I’m trying to make a list to go grocery shopping to feed myself and family during 10 day pre-op diet. I have terrible anxiety when it comes to grocery shopping. If you could help with some ideas, I would be forever grateful.

One meal a day I can have 3 oz protein, 1/2 cup carb/starch/fruit, 1 to 2 cups cooked veggies or 2 to 3 cups leafy greens, and 1 tsp oil or 1 tbsp dressing/flax/chia.

I’m not a good cook. We’ve always lived on fast food, take out or frozen dinners. My cooking skills include pasta, rice and beans, hamburger helper, chili, crockpot, instant pot, etc. Basically easy meals.

I would love it if you could list your dinner ideas that are quick and easy. Thanks so much!!

My doctor before surgery gave me a meal list. Did yours? If so I would follow it. in fact I had the same breakfast for 4 months before surgery.

Protein could include hamburgers (you should skip the bun or bread); meatloaf; chicken--season it with salt, pepper, and one or two other herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, and bake it; chicken in the crockpot with some veggies and seasoning that doesn't include a lot of sugar--check the section at the store with seasoning packets or bottled seasonings (but watch those for sugar!). If you like fish, that's fairly easy to wrap in aluminum foil with some lemon juice and herbs--parsley, dill, tarragon--and, if you like, onion pieces, then bake it. Roast some veggies with a little olive oil and seasoning--I always found cauliflower boring until I roasted it--delicious!

You can also go to a site such as Pinterest or one of the recipe sites (Food network, Epicurious, Yummly, etc.) and search for "low-carb" or "high-protein" to give you ideas. There are demonstrations on cooking on YouTube, also.

Take one step at a time--maybe decide to try one new recipe a week? Crock-pot cooking is fairly easy in that you put things together and then just let it cook--try chicken or beef or turkey and some veggies with some herbs and a bit of liquid (e.g., chicken or beef stock).

Good luck!