I want real food... Not a shake or pudding but real food. A taste of mac n cheese or shrimp... A snack of the salty variety or anything. Help me... I'm depressed still and need meds i know. But right now i just want food. What can i do

Around 4 months post-op when seafood (crab legs, shrimp, lobster) finally showed up on my allowed list, I tried some crab legs. Was I disappointed. It completely lost its flavor.

At 9 weeks you have all the ingredients to make chili (hamburger, tomatoes, kidney Beans, tomato soup). I found that what brought flavor back into foods was mixing food groups together.

At 6 weeks, canned tuna is on the list. I found that to be good. I don't think salt is excluded from the diet. I used seasoning from the get-go. (But it might be awhile before you can eat salty Snacks (pretzels, chips, nuts etc.))

lol--I remember feeling that way. The one thing that helped with the saltiness was drinking some chicken broth. It had a bit of flavor and saltiness that I was craving. And if you add in the unflavored Protein mix, that's even better. Jello wasn't bad either. Sometimes I would mix things into the jello, like cottage cheese, yogurt, that sort of thing. Or try the nonfat, nonsugar, cheesecake flavor jello pudding mixed into the cottage cheese or yogurt. MMMMMmmm.. I know it still isn't what you want but you can't have what you want. Some of them, you can never have (mac and cheese for one!) It is a head hunger and that is the worst! Oh yeah, someone suggested chili--that's still my go-to safe food at restaurants. Or black bean Soup (Panera makes an amazing one).

Best of luck and hang in there.

I tried Pasta at about 6 weeks and the discomfort was not worth the taste for me. I'm at 12 wks now and haven't re-tried it. But at 6 weeks I was adding a lot more to my diet, scrambled egg with some melted cheese (not process) on top, tuna or egg salad on melba toast or saltine crackers, and bits of meat thoroughly chewed. Cream and pea or bean Soups also sat well in my tummy. My dietitian ok'd all of these items. Good luck!

Edited August 10, 201511 yr by lsheshequin

For salty I drink a V8

Your 6 weeks out but sounds like your still on full liquids? When I'm 6 weeks I will be on real food. I know all Drs and patients are different but jeez....you should be eating sum thin' by know?????

I am trying some new stuff now. I hope it works out. I hate this. I tried eggs and it was not good...

Can you not have pureed foods yet? Fat free refried Beans with some spices in it and cheese melted on top was really satisfing. Also the Ricotta Bake from theworldaccordingtoeggface.com website is really good and made me feel human again. I also liked hummus and low fat pimento cheese (a southern thing you may not have heard of if you aren't from the south). Oh also Swanson makes some broths that are really good - Mexican Tortilla Soup and Thai Ginger. If you are still on liquids, those might help. (I found them at Walmart though I am sure some other places carry them.)

Hope that helps! Hang in there!

I'm 6 weeks out.

I eat tuna salad, egg salad, scrambled eggs, grits, mashed potatoes, apple sauce, yogurt, ice cream, chicken salad, oatmeal, and rice/pasta (well chewed in small quantities).

The only thing that messes me up is 1) not thoroughly chewing meats etc, 2) eating too fast, or 3) any form of beef and/or Jerky, no matter how much I chew it.

Yes, I'm cheating somewhat, but the things I "cheat" on I have one bite. Haven't had pizza yet, but I have had some bread here and there.

One thing that is awesome if you're a big fat cheater like me. Go to Taco Bell. Buy a shredded chicken burrito (it's like a dollar), open it up and eat the insides with a fork. It's like mushy rice, cheese sauce, sour cream, and shredded chicken. Then throw away the tortilla. Not super healthy, but in a pinch it's the perfect pouch sized meal on the go. Obviously go by what your doctor says and not some stranger on the internet, but these are the things I've eaten on those moments when I stray from the meal plan or am on the road.

Amazing... Whats in your egg salad. What kind of icecream? I am starting these things now. I need food.... I loved taco bell.

My egg salad is just a hard boiled egg or two (two takes me a while to finish), mustard, mayonnaise, and a tiny bit of pepper. All mashed up. But I'll eat anyone's egg salad tbh, as long as there's nothing crunchy in it and it's mashed up well.

I know some people are lactose intolerant after, but I'm not fortunately. So I'll just eat any low sugar or sugar free ice cream. Also frozen yogurt from TCBY.

Sounds great. I'm on it. Got my fingers crossed. Tonight is going to be potatoes. I need to feel normal....

@@gbveteran4d - are you 6 weeks out or 6 months out? I am 10 weeks out and no way I can eat that stuff nor would my dr want me to.... Please be cautious with advice like that for those of us who cannot tolerate such things - especially bread, rice, Pasta, pizza, etc....

Im 6 weeks out

Popcorn is a good salty snack. They have these 100 cal mini-bags that are the perfect size. I have a sunflower seed addiction, that my surgeon said was not bad. I have to becareful though, because I tend to graze on them. Which that is a very bad habit. I also eat chicken salad on whole grain ritz crackers. Or ham and cheese on WG ritz.I have had tacobell post surgery (like one crunch taco or a few chip from the nachobell grande), but that was about 3 month post-op. I had a corn dog today for lunch so don't lose hope normal will return, just in much smaller sizes.

@@gbveteran4d - are you 6 weeks out or 6 months out? I am 10 weeks out and no way I can eat that stuff nor would my dr want me to.... Please be cautious with advice like that for those of us who cannot tolerate such things - especially bread, rice, Pasta, pizza, etc....

I'm 6 weeks (and one day) out. I agree, he should check with his doctor and not take random advice. I actually said that in my original post if you read it. But most of the things I mentioned are allowed at 6 weeks. Everything else I have in tiny quantities and make sure it's extremely wet/soft/chewed. Having chicken noodle Soup now for lunch actually.

Edited August 13, 201511 yr by gbveteran4d