For those who don't know. I am 12 days banded, 11 pounds down. I am starting as of Tuesday to eat normal foods. I'm still on soft foods currently. Ive been able to keep everything down (knock on wood) while feeling full and satisfied. Tomorrow I'm going to Olive Garden with a friend and I really want my favorite, baked ziti, but I get angel hair instead of ziti. Is eating pasta a good idea? Anyone have problems/success with pasta? Ps I am planning on getting the kids meal version... Not sure weather to get a more solid pasta like ziti or something stringy like angel hair. Comments/suggestions?

I think you may be chancing it so soon. Many of us don't do too well w/ Pasta. Just make sure to sauce it up and have very tiny bites. I don't think it will make a difference what kind you have. Also, bread may cause an issue if you are thinking of having any of their bread sticks.

Baked ziti really isn't the healthiest choice though... why not go for the minestrone Soup (yum) and/or salad? Also, they have a new lighter fare menu. Whatever it is, remember your portions and focus on your bites and pausing between them. It is easy to get caught up in conversation or enjoying the food and forget the guidelines which could make for a miserable evening. Have fun!

Don't know why and never asked but my surgeon said NO pasta or rice. I love love Olive Garden and just mentioned it to my mom tonight that we could go sometime, they have a light fare menu like Salmon I could eat that has Italian seasonings on it, of course I love seafood anyway. That may be too much of a solid food for you at this stage in your recovery tho. Have fun.

I eat Pasta and rice all the time with no problems. I just take really small bites and chew it until it's absolutely mush.

Olive Garden will let you order their lunch portions any time of day, btw. That's what I do when I eat there because it's a much smaller portion. (even though it's still a huge portion and I end up taking 2/3 of home)

Ditto Donna - my doc also said steer clear of pasta, rice and bread. Not only because of the high carb count but also because it sometimes gets stuck. At 11 days post op I was on soft foods like tuna and chicken and cooked veggies. I didn't want to chance anything so I went with doc's orders. Your stomach is still healing. Why chance it? Maybe the soup would be the better route? Also I know my taste buds went mutant since having surgery. I used to be a red meat girl and I don't really care for it anymore. I couldn't stand pork but now that's all I've been eating! Who knows? You may not even care for the pasta as much as you used to? :-)

Thank u ladies! I think I've done so well I'm just eager to start eating my normal foods again. This time in a smaller portion.

Well heck... I couldn't wait to get back to regular foods and I was counting the days but fear won over and I didn't start until my doc said I could. You can make it, the food will still be there and you will have a whole new appreciation for it! Hang in there!

I just ate there today. the salmon was actually very good. I will not get the broccoli again, it was not very good at all.

I believe you can ask for whole wheat pasta instead also. Just a suggestion.

I just ate there today. the salmon was actually very good. I will not get the broccoli again, it was not very good at all.

I believe you can ask for whole wheat Pasta instead also. Just a suggestion.

I will def. order the salmon,I love salmon and will actually see if they have whole wheat pasta, thanks for posting. What was wrong with the broccoli?

I would back off and take an additional week for healing. And you should do the stages on food eating. Way too early to eat lots of pastas. Lots of carbs in pasta.

You're going to have to get to know your band, perhaps the hard way.....I have not eaten Pasta in about 20 months....

It's not that I can't, it's because it gives me so much trouble I simply wrote it off as being a waste of time...same with rice, doughy foods such as bread, donuts, etc....

and for me...Red meat.....

When I say I CAN'T eat these foods because of the band.that is not totally true....it really means they are problem foods, very easy to get stuck.....

Also, it's interesting the foods that are on my "Do Not Eat List" are really not that good for you in the first place....again, why bother with the risk and hard work with something not that good for you in the first place??

Another thing I consider, the band will let me eat just so much...very limited portions because of the restriction I have, so it is important to concentrate on the good Protein foods first and not waste my allowance on something that has very little nutritional value.....

then when I finish the protein, such as fish, I'll then move onto tbhe veggies and mashed potatoes....but find there is little or no room left to have some, if any at all....If I was to start my meal with the veggies and potatos, I would not have any room left for th protein....the most important thing of all for someone with WLS and very limited food intake.

Sorry to ramble on, I just rememebered you are only 12 days post-op.....you have a ways to go before you get to what I just said....

Rice and pasta were some of the first 'solids' I tried when I finished mushies and liquids. I found pasta pieces(like penne or shapes) were easier to eat in small bites and had more texture to ensure I chewed them well. Only advice is to ensure you focus more on protein and healthy vegetables, and then eat your carbs last. I find I often don't finish the pasta, rather leaving most of it on the plate and picking out the good bits. Also any chance you can share a meal with others, u can try a few things, but not have a whole plate in front of you? I haven't been in the USA for awhile, but I remember Olive Garden was rather a feast.

I will def. order the salmon' date='I love salmon and will actually see if they have whole wheat Pasta, thanks for posting. What was wrong with the broccoli?[/quote']

They cooked it with red peppers and something else on it and it just didn't have a good flavor to me. Plus it could have been steamed a little longer too, but just my preference.

No do not get a pasta!!!You will be sorry if you do. Even angel hair will get stuck. Get a soup, something with beans or just tomato would be okay. It is really too soon to try pasta. I have only been able to tolerate pasta recently. Angel hair is actually the last one I would try, it could slip down and then cause you a problem. Sorry to burst your bubble! Karen