How far in to the REGULAR food stage will I be able to eat some chips and hot sauce? Please, don't tell me NEVER!! I love Mexican food and all the spices. I know I am a long way out from regular food, but my tongue waters daily for some salsa.

If I can't have the chips will I be able to eat salsa on other things like chicken, etc...?

I started having taco seasoned ground meat as soon as I was released for soft foods. Added taco bell hot sauce, and greek yogurt (as sub for sour cream).

My first solid attempt at regular food was fajita meat with onions, and salsa and it was an uneventful event, and I had 3 chips.

The big thing to remember with VSG is that there no food restrictions. NOW, that doesn't mean your body will approve, or accept what you put in there, but I eat spicy food on a 3-5 times weekly basis and have for 18 out of my 21 months post-op period without issue.

There is not a "never again" unless you make that choice with food. I wasn't allowed to have raw veggies/fruits for 3 months. The veggies in salsa are cooked so they should be okay as long as you are released for regular foods.

Great advice Tiffy! I'm a hot sauce kinda girl you always have great things to say!! Thank you

my post op dietician gave me a list of stuff I can eat during mushy stage, hot sauces, chilis, peppers are all on it. I have been having them since I got on mushy stage. I have some beans over some hot sauce. Yesterday hubby made mole (I am mexican so we cook mexican everyday, but now I will have to make it healthy), so I ate mole with greek yogurt instead of sour cream and some beans. it was yummy

Jasper mole sounds yummy! That's all we cook at my house too! I'm not a big sour cream person so I don't have that much of it ever. N I have tried hot sauce n it didn't hurt my tummy.

I don't know your whole story, but one of the many reasons I am having VSG is to stop reflux at night. My doctor told me we were going to hold back on tomato and spicy foods until a few months, so I don't mess up my staples. I am half Spanish so cutting out flour tortilla (I hate corn tortillas)is pretty rough for me, so I feel your pain. But on the bright side, cottage cheese with salsa or pico de gallo is really yummy and you get you a good dose of protein that way! Best wishes!

Nummy Mexican food. I still eat Jalepeno's and am not of Hispanic descent although I eat like I am. Thanks for fanning the fire (pun intended)

I eat spicy food like crazy and really don't have a problem with it. For me, eating post-op is pretty much like eating pre-op but obviously less volume. I had some chips and seriously hot salsa last night no problems. I smiled with I put the bag of chips away and it was still 90% full instead of completely empty.

I actually avoid chips and salsa, specifically because it is so EASY to get down. Those chips chew down to nothing and are a major slider for me. Salsa on the other hand, I eat often...spicy, not so spicy, it all goes down well. My favorite thing to eat is a chicken breast sauteed with olive oil in a pan until just browned on both sides. Then while the chicken is still in the pan I put a nice big spoonful of fresh pico de gallo on top with a slice of monterey jack cheese on top of that. It goes in a 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I eat it with a little gaucamole, and I usually can only eat about 3/4 of a small breast or 1/2 of a large one so I have leftovers. Yum! Another thing I really enjoy is to cook up some lean ground beef with taco seasoning. I freeze 1/4 cup servings of seasoned meat in snack size ziplocks to heat up whenever I want taco salad. When I want some salad I just put some greens in a kiddie bowl and throw on my 1/4 cup of meat, some grated cheese, whatever other veg I want, a big spoonful of salsa and my dressing of choice. Quick, easy, low carb, and delicious! When I'm at a mexican restaurant I usually just eat some of my husband's fajita meat, or order something similar to the chicken with pico dish I make myself.

I think that as time goes by, you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to find great WLS friendly options just about everywhere you go.

I actually avoid chips and salsa, specifically because it is so EASY to get down. Those chips chew down to nothing and are a major slider for me. Salsa on the other hand, I eat often...spicy, not so spicy, it all goes down well. My favorite thing to eat is a chicken breast sauteed with olive oil in a pan until just browned on both sides. Then while the chicken is still in the pan I put a nice big spoonful of fresh pico de gallo on top with a slice of monterey jack cheese on top of that. It goes in a 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I eat it with a little gaucamole, and I usually can only eat about 3/4 of a small breast or 1/2 of a large one so I have leftovers. Yum! Another thing I really enjoy is to cook up some lean ground beef with taco seasoning. I freeze 1/4 cup servings of seasoned meat in snack size ziplocks to heat up whenever I want taco salad. When I want some salad I just put some greens in a kiddie bowl and throw on my 1/4 cup of meat, some grated cheese, whatever other veg I want, a big spoonful of salsa and my dressing of choice. Quick, easy, low carb, and delicious! When I'm at a mexican restaurant I usually just eat some of my husband's fajita meat, or order something similar to the chicken with pico dish I make myself.

