Post Op Eating

Below we have included food ideas from two post-op Duodenal Switch patients who share what they were eating early out from surgery. Please ensure that any food you eat follows the guidelines your surgeon has provided to you.

What I Ate as a Fresh Post Op

By Lori B.

Lots of people ask what to eat after surgery, so I kept a record of the foods that I ate for the first two months after my DS so that others could get ideas for themselves.

Here's what I was eating at two weeks out....

• Cottage Cheese
  
• Activia Yogurt
  
• Kraft Cheese Snackables (Each piece is 6 grams of protein and is only one ounce. Colby, jack or cheddar.)
  
• Egg Salad (I chop the egg small and add full fat mayo.)
  
• KFC Chicken Leg (I eat very little of the breading, but it does add some flavor.)
  
• Rotisserie Chicken from Costco
  
• Turkey Breast
  
• Roast Beef Rolls (Deli roast beef with Philly cream cheese inside)
  
• Hormel Beef Roast Au Jus (Pre-cooked in the meat section at the grocery.)
  
• Cheesecake Factory Buffalo Chicken Wings w/ blue cheese
  
• Champion Pure Whey Stack Banana Scream (1.5 scoop=34.5g protein)
  
• 42g New Whey Protein vials (Only when I have to, they are yucky.)
  
• Revival Soy Protein Chips
  

Things I added in at 3 weeks out...

• Genisoy Protein Chips (At Kroger in the health food section.)
  
• Crab Legs (So moist and I drown them in butter.)
  
• Special K20 Protein Water (Gotta be strawberry kiwi.)
  
• Very moist, cooked no more than medium rib eye steak
  
• Small amount of popcorn
  
• Dry Roasted Peanuts
  

Things I added in at 1 month out...

• Chicken Salad
  
• Insides of tacos and meximelts at Taco Bell
  
• Hillshire Farm Lil' Smokies with a little bbq sauce
  
• Homegrown Tomatoes
  
• Pork ribs with bbq sauce
  
• Corn on the cob with butter
  
• Mashed Potatoes
  

Things I added in at 8 weeks out...

• Wendy's Chili with cheese, onions and sour cream
  
• Country Style Pork ribs with bbq sauce
  
• Spare ribs with bbq
  
• Baby back ribs with bbq
  
• Pulled pork
  
• Jimmie Dean Breakfast Bowls
  
• Val's Ricotta Fluff Stuff
  
• Egg Omelets with cheese and ham, green peppers and onions
  
• Shrimp cocktail
  
• Starting to eat salads in small amounts
  
• Bacon
  
• Sausage
  
• Very tender pork of just about any kind
  
• Fazoli's Submarine Sandwiches, inside only. (The roast beef is really good.)
  
• Very moist, cooked no more than medium rib-eye steak
  
• Bob Evans Farmers Market Omelet
  
• Eatsmart Soy Crisps, Tomato, Romano, and olive oil flavor
  
• Homemade chili, no beans (Lowers the carb count WAY down.)
  
• Cheesecake Factory Firecracker salmon rolls
  
• Salads made with ham, egg, onion, gr. pepper, tomato, bacon bits, and cheese with real ranch dressing
  

Valerie's Famous Recipes

Valerie G. is very well known for her two high protein recipes that are very easy on a fresh post-op's stomach. Many DSers continue to make use of these recipes because they are an easy and yummy way to consume extra protein.

Fabulous Ricotta Fluff Stuff

• 1 large container of ricotta cheese
  
• 1 box SF Jell-O instant cheesecake pudding
  
• dollop or two of sour cream (to taste)
  
• A little bit of milk to lighten it up (about a cup-add last and gradually)

Mix it all up and enjoy however you want it. I love it with strawberries! It's a great fruit dip or just eating straight out of the bowl.

Variation for fluff: Use whatever flavor of pudding you like and add a little milk to get the texture you like.

Warning: Walmart's ricotta is very grainy in texture and never mixes to anything smooth and creamy. Tasty, but strange.

New variation: Add some splenda and vanilla to the ricotta and mix it well -- nothing else -- and I swear it tastes like the inside of a cannoli. BTW - this is even good with the grainy Walmart ricotta!

Fabulous Custard
Full of protein, easy on new post-ops, and delicious!

• 3 cups milk
  
• 3/4 cup Splenda
  
• 4-5 eggs (depending on size)
  
• 2 tsp vanilla
  
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (optional)
  
• handful of coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 375'. Beat eggs, nutmeg and vanilla together in baking dish. On the stove, bring the milk and Splenda just to a boil, then stir together to the eggs. Bake for 25 min

NOTE: when the milk is coming near to a boil, you'll get a little foam on the top. Remove this foam before stirring into the eggs, or it will get a weird texture on top.

Surviving Chicken Breast

Many fresh post-ops have discovered that chicken breast might not be the easiest meat to eat. I've got a couple of suggestions for y'all, and some of them work on any meat, but the mention of chicken comes to mind the most as I just read about someone's struggles with chicken early out.

Best Advice Ever!
Pound your meat!! Place the breast filet between wax paper or in a Ziploc and pound it with a flat mallet or rolling pin until it's about 1/4-1/2 inch thick. This breaks up the fibers in the chicken, making it easier to chew.

Brine your meat!
I do this with chicken as well as pork. Soak in salt water, garlic and spices (I also do Worcestershire) for about 30 min. It makes it nice and juicy.

Slow cook your meat!
Cook on low, poach, or bake with sauce.

Finally, as goes with any meat, add sauce, gravy or just plain butter. Some extra added stuff just makes it easier to eat overall.