stage. The turkey chilli above was one but another I loved, but not currently in my inventory, is smoked ham and lentil Soup with veggies. I have one of those immersion blenders and I would just puree them before putting them in jars. Ready to go. As I progressed, I blended them less and less.

[JeanZ_RN 378]

Protein bars - Quest has lots of flavors, 20 gm Protein, and only 3 gm net carbs.

[JanaAZ 16]

Yes, when I started my reply, there were no other postings, but my response took me a bit to articulate.

The nice thing about the mason jars is they can go directly into the microwave, if necessary, can be placed anywhere in the dishwasher and the lids are totally universal. Very easy to pick up more lids, if necessary and you will discover many other glass jars which will also fit the lids. As long as you use them for freezer, not canning, alternate glass jars work just as well.

PdxMan, Thank you for posting these items, I said the same thing, but man these all sound so good, I think I am going to follow your lead and do the exact same thing with the mason jars, I was going to buy some of those cheap little plastic ones you can get in the dollar store or whatever, and just do it with those, but i bet it's better with the mason jars. So awesome. Again Thanks!!!

If you buy Ball or Kerr jars, the boxes say whether they are safe for freezing. Usually the wide mouth jars are the ones that are okay. The ones with the shoulders can break, even when you leave what you think is enough 'headspace'.

[jujube 42]

I'm right there with you slowlybutsurely. I hate to cook so I don't like to prepare things. I am still in puréed stage so I still have some time to think about it but especially living by myself, it is hard to cook for one. And I hate to eat the same thing days on end. The mason jar thing sounds ok for someone that wants to cook. But that is just not me. Never have, never will.

[PdxMan 4,292]

I'm right there with you slowlybutsurely. I hate to cook so I don't like to prepare things. I am still in puréed stage so I still have some time to think about it but especially living by myself, it is hard to cook for one. And I hate to eat the same thing days on end. The mason jar thing sounds ok for someone that wants to cook. But that is just not me. Never have, never will.

I just have to ask ... then what did you eat pre-op? Prepared foods? You say you never will want to cook. What was your plan for your sleeved life? The chicken veggie Soup takes only a few minutes and tastes awesome. I just find it hard to believe someone can't go buy a rotisserie chicken, frozen vegetables and broth. The pulled pork is even less time. Buy it at the store, put it in crock pot, drain liquid, add sauce. Pretty much all the recipes I have listed are just that simple. Fry ground turkey, add tomatoes, Beans and spice. Done. Don't think of it as cooking, if that is what has you stuck, think of it as assembling. All the stuff is there at the store, you are merely combining them. There is no magic here and very little effort.

For me, taking an active role in my nutrition has been so rewarding. I know it is one of the reasons I have been successful with my sleeved life. I wish you well on your journey.

[pupichupi 124]

I'm right there with you slowlybutsurely. I hate to cook so I don't like to prepare things. I am still in puréed stage so I still have some time to think about it but especially living by myself, it is hard to cook for one. And I hate to eat the same thing days on end. The mason jar thing sounds ok for someone that wants to cook. But that is just not me. Never have, never will.

I just have to ask ... then what did you eat pre-op? Prepared foods? You say you never will want to cook. What was your plan for your sleeved life? The chicken veggie Soup takes only a few minutes and tastes awesome. I just find it hard to believe someone can't go buy a rotisserie chicken, frozen vegetables and broth. The pulled pork is even less time. Buy it at the store, put it in crock pot, drain liquid, add sauce. Pretty much all the recipes I have listed are just that simple. Fry ground turkey, add tomatoes, Beans and spice. Done. Don't think of it as cooking, if that is what has you stuck, think of it as assembling. All the stuff is there at the store, you are merely combining them. There is no magic here and very little effort.

For me, taking an active role in my nutrition has been so rewarding. I know it is one of the reasons I have been successful with my sleeved life. I wish you well on your journey.

Pdxman, I completely agree, you should have some kind of active role in you nutrition otherwise how do you know what's going into your meal?? I am following your role and cooking every Saturday or Sunday to make my weekly + meals so I know I will be in a good position to lose my weight and keep it off!!!

[BananaBelly2B 9]

Great idea pdxman!! Those recipes sound sooo good and even for someone that doesn't cook, like me, I think I could do it. I really appreciate the idea.

I'm only 6 days out and my doctor allows puréed food at this point. I just bought a rotisserie chicken, shredded it and added a little to some refried Beans. Yum!

I can't wait to try some of your recipes. Thanks again.