I think that as time goes by, you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to find great WLS friendly options just about everywhere you go.

Shannon, Thanks for this recipie it sounds oh so delish!! I am 4 weeks post op and had some chicken today with a tad bit of salsa and oh my was it so delish! I know i ate way less than fefore thanks to my new tummy

I actually avoid chips and salsa, specifically because it is so EASY to get down. Those chips chew down to nothing and are a major slider for me. Salsa on the other hand, I eat often...spicy, not so spicy, it all goes down well. My favorite thing to eat is a chicken breast sauteed with olive oil in a pan until just browned on both sides. Then while the chicken is still in the pan I put a nice big spoonful of fresh pico de gallo on top with a slice of monterey jack cheese on top of that. It goes in a 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I eat it with a little gaucamole, and I usually can only eat about 3/4 of a small breast or 1/2 of a large one so I have leftovers. Yum! Another thing I really enjoy is to cook up some lean ground beef with taco seasoning. I freeze 1/4 cup servings of seasoned meat in snack size ziplocks to heat up whenever I want taco salad. When I want some salad I just put some greens in a kiddie bowl and throw on my 1/4 cup of meat, some grated cheese, whatever other veg I want, a big spoonful of salsa and my dressing of choice. Quick, easy, low carb, and delicious! When I'm at a mexican restaurant I usually just eat some of my husband's fajita meat, or order something similar to the chicken with pico dish I make myself.

I think that as time goes by, you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to find great WLS friendly options just about everywhere you go.

Love those ideas. Thanks for sharing!

Smof4, I just added both of those recipes to my developing cookbook... Thank you so much <3

I actually avoid chips and salsa, specifically because it is so EASY to get down. Those chips chew down to nothing and are a major slider for me. Salsa on the other hand, I eat often...spicy, not so spicy, it all goes down well. My favorite thing to eat is a chicken breast sauteed with olive oil in a pan until just browned on both sides. Then while the chicken is still in the pan I put a nice big spoonful of fresh pico de gallo on top with a slice of monterey jack cheese on top of that. It goes in a 350 oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I eat it with a little gaucamole, and I usually can only eat about 3/4 of a small breast or 1/2 of a large one so I have leftovers. Yum! Another thing I really enjoy is to cook up some lean ground beef with taco seasoning. I freeze 1/4 cup servings of seasoned meat in snack size ziplocks to heat up whenever I want taco salad. When I want some salad I just put some greens in a kiddie bowl and throw on my 1/4 cup of meat, some grated cheese, whatever other veg I want, a big spoonful of salsa and my dressing of choice. Quick, easy, low carb, and delicious! When I'm at a mexican restaurant I usually just eat some of my husband's fajita meat, or order something similar to the chicken with pico dish I make myself.

I think that as time goes by, you'll be pleasantly surprised at just how easy it is to find great WLS friendly options just about everywhere you go.

OMG-osh Shannon! That chicken dish is making my mouth Water. I have another stinky 2 wks on full liquids. I can't wait for the soft stage to start. I WANT SOME REFRIED Beans AND SALSA!!!

Thanks for the recipes!

Ya know... Surgen said, "if you can fit it through a strainer, you can have it!"

Hmm...SO MAYBE I CAN JUST SIP ON THE juice FROM THE SALSA!!!!!!!!!!!

Just teasing!

When you get to the blended food stage, have some refried bead with salsa. I accidentally bought that instead of regular refried beans, and it was pretty good... just spicy enough for me to forget that everything I was eating was still the consistency of baby food.

YW! It really is so good. And if you want to get REALLY tasty, marinate the chicken in lime juice, salt, garlic and cumin before you cook it. Mmmmm. Now I'm making my own mouth water. Guess I know what's for dinner tomorrow.