Heh, so I've noticed I have a habit of making posts where the title is literally just one food item and I just know this will garner a discussion on several foods that are related, but yeah, there's my little introspection for the moment.

Anywho, my guidelines say at week three I can add in crackers, but it specifies non-seeded crackers and non-grains. It suggests saltines and melba toast as examples. What exactly constitutes a "grain" cracker? Would wheat thins fall into that? I'm not a huge fan of saltines but I would like to find some good crackers to have some guac and hummus with. I like wheat thins but I know they run rather salty and I'm not entirely sure if wheat is what they mean by grains. In my mind, I was imagining things like shredded wheat and really fibrous type crackers, but I'm not sure.

Any thoughts? It also suggests corn/flour tortillas and baked tortilla chips so I might try those as well.

I'm early post-op, too, and despite having "high carb" foods (mainly things like milkshakes and ice cream because as I said, I just am not eating much at all and I think of it as higher in Protein to counteract)

Crackers, milkshakes, and ice cream? I have to say, your post-op plan is one of the most liberal I have seen!

Wow, seven pages about crackers. I can't believe how controversial certain topics can get on here...Maybe I'm just a little too practical for all the debating, but I follow my program. Period. If I have a question about my program, I call the people who made my program. But that's just me...

Well I choose to use never again bc Ik I'm a binge eater and crackers are my go to, eating a whole sleeve before I know it! So why spend thousands to end up right back where I started in a year or 3, eating sleeves of crackers.... Guess the point is if it's a food you ate constantly with the habit of bingeing don't put it in you mouth!

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Well I choose to use never again bc Ik I'm a binge eater and crackers are my go to, eating a whole sleeve before I know it! So why spend thousands to end up right back where I started in a year or 3, eating sleeves of crackers.... Guess the point is if it's a food you ate constantly with the habit of bingeing don't put it in you mouth!

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I agree! I was a Cheezit fool! You know how they put on the back of the boxes "Get your own Box".....I think they wrote that for me! haha. Sadly, I will never be able to have Cheezits ever again.....but that's my own rule for me.

So I skipped like 6 pages of posts because I don't really want to debate crackers, lol, but in response to the original question, I think they most likely meant things like triscuits or those crackers that break into pieces that have sharp parts. Wheat Thins, if you chew them a lot, get nice and soft and have a consistent base, although the "chew it a lot" part is important because those little crackers have nasty sharp corners if you aren't paying attention. There are also some crackers that have cracked wheat in them, so it's like they pressed whole wheat into a cracker, and when you bite into it, all the little pieces break off. Basically anything that has the possibility of staying sharp or being a seed, which some crackers that are less processed are, is something you want to avoid for awhile. It probably won't hurt you, but this way you avoid the risk of those little sharp, hard pieces, finding their way into the edges of your sleeve and getting stuck as it heals.

Past that, I love crackers. I can't have Wheat Thins because I will eat the entire box in a day, so I just don't bring them into the house. It's probably been over a year since I had Wheat Thins. I do however like the little snack packs of goldfish. I eat goldfish all day because it is salty, the amount of calories I end up eating isn't that much, and unlike a lot of other stuff it doesn't make me barf. As a disclaimer, probably don't make crackers your main menu item, but once you're almost three years out, which is my case, you find that there are some things you can eat that aren't on the approved menu that don't make you gain weight and that make you happy. Enjoy those things. I can't eat sweets anymore because they make me sick, so I really have no interest in them. I avoid junk food salty stuff because it doesn't really taste good any more, and I just don't really have any urge to eat about 90% of food. I make sure that when I do eat stuff other than my beloved goldfish, it has Protein, and I don't stress about it. If you can eat a few crackers and not the whole bag, just make sure you chew them a lot the first few weeks. You will find the things that work for you and your life.

You want your mind blown @@Babbs ? My nutritionists plan allows rice and Pasta starting at the soft foods stage.

So does mine! But they're very clear on amounts, and that you can only have 1-2 tbsp if and only if you've eaten your entire Protein portion first.

And, as I type this, I'm eating some chicken on crackers. Yep! I'm allowed - and the protein in my chicken is more than double the carbs in these itty bitty crackers, so I have no issue with it.

The only cracker I was expressly forbidden was Ritz, because they're so buttery and greasy - but they prefer Saltines if we're going to eat them at this point.

