Getting ready for my June 4th surgery. Trying to make a list for the grocery store and am looking for ideas to make the clear liquid and full liquid portion of the post-op diet more interesting - add a little variety. Help!

For clear liquid before surgery I made sugar free Jello jigglers and ate them constantly because i was so hungry. I also had the clear Protein drinks (which I hated the taste of, btw) Isopure makes them. A lot of people like them, but I didn't. I drank them anyway because they helped with the hunger. I really like Osem chicken consomme for a hot broth to sip. Popsicles are good before and after.

After surgery the Isopure, regular jello, the Osem, popsicles, and caffeine free iced and warm tea with stevia. My stomach really like the popsicles and they seemed to calm it for some reason. By the time I was into full liquids I was ready and so sick of jello!

Three days after surgery I started full liquids and had puddings, Protein shakes, pureed Soup of any kind, applesauce, and anything that could be made semi liquid. I think after two weeks I started on puree foods. I didn't have any resistance with liquids like some people do. I could drink fairly regularly pretty much as soon as they let me. I know a lot of people say they can only sip. I was taking full swallows.

Good luck on your surgery!

For clear liquids, maybe get a sample pack of different clear Syntrax Nectar flavors. Also the Unjury chicken soup protein powder makes a nice change from the sweet protein drinks.

Other things I did that counted as clear liquids:

--miso broth with a little unflavored protein powder

--beef broth with steak seasoning and unflavored protein powder

--Isopure mixed 50/50 with G2 or Essence Water (I couldn't handle straight Isopure, that stuff is disgusting IMO)

--chai spice tea with vanilla protein powder stirred in

--decaf coffee with chocolate or vanilla protein powder stirred in

For full liquids, I had tons of samples of different kinds of protein powders to mix with milk to keep things different. I also got a bunch of Torani sugar free syrups, flavor extracts, flavored sweetleaf sweet drops, PB2, instant coffee, unsweetened cocoa powder, and sugar free/fat free pudding mixes to add to protein powders to change up the taste. Why have a plain vanilla protein shake when you could have a cinnamon dolce latte protein shake*, or a peach cobbler shake**? Why have plain chocolate when you could have chocolate peanut butter banana***? I was on full liquids for four weeks (and not allowed things like "runny oatmeal" or thinned out mashed potatoes that are allowed on some versions of full liquids) so I became an expert in doctoring up protein shakes!

Just remember if you are doing hot liquids mixed with protein, you need to use a food thermometer and keep the temperature 130 degrees or lower.

*vanilla protein powder + 2 tsp instant coffee + sugar free cinnamon vanilla syrup

**vanilla protein powder + sugar free peach syrup + sugar free brown sugar cinnamon syrup

***banana protein powder + unsweetened cocoa + PB2 + chocolate sweetdrops

--I mix my milk-based protein shakes with CarbMaster milk for higher protein, lower carbs, and lower calories than regular skim milk.

Wonderful suggestions Buff...I just want to throw in one more. I love peanut butter shakes with both chocolate and vanilla protein powders, and sometimes even throw in a banana for a peanut butter banana shake. \The way I keep the calories down is by using PB2. It's basically the peanuts with all of the oil taken out so you save a lot of fat and calories. Kroger, WalMart, and Amazon all carry it.

Are the Nectar flavors good with water? I haven't tried that yet and my son is getting ready to have surgery as well. I hated the Isopure clear drinks so anything that tastes better than that would be a welcome change.