Post Op Puree Soft Food Diet

Stage Two –PUREE/SOFT

Start: Post op Day 14 (or later if necessary)
Duration: 4 to 6 weeks

This stage will add more variety and should allow for a more structured eating plan of three meals per day with a protein shake and shacks between your meals. You are still healing during this time, but you should be able to start reaching your fluid and protein goals as you progress through this stage. Eat your protein choice first when having a meal or snack.

Protein Sources

  • 1 oz = 6-12 g of protein
  • Serving size per meal: 2 oz or ¼ cup
  • Always build your meal around protein!
  • Non-fat or low-fat soft cheese; cottage cheese, ricotta, string cheese sticks
  • Non-fat yogurt (Greek style has more protein, <10 g sugar)
  • Tofu
  • Eggs/egg substitutes; soft boiled, scrambled or poached
  • Cooked beans; lentils, black, kidney, white, fat-free refried beans, garbanzo, hummus. Puree if needed. Soft, mashed.
  • Canned tuna or salmon, packed in water (low sodium)
  • Canned extra-lean chicken, packed in water (low sodium)
  • Protein supplements (at least 1/day)

Vegetables – COOKED

  • Serving size per meal: 1-2 oz – puree if needed
  • Canned or frozen are fine – make sure they are low sodium
  • Carrots
  • Green beans
  • Squash
  • Potatoes – sweet, white, red (no skins)
  • Mushrooms
  • Peeled tomatoes
  • Low sodium tomato juice
  • Cooked spinach

Fruits

  • Serving size per meal: 1-2 oz – puree if needed
  • Unsweetened apple sauce (no sugar added)
  • Fruits packed in their own juices – peaches; infant foods
  • Ripe bananas
  • Avocado (mashed)
  • Ripe melon, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon (no seeds)
  • Baby foods <5 g sugar

Other foods

  • Serving size per meal: 1-2 tablespoons; up to 1-2 oz or ¼ cup depending on item
  • Unsweetened Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice
  • Low fat/sodium soups – all allowed on liquid diet
  • Sugar free Jell-O or popsicles
  • Sugar free pudding
  • Healthy fats – olive oil or avocado (1/8th)
  • Mrs. Dash/salt, substitutes, dried herbs, cinnamon &
    artificial sweeteners may be used

Food preparation tips:

Pureed foods: These should be the consistency of applesauce or thin mashed potatoes. Place chopped foods in blender or food processor. Add enough liquid to cover the blades. Blend until food is smooth and free of chunks. Use broth or skim milk instead of water to puree foods; water will dilute the flavor of the food. You may use herbs and spices for flavor.

Moist Cooking methods: When preparing your foods, it is best to use a moist cooking method such as poaching, simmering, boiling, stewing, blanching, braising and steaming. This style of cooking is better tolerated as foods do not get too tough or chewy and remain soft.

Soft foods: You should be able to mash foods with the back of a plastic fork. You will still need to chew foods well. Your new stomach does not produce as much acid as before which contributes to breaking down foods.

Points to remember…

  • Chew your foods well

    • Make sure to get to an apple sauce consistency before swallowing
  • Eat Slowly, take small bites

    • Eating too fast can cause discomfort, nausea or vomiting
  • No more than 4 ounces per meal (half should come from proteins)

    • Use small Tupperware/Pyrex or ramekins to help with measuring servings
  • Stop as soon as you are full

    • You may only be able to tolerate a couple tablespoons at a time in the beginning
  • Only one new food at a time

    • If you do not tolerate something; leave it alone for a couple days before you try it again
  • Keep hydrated – goal of 48 – 64 ounces per day

    • Try to consume 4-6 ounces every hour or take sips every 30 minutes to help reach this goal
  • Eat and Drink separately

    • Do not drink with the meal and wait 30 minutes AFTER eating before drinking fluids
  • Build each meal around PROTEIN – goal of 60 grams per day

    • This goal should start getting easier to reach as your diet advances
    • Use protein supplements between meals to help reach this goal
  • Walk daily

    • Increase physical activity as able/recommended by the surgeon
  • Take your Vitamins!

