I'm just trying to get together a shopping list so I'll be ready to go when I do finally get my surgery date. Please share your lists and please share if there was anything you purchased but found out you didn't need or anything you wished you would have purchased but didn't. Thanks.

Some of my favorite things are: Greek yogurt, low fat cottage cheese, laughing cow cheese wedges, Skinny cow sugar free fudge pops, Edy's sugar free frozen fruit bars, Progresso Light Soups, chicken/beef broth, sugar-free Jell-o with fat free cool whip, sugar free pudding, refried Beans fat free, and of course Premier 30g Protein shakes/EAS 17g Protein shakes (Costo/ SAMs Club). ***don't buy too much because your stomach may not be ready for it. SLOWLY introduce new things. Protein in priority!

I lived on that for the first month and still do. Now at 6 weeks out, I've added fish, chicken, and veggies. I still dont eat ANY bread, Pasta, or junk food. Use this amazing tool (the sleeve) wisely! Best of luck!!!

I like Sargento light string cheese. They have 6g of protein and only 50 calories! i get the 24 count at Sam's for $5. In the regular grocery store, they can be pricey at $4 for 12 most of the time. I like activia yogurt but not the greek kind. It is too thick and gets stuck in my throat. I will add unflavored protein powder to the activia to boost the protein. I also bought a big bag of frozen fruit at Sam's and use it for snacking and smoothies. The frozen mango is soo creamy and tastes like eating a ball of sorbet right out of the bag. I also buy a big bag of Tyson's grilled and ready chicken since it comes in strips and microwaveable. I count out 5-6 strips and frozen veggies to take to work with me in the morning and put some salsa, spaghetti sauce or kikkoman sauces in a plastic baggie to pour over it. This makes a fast lunch!

My recommendation is to buy an item, try it and if your sleeve likes it then your good. After surgery I went and bought a lot of items that I had to return. I can no longer tolerate many things such as Protein drinks, yogurt or natural applesauce which I consider to be all to sweet. Everything has completely changed taste wise since preop. My focus everyday is fluids and then protein.

So, to answer your question preop was Protein Drinks, sugar free popsicles, and broth and fresh vegs. Post op, sugar free choc milk, light cheese, bean Soup, refried Beans, eggbeaters and baby food vegs.

I'm not totally sticking to it, but here it is. I made a lot of homemade soups like broccoli cheddar and crab bisque.

What to Have at Home for liquid and Puree Stage

• Cottage cheese
  
• Ricotta Cheese
  
• broth (chicken, beef, vegetable beef, egg flour soup, Lipton cream of chicken)
  
• Soups (Progresso Chicken Cheese Enchilada, Chicken, Potato, Asparagus, Broccoli, Mushroom, Tomato (mix with Vons Tomato Basil), bean & bacon)
  
• Chili
  
• Crystal Light
  
• Refried Beans
  
• Potatoes for mash
  
• Fat-free Yogurt (Yoplait)
  
• Fat free Greek Yogurt
  
• sugar free pudding
  
• Hummus
  
• Unflavored Protein Powder (Isopure)
  
• chocolate & vanilla protein powder (ProMax)
  
• Flavorings for protein shakes (Torani syrups, SF Jello packets, frozen berries)
  
• Sugar free popsicles
  
• eggs (while my hens are not laying so well)
  
• Vitamins
  
• Fat free whipped topping
  
• 2% milk
  
• Avocado
  
• La Victoria hot sauce
  
• Canned chicken
  
• Chuck roast (crock pot)
  
• Pork butt (crock pot)
  
• Isopure liquid
  
• Cheddar Cheese
  

Oh yeah, and hot and sour egg drop sour. Love that stuff!

Post-Op edible must haves:

* SF Popsicles - I went through 3 boxes the first two weeks... Now I only eat them when something isn't sitting right in my sleeve

* Bag of ice if your fridge doesn't have a "crushed" function

* Soups (I personally couldn't do without the Campbells Chunky. I pureed them once I was out of the clear liquid stage)

* Broths

* Cottage cheese

* Vitamin Water

* Frozen fruit to puree during the puree stage, diced during mushie stage

* Canned chicken

* Tuna

* Atkins Protein drinks

* Fat free milk

* Low fat cheese sticks

Non-Edible Necessities:

* Thermal care Patches (I got the lower back ones so I could put it around my abdomen to help with swelling)

In addition to the fab ideas above, I've found myself running & picking up mini-storage containers. I love the GLAD screw on lids for things like soup& the little 4 oz containers to pack food in. Having some sort of storage containers are a necessity since you'll only be eating such a small amount. I'm also freezing lots if things in single serving sizes just to have handy in the future.

In addition to the fab ideas above, I've found myself running & picking up mini-storage containers. I love the GLAD screw on lids for things like soup& the little 4 oz containers to pack food in. Having some sort of storage containers are a necessity since you'll only be eating such a small amount. I'm also freezing lots if things in single serving sizes just to have handy in the future.

In addition to the fab ideas above, I've found myself running & picking up mini-storage containers. I love the GLAD screw on lids for things like soup& the little 4 oz containers to pack food in. Having some sort of storage containers are a necessity since you'll only be eating such a small amount. I'm also freezing lots if things in single serving sizes just to have handy in the future.

That totally reminds me! I meant to add this to my Non-Edible Necessities. I bought two sets the other day and they are amazing! - http://www.target.com/p/Fit-Fresh-One-Cup-Container-Set-Green/-/A-13885058#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton

In addition to the fab ideas above, I've found myself running & picking up mini-storage containers. I love the GLAD screw on lids for things like soup& the little 4 oz containers to pack food in. Having some sort of storage containers are a necessity since you'll only be eating such a small amount. I'm also freezing lots if things in single serving sizes just to have handy in the future.

Oh, for non-edibles I definitely recommend mini-storage containers. I have about 24 of the in the freezer holding soups, baked Beans, chili, crock pot leftovers. In the fridge there are 10 more holding my Greek yogurt dips and other leftovers. Great to take to work too.

I also recommend Gas-x strips, a good heating pad and a small soft stomach pillow. It made me feel secure for the first week or so.

My recommendation is to buy very little food because I bought a lot of stuff like sugar free Jello, sugar free pudding, cottage cheese, sugar free popsicles that I didn't like or couldn't tolerate post-op. If you have others in the house who will eat the stuff, I'd get it. Otherwise, try to buy just one of each thing that you can get from the store and then you can send someone to buy more if it turns out you like it and it sits well.

My sleeve was very touchy at first and the one thing it tolerated well was the powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury chicken Protein powder. I recommend buying one canister so you have it ready. Or at least getting the sample size packets to see if you like it. I'm not nuts about the flavor, but when everything else bothered me, I was grateful to find it.

I also liked Sleepy Time Tea and greek yogurt. But I think everyone's tastes/sensitivity is different.

For non-food items, I bought or had ready:

• Food scale
  
• liquid measuring cup: I used this like a pitcher to get my fluids in without having to hop up and down. I filled it then poured 1 ounce into a medicine cup and worked on drinking one ounce every 15 minutes while I was awake.
  
• Small spoon and bowl: Those little food prep bowls are a great size. And I used a demitasse spoon to eat with.
  
• 2 nightgowns: Normally I sleep in PJs, but I couldn't tolerate anything around my waist for the first few weeks after surgery.
  
• Nice hand lotion and lip balm: Cheered me up.
  
• Lots of pillows: I used these to prop myself up in bed the first few days, a few under my back and a couple under my knees.
  
• Flushable wipes: I got diarrhea a couple of days out that slowly tapered off after a couple of weeks.
  

Lynda