What do non-cooks eat in the 4th month?

[Amy Braun 30]

Hey folks, My surgery was on September 1, and I've lost 58 lbs including the 15 I lost on pre-op diet. But I am really running out of anything to eat to keep up my interest in food and my Protein grams. I'm so tired of never having anything good to eat, I'm afraid I will just snap soon. I'm not a recipe collector and I hate to cook. Other than Protein Bars and shakes which I am so getting tired of, what are or were you eating in your forth month? I've been limited to 600 calories, because I only get about 30 minutes of exercise a day. I need some ideas. other than laughing cow cheese and the usual meats. I'm dreaming of Arby's beef and cheddar and pizza! Thanks

[Sunnyway 344]

There are many bariatric cookbooks available on Amazon and elsewhere, including some on meal prep, Instant Pots, and Air Fryers. Here are some I've collected.

[Amy Braun 30]

Thank you, but I specifically said I do not cook, so recipes are not helpful for me. I did find an earlier post of some options for people who don't cook. I know I would be more successful it I enjoyed pouring over recipes and making stuff, but I just won't do that.

[kristieshannon 1,558]

I like the baked chicken thighs I can get from my grocery store deli. Speaking of deli food, I wonder if some sliced deli roast beef with pre-made cheese sauce (I’ve seen this in the fresh Pasta section at my grocery store) might help with the Arbys craving?

[Amy Braun 30]

I guess I could look for pre-made cheese sauce. Thanks

[Arabesque 6,565]

What about the fresh ready meal companies if you have access to them? Most have menu plans for various eating plans but you still will have to be vigilant on the nutritional & caloric content of each meal & Portion Control. One of the ready meals may last you for two meals at the moment. Like many frozen meals & supermarket ready meals, many of the fresh ready meals are Pasta or rice based so remember to avoid those.

When you say you don’t cook, will you cook/reheat/microwave/prep simple things? You don’t have to be a cordon Bleu chef to toss a salad together (throw in some tinned Beans for a Protein boost) or microwave some fresh or frozen vegetables then add meat from a grocery store bbq chicken or roast meat, or some deli meats, smoked salmon, tinned salmon or tuna, etc. I ate rolled oats made on milk with some seeds (oats are a good carb which many plans allow from early stages) - couple of mins in the microwave & ready. Find a good high protein yoghurt & a low fat cheese. eggs are also easy & barely cooking: boiled or fried in a non stick pan. Would you try some frozen oven bake fish in the oven? (Just scrape off the batter & crumbs once cooked.)

[mswillis5 127]

costco has a few items that are premade that we have had that are quite delicious and moderately nutritious.

Egg bites, frozen chicken enchiladas that have a chicken tortilla, egg turkey and cheese Breakfast sandwiches (the egg replaces the bread), and cauliflower crusted pizza.

Edited December 2, 2021 by mswillis5

[waterwoman 172]

I’m 5 years out and don’t cook. I found I could eat almost anything in smaller portions. I have the sliders at Arbys when I’m out and about. I also do Asian food. I never eat sweets anymore because I still dump, thank goodness.

[Amy Braun 30]

Thank you waterwoman. That's encouraging for the longer term. Thanks everyone for your ideas. I'll be looking for pasta-free, healthy microwaveable lunches.

[Amy Braun 30]

No costco anywhere near us, but those sound good!

[Candace76 211]

Hi Amy,

Since the surgery, I have found that I like to have easy meals ready to grab. I do enjoy cooking, though, too.

For breakfast, I often have a Protein Shake or yogurt with Protein (oikos triple zero or light & fit). Sometimes, I may have oatmeal (can add Protein Powder, there are some brand that have it added), frozen lower carb or Keto waffles with protein & sugar-free Syrup, or low carb/keto bread with cheese or egg. You can find cooked hard boiled eggs in dairy section. There are also those "just crack an egg" microwave meals (I haven't tried them).

For easy lunches I often have yogurt, Oscar Mayer P3 Snacks or Sargento Balanced breaks, 1/2 sandwich with low carb bread turkey & low fat cheese. (I don't know if you are ready to eat nuts, yet, I know they need to be chewed well & controlled portion sizes)

An easy dinner I found was a frozen pizza made with a chicken based crust. There are some frozen keto meals i have seen, but haven't tried. Other easy items are: frozen cooked shrimp, cooked grilled chicken from supermarkets deli, & microwave riced cauliflower.

I hope you get some ideas. I am always looking for new foods to incorporate into my routine, too.

[Candace76 211]

Oh yeah, and congrats on losing the 58 pounds! I'm so glad your surgery has been successful.🥳

[Amy Braun 30]

Thank you Candace, for all those ideas. Do you have a name for a chicken-based.crust frozen pizza?

[JDLane 139]

The healthy choice power bowls look like they might be a good choice. About 200 calories for whole thing but you'd probably only eat half, decent Protein, carbs aren't too bad.

I'm a big fan of the P3 packs with meat, cheese and nuts. Precooked chicken is an easy go to. Cooked frozen shrimp you could just microwave and toss in a premade sauce with a microwaved veggie. Jerky meats are typically a good option.

They make Keto cereals now that are decent macros if you just wanted a bowl of Cereal with milk.

[Sunnyway 344]

21 hours ago, JDLane said:

I'm a big fan of the P3 packs with meat, cheese and nuts.

They seem to have only 11- 16 g Protein per package. That's less than is found in a Protein Shake.< br />