Cooking for the family

[terrimj 0]

Hi, I'm scheduled for surgery on Dec. 17th and am now on the Clear liquids until then.

This is harder than I expected. The headaches, the heartburn, the extremely low energy!

Does anyone have any helpful tips to get through this period?

I'm hoping post surgery will be a little better since my appetite won't be as much, or is that a unrealistic expectation?

I especially need to hear from the Moms about how you dealt with making meals for the family? I have three kids myself, I also homeschool so not only do I have to contend with dinner but Breakfast and lunch also. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!

[kimmi0919 2]

This is going to sound terrible, but I really have not cooked very much since starting my liquid diet on Tuesday (12/8). My surgery is on the 18th. I have a 10 year old and she is very microwave savvy and loves salads. She has been eating a different lean gourmet or lean cuisine with a veggie steamer, and salad for dinner.. Luckily, she's decided she likes the carnation instant breakfast that I have for breakfast and has been having one of those for breakfast. For lunch, she makes a sandwich, fruit Snacks, bottle Water, and go-gurt to take to school every day. Along with getting myself on a healthier track, I'm trying to make sure she understands that even after mommy has her surgery, we are going to continue to eat healthy for the both of us. Hope this helps.

[RuthW 0]

I'm in the same boat. My husband is having the bypass while I'm doing the band (doctor said the bypass would be too dangerous for me), and we have three kids -- one is disabled and has a high calorie, high fat diet. Not sure how to change from all these carbs to something healthy.

[Soexcited 64]

Hi! my husband was banded in October and I was banded in November. We have a 4 1/2 year old son and I am a stay at home Mom, so I cook breakfast lunch and dinner too. The pre op liquid diet is by far the hardest. Especially at the beginning, I made it through the day on liquids then every night at dinner time I'd have a few bites of chicken or fish. That made the nights bearable for me. My liver was in tip top shape surgery day so those lean Proteins were just fine.

As far as food I did this. Every night I made something like stew or home made Soup. something I knew would freeze well and I would be able to blend up while I was on the mushie stage of the post op diet. So that made the cooking easier...knowing Id get to eat it eventually and my husband and son got a good healthy meal. The other think I did was challenge myself to cook healthier breakfast, lunch and dinners So I got out the cookbooks and looked on line. I made home made chili with turkey meat, home made chicken noodle Soup, home made, chicken and rice stew (no cans of creamed soup...all fresh whole ingredients). I threw away the oatmeal and got steel cut oats, loaded up the pantry with Protein bars and Vitamin waters......I suppose I went into super stock up mode. By the time I had my surgery my fridge and freezer and pantry were stocked with all healthy things...I threw everything else away. maybe concentrating on doing all of that helped me not eat it....I got through it you will too....My son is also now not a grazer like he was before. We eat Breakfast lunch and dinner now....not much snacking even with my son now...how old are your kids?

After the surgery you are right...you wont have an appetite, it took me all day to just get the liquid in. Good tip, drink iceopure right after surgery that way you can get in good Protein and it is considered to be "clear" not much clear protein out there. I drank 2 a day from the very first day I was home so that's 80g of protein, so good in helping you heal. Anyway I hope that helps...I love to cook so do not hestiate to Pm me.

[terrimj 0]

omgosh Soexcited that is a great idea to freeze part of the meal, I don't know why I didn't think of that! I love to cook as well and always do the healthier version of recipes. I've even cook up meal for the entire month and froze them, so that's why I kicking myself for not thinking of that before.

My kids are 14, 12 & 6.

Thanks for the helpful hints, definately encouraging!

[Soexcited 64]

Wow, you started having children ealry...I am 44 with a 4 year old! I love cooking and so soed my son, now we cook only whole good healthy foods, you have a challenge ahead of you no doubt, but be strong, have faith and belive you CAN do this....and you have lots of best friends on this board....even if we are total strangers!

[Saraboo 21]

With the cold weather, homemade Soups are perfect. We homeschool my youngest sister, and the soups are great for lunch, and the extra works for dinner also. If you make a chicken Soup for lunch, you can thicken it up some for dinner and serve it with biscuts like a chicken pot pie. just make sure you save some broth for yourself. I've also gotten mysisters hooked on the Protein Shakes after a workout.

[kimr55760 0]

I felt awful for the first three days of liquid diet but I found that constant sipping of Clear Liquids helped. I think sometimes headache comes from not enough fluids. On the fourth day it clicked and got much easier.

I didn't do any cooking for the first two weeks but have been cooking for my husband the last few days without problem. I can't wait to get to my pureed phase! That seems weird.

Hi, I'm scheduled for surgery on Dec. 17th and am now on the clear liquids until then.

This is harder than I expected. The headaches, the heartburn, the extremely low energy!

Does anyone have any helpful tips to get through this period?

I'm hoping post surgery will be a little better since my appetite won't be as much, or is that a unrealistic expectation?

I especially need to hear from the Moms about how you dealt with making meals for the family? I have three kids myself, I also homeschool so not only do I have to contend with dinner but breakfast and lunch also. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!