Edited July 11, 201610 yr by becomingmandikaye

Well I choose to use never again bc Ik I'm a binge eater and crackers are my go to, eating a whole sleeve before I know it! So why spend thousands to end up right back where I started in a year or 3, eating sleeves of crackers.... Guess the point is if it's a food you ate constantly with the habit of bingeing don't put it in you mouth!

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I agree! I was a Cheezit fool! You know how they put on the back of the boxes "Get your own Box".....I think they wrote that for me! haha. Sadly, I will never be able to have Cheezits ever again.....but that's my own rule for me.

Oh man, those Zesty Ranch Cheesit cracker crisp things? Those are like crack to me, and I should never ever eat them again - because I surely can't eat just one!

Well I choose to use never again bc Ik I'm a binge eater and crackers are my go to, eating a whole sleeve before I know it! So why spend thousands to end up right back where I started in a year or 3, eating sleeves of crackers.... Guess the point is if it's a food you ate constantly with the habit of bingeing don't put it in you mouth!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I agree! I was a Cheezit fool! You know how they put on the back of the boxes "Get your own Box".....I think they wrote that for me! haha. Sadly, I will never be able to have Cheezits ever again.....but that's my own rule for me.

Oh man, those Zesty Ranch Cheesit cracker crisp things? Those are like crack to me, and I should never ever eat them again - because I surely can't eat just one!

A few years back they made these evil Twists....it was white cheddar and regular twisted together........OMG!!! Thankfully I haven't seen those in a while. haha Yes! no Cheezit's for me ever! hahaha

Hi all! I see a lot of chatter about crackers and as a dietitian who has also had the sleeve I would just remind everyone that 15gm of carbs is the same as if eating 1 slice of bread. Typically a serving of carbs has 3gm of Protein but more kcal than if we just ate a lean Protein product. My plan allows for a very small amount of carbs only after I eat the protein. Carbs are needed for energy, but I would select those with a higher Fiber content and minimal carbs per serving.

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I didn't read through all seven pages, but they make Protein crackers now. The problem is most have seeds.

http://www.easylowcarbdesserts.com/low-carb-crackers/

You can make your own "cheese it" with cheddar cheese slices. If it's crunch you're looking for there are alternatives.

But at the end of the day, if you can't find what the plan allows, ask your surgical team. They'll be able to point you in the right directions.

I'm early post-op, too, and despite having "high carb" foods (mainly things like milkshakes and ice cream because as I said, I just am not eating much at all and I think of it as higher in Protein to counteract)

Crackers, milkshakes, and ice cream? I have to say, your post-op plan is one of the most liberal I have seen!

They're not technically on my plan but like I said, I'm barely eating. I consider the calorie hit minimal since it'd be like the only thing I'll have for the day if I don't have some Soup. I just am not hungry at all so I had to get a little nudgey to find ways to add protein and at least some nutrients. I was feeling crappy before.

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Regarding carbs and fat, I think you have to monitor your body's response. I found that after surgery I couldn't and still can't tolerate carbs and lose weight, thanks to insulin resistance and metabolic impairment.... even with a 500 calorie per day intake.

So while the nutritionist made certain recommendations for me (80 grams of carbs per day), in the end, I had to craft my own plan (30 grams or less). Do I eat crackers? Yes, sometimes. Do I lose weight if I eat them? NEVER!

Only you can truly determine what's going to work for you.

Edited July 11, 201610 yr by her1981

I have 2 crackers for supper every night with butter and cream cheese. I'm 20 weeks post op. Lost 70lb. I also eat potatoes, Pasta, fried rice etc. But all in very small amounts. My dietician tells me there are no food restrictions as long as my stomach can tolerate them.

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I completely agree with @her1981. You really just have to figure out what works for you. We are all different and respond to things differently. I personally can't stop once I start eating crackers. I hate saltines, but I can down a box of Club crackers in a day and a half! I find that I have to keep my carbs pretty low if I want to lose. That's not to say I will never have another cracker, but for now I am mainly concerned with losing all the weight I can during the honeymoon phase.

One of my favorite Snacks is home made Parmesan crisps (use a high quality parm and grate it yourself) with red pepper hummus. I also love to make Kale chips. And, as someone else mentioned, a couple slices of a nice, crisp cucumber makes a perfect "cracker" for chicken or tuna salad, hummus, or my favorite, olive tapenade.

I am also of the "nothing is off limits" way of thinking. Have fun experimenting!