Foods to AVOID:

  • Sticky foods:
    Soft bread, sticky or sweet rice, spaghetti and other pastas, macaroni and cheese, melted cheese, peanut butter (smooth or crunchy), raisins, prunes, other dried foods

  • Crunchy foods:
    Granola, cereal with nuts, raw vegetables, salad, nuts, popcorn, chips (even baked)

  • Tough foods:
    Tough or chewy meat/chicken/turkey, pork chops, hot dogs, ham, whole pieces of corn or whole peas (these may be pureed before eating them to dissolve the outer husk)

  • High-fat foods:
    Butter, margarine, regular mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, salad dressing, whole milk, half and half, ice cream, cakes, cookies, pies, other desserts, bacon, sausage, gravy

  • Foods with seeds, peels or husks:
    Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, figs, guava, pomegranate, prunes, dates, grapes, raisins, fresh oranges

  • No raw fish

  • Breads/Pasta/Rice/Crackers/Tortillas:
    Any versions of these types of food should be avoided for the first 8 weeks after surgery

  • Alcohol:
    NOT recommended to consume in the first year after having any weight loss surgery

  • Sugary and Highly Caffeinated Drinks:
    Any drink with sugar, corn syrup, or fructose like soda and some fruit juices can lead to dumping syndrome. No caffeine within the 1st month of surgery.

A note on tolerance:

Food intolerances may develop after surgery. It is important to add only one new food to a meal at a time so you know what food is causing the intolerance. If nausea or vomiting occurs; stop eating solids and return to Stage 1 liquids for 1-2 days. Call the office if these symptoms persist at 858-457-4917.

If you experience issues with a certain food, wait a few weeks and try it again. It is best to try new foods at home. Food intolerances vary from person to person.

Stage 2 Puree Sample Menu:

Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) egg whites, cooked and puree 30 0 0 6 91 0
1/4 cup (2 oz) fat free refried beans (canned, low sodium) 55 8 2 3 175 0
85 8 2 9 266 0
Lunch Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) low fat cottage cheese 40 2 2 7 120 2
1/4 cup (2 oz) pureed peaches (in juice) 34 8 0 0 4 8
74 10 2 7 124 10
Dinner Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) pureed chicken breast 60 0 1 13 210 0
1/8th portion ripe avocado, mashed 40 2 4 1 2 0
2 Tbsp (1 oz) hummus (Sabre) 70 4 5 2 130 0
170 6 10 16 342 0
Snacks Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
Bariatric Advantage – High Protein Meal –
Chocolate , 2 Scoops (42g)
160 8 2 27 320 1
Bariatric Advantage – High Protein Meal –
Chocolate , 2 Scoops (42g)
160 8 2 27 320 1
320 16 4 54 640 2
TOTALS Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
649 40 18 86 1372 12

Stage 2 Soft Foods Sample Menu:

Breakfast Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
Quaker Oats – Instant Oatmeal Packets – Original, 1 Packet (28g) 100 19 2 4 75 0
1 cup skim milk 90 13 0 8 130 12
1 soft boiled egg 60 0 5 6 70 0
250 32 7 18 175 12
Lunch Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) canned tuna (in water) 70 0 0 16 180 0
1/2 cup soft cooked carrots 25 6 0 0 45 3
1 Tbsp Fat Free Mayonnaise (Kraft) 10 2 0 0 120 1
Yoplait – Greek 100 Calorie Vanilla Yogurt , 5.3oz 100 11 0 13 55 7
205 19 0 29 400 11
Dinner Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
1/4 cup (2 oz) canned chicken breast (in water) 60 0 1 13 210 0
1/2 cup no salt canned cut green beans (Del Monte) * can drain and rinse canned vegetables to lower sodium 15 3 0 1 10 1
Popsicle – Sugar Free Tropicals, 1 piece 15 4 0 0 0 0
90 7 1 14 220 1
Snacks Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
Bariatric Advantage – High Protein Meal – Chocolate , 2 Scoops (42g) 160 8 2 27 320 1
Bariatric Advantage – High Protein Meal – Chocolate , 2 Scoops (42g) 160 8 2 27 320 1
320 16 4 54 640 2
TOTALS Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Sugar
865 74 55 115 1435 25

Bariatric Stage 2 Resources to Recipes:

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