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Curious-Is it hard to cook family meals after sleeve.



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I'm hoping to have sleeve in June/July. I am mother/stepmother of 4 teenage boys a toddler and have a husband. I cook dinner most nights. Any tips for cooking for family after I am sleeved?

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@@haleyk

It has been easy for me to cook for the family. They eat healthier.

I make chicken or Steak fajitas. They have a tortilla I don't. I always make more than what the family will eat to freeze in small containers. Frozen left overs are a easy microwave lunch for me at work.

Ground turkey chilly. I make a few corn bread muffins for the family I make sure they eat them all that night. I don't want to be tempted.

banana slices with sugar free chocolate pudding(added Protein powder). I add a bit of sugar free caramel topping on the bananas. I chop up a sugar free toffee and nuts and sprinkle them on top

Asian stir fry. I serve it with brown rice. I'm far enough out that I'm allowed brown rice.

Anyway..There are many resources for bariatric friendly recipes. Try the world according to egg face.

Edited by jenn1

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Pinterest and Google!!! They have some really yummy post op recipes. I would search vsg recipes, or wls recipes, or bariatric recipes. A lot comes up.

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Thanks I will check those out for sure! It's been hard in past to diet while having to find things that family would eat. I don't want to be eating the wrong things. I guess my family shouldn't be eating those either but try expaining that to teenage football players-lol

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I think it can be hard when u are first sleeved bc u have head hunger and when you have been eating liquids for 6 days u start wanting real food but it gets easier once u can have real food ...u just cook healthy and ur family will eat it to

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Not for me...i have them of a diet too..lol not that they need it....

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Not at all hard or difficult. I'm a picky eater as is my daughter. I eat what I eat and if she doesn't like it she can cook for herself (so she usually eats what I eat). I prepared the full thanksgiving dinner at 7 weeks post-sleeve. I just find that I change what I cook, I don't bake lasagna or pizza anymore, I make chicken or faijtas. For comparison though, I had to make way more dietary changes with the lap band than I have with the sleeve. When I had the band everything got stuck, and there were so many foods I couldn't way because they wouldn't go down. With the sleeve there are only a couple foods that make me nauseous, and I just physically can't eat as much anymore. So, I can make all kinds of food for others, but when I sit down to eat I get like 5 bites in then I'm stuffed.

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I have a varsity football player, who is going into college ball. It actually makes cooking easier because I make sure he gets in more Protein and less carbs, lots of veggies. I say what I eat, he eats. He's actually gotten used to it. He doesn't complain, and definitely isn't starving. The only difference is I have my tiny bowl, he has his mega plate haha.

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I cook as well. Everyone wants what I eat and I may add a side or salad for them. But pretty much the same basic meal. They just have more of it

Today - tacos. They had shells I didn't

Yesterday shrimp and grits

They had some grits I had a spoonful

I've also made:

Tandoori chicken

chicken tikka masala

Pork roast

Short ribs

Chili

Arroz con pollo

Cuban Piccadillo

Codfish / bacala (am portuguese this is a basic food)

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I cook as well. Everyone wants what I eat and I may add a side or salad for them. But pretty much the same basic meal. They just have more of it

Today - tacos. They had shells I didn't

Yesterday shrimp and grits

They had some grits I had a spoonful

I've also made:

Tandoori chicken

chicken tikka masala

Pork roast

Short ribs

Chili

Arroz con pollo

Cuban Piccadillo

Codfish / bacala (am portuguese this is a basic food)

My family does this too! I'm 6 days post op and on soft/puree foods and my dad wants what I'm eating! I'm literally running everything through the blender and yet he wants everything!

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Since the day I came home I've cooked for my husband and kids. The first few time was rough for all of us because I wasn't sitting at the table, and I didn't want to, either, because I was a little upset I couldn't eat... head hunger sucks =/ But it gets easier and better. I'm only 3 weeks out so I still can't eat much, but it doesn't bother me anymore, especially since I don't feel hungry.

Edited by Big_Mama

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I am having a difficult time adjusting to cooking for the family since surgery. Nothing sounds good to me and it makes meal planning a dreaded chore. I am trying to get better, but it is taking a long time.

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Did anyone freeze some meals before surgery? I was thinking of doing so for at least the 1st week or so...thoughts?

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for me, I had prepared freezer meals for the first two weeks. when I was on liquids and just starting foods I did not want to cook for my family - so they got to eat and I didn't go crazy cooking at that time. I could focus on my own nutritional needs.

but once I was on soft foods and then regular foods it is not a problem. I cook everything they like and pick the good choices for me from the meal. which usually means I am having the Protein and some veg, while they are also having a starch along with. it works out fine. when I make them spag with meat sauce I have the meat sauce with cheese for example.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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