Do/did anyone cook and freeze homemade broths, Soups and soft foods for the post-op diet? I'm certain the foods I make would have superior nutrition and I could add unflavored Protein powder to most any dish. Seems like it would be a thrifty option as well.

This just came to me as I was whipping up some split pea soup in my electric pressure cooker.

CW 227 5'5" 61yrs

I didn't because I honestly hate Soups and broths. Before surgery I was more of a cream based Soup kind of person.Ha! those days are over.

Yes, they would be better nutritionally, and taste better. Just don't make too much, you have no idea what you really might want after surgery.

I hate pre-made foods. I cook all my food, fresh every meal, every day. I don't eat left overs, hate them. I love cooking and it is part of the meal now since my meals are small and short, but I love meal prep.

If you love to cook, losing weight post-op is a breeze. You have a ton more options if you are willing to cook and like to experiment.

Edited September 20, 20169 yr by OutsideMatchInside

I am currently stockpiling homemade broth for my post op period. I also tend to cook a big pot of soup and freeze half of it anyway, so I have some things set aside for that. Plus there are several bags of homemade applesauce in my freezer that I can use. I say if you have the freezer space, do it.

I didn't because I honestly hate soups and broths. Before surgery I was more of a cream based soup kind of person.Ha! those days are over.

Yes, they would be better nutritionally, and taste better. Just don't make too much, you have no idea what you really might want after surgery.

I hate pre-made foods. I cook all my food, fresh every meal, every day. I don't eat left overs, hate them. I love cooking and it is part of the meal now since my meals are small and short, but I love meal prep.

If you love to cook, losing weight post-op is a breeze. You have a ton more options if you are willing to cook and like to experiment.

Thank you. I love broths and soups and I could easily cook for my son and husband (who eat anything that appears in front of them) and reserve some tiny containers of broths and puree soups from our regular meals. I'm on it!

CW 227 5'5" 61yrs

Well, besides being a disaster in the kitchen, I was never a fan of broths or soups anyway (unless we're talking corn or clam chowder!), but if it's your thing, go for it. The post op liquid duet sucks so you might as well be eating the tastiest broth possible.

I did stockpile some soups and broths, and ended up not using most of them. I was surprised at how little I could eat for quite a while and how big of portions I had frozen. I ended up using them later on for cooking once I got to the regular foods phase.

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@@Havasumoma I bought some 4 oz mason jars to make some soup for post-op but changed my mind. I still have time but I thought that I'd rather make them fresh and it will give me something to do post-op (if I'm well enough). I am going to make my own broth for my pre-op and post-op diets though and my own popsicles for post-op. :-)

Yup, just finished making a large pot of chicken stock today. I bought 4 oz. plastic containers to freeze it in. I then pulsed the chicken in a food processor and added chicken gravy, made from the stock, to that. The chicken and broth all got frozen. I plan on getting another chicken to pulse up in the food processor to freeze. This time I will add BBQ sauce, teriyaki sauce, spaghetti sauce, buffalo sauce and taco seasoning.

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I'm stockpiling broth and puréed soups too. I've got some stock simmering in the crockpot now! I made chicken and veggie soup already. Next I'm doing split pea. I just like the idea of my new stomach not touching anything artificial. We'll see how long I can hold out on that one I'm worried they are going to force SF Jello down me in the hospital!

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We are the home cooking rebels, lol.

CW 227 5'5" 61yrs

The sf jello sat on my trays at every hospital meal. Their untouched presence was my silent protest. They will not shove that mess down your throat if you don't want it!

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I'm totally confused and worried about what I will eat post-op as I'm a vegan. I had assumed I would be able to cook/prep simple meals almost immediately and not need to have things made. As I basically live alone, I won't have anyone to take care of me. I'm wondering if they will have anything I can eat while in hospital.

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I didn't get any good in the hospital. There is a bariatric wing. We were given little cups of water and ice chips. Nothing else.

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As a vegan, if you are on clear liquids for a few days, you'll be able to drink vegetable broth, water, and any water-flavoring drops or powders that are vegan, as well as any sugar free popsicles that are vegan (you can also make those yourself). In the hospital: they might default to chicken broth -- maybe bring vegan bullion cubes or powders to mix with hot water in the hospital? While you're in the hospital you will probably only be consuming to stay hydrated, so it's just a question of getting that liquid in. I know every surgeon and every program is different but I'm not aware of any that have you eating real food in those first two days.

Once you are on "full liquids" and are drinking protein drinks/shakes, you should be able to find tons of vegan protein powders made with pea protein or other plant-based proteins. These powders lack some of the nutrients in the whey/casein powders, but I don't remember what they are. Just check the nutrition info against a powder specifically labeled as a "meal replacement" (not just a protein powder; the meal replacements have additional amount of minerals and other nutrients). You'll just have to be careful to find vegan supplements to meet your needs.

Depending how strict a vegan you are, you should also talk to your surgeon about your medications -- I imagine that some of the capsules are made with gelatin.

Thanks for the info hats123. I'm a pretty strict vegan but when it comes to meds, it's impossible to find vegan versions for most so I take what I must. I like the idea of a bouillon cube. So as far as living alone do people think it will be a problem? Will I need someone to come stay with me and if so how long? Thanks.

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For those who are concerned about portion sizes, you can also freeze things in ice cube trays and then transfer them to freezer bags for storage. That way you have a few spoonfuls of broth or chicken or what have you that is easy to thaw and/or heat up when you need it.