I have a question about the pureed (mushy) foods. I know they say that they need to be blended, but if I make meatloaf (which is usually mushy), do I really have to blend it? Why can't I "blend" it as I am chewing it? I'm eating full liquids right now, but I'm not blending my vegetable soup or my chicken noodle soup. I haven't had a fill yet, and I recovered from the surgery VERY quickly, so I wonder if that is why I can handle unblended foods. I chew them really well though. Some advice please! Thanks!

I didn't always blend food if it was crumbly or dissolved easily. I just chewed it up really, really well. I pureed foods that could go down in bigger pieces if I missed something.

One of the ways mushy foods were explained to me was "Can you stir it with a spoon, with no chunks?"

I'm guessing that you can't do that with your meatloaf. I certainly can't!

Thanks for the responses. I have an additional question--when they say "blended" do I have to actually put it in a blender? or can I mash it up with a fork? I want to follow the diet, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to have to put everything in a blender before I can eat it.

Thanks for the responses. I have an additional question--when they say "blended" do I have to actually put it in a blender? or can I mash it up with a fork? I want to follow the diet, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to have to put everything in a blender before I can eat it.

I got a little electric food chopper at the grocery store for less than $10 that purees food very easily. The idea at this stage is that the food is already broken down so that it is easier to digest. If you can accomplish that with a fork, I'm sure that's fine. My doctor said it should be no thicker than pudding at this stage.

I used a hand blender, something like this. Mine was $20, but they had them as cheap as $10 on up to $100, just depends on how much you want to spend on it. Works great! I still use it to blend Protein shakes and to get lumps out of gravy. Clean up is SO easy, too.

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Braun-MR430HC-Multiquick-Blender-Chopper/dp/B00004S9GX/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1198253732&sr=8-1][/ame]

Charlygirl08,

I'm in the same boat as you re: healing very quickly from the surgery. I find that I can eat pretty much whatever I want without any consequences (other than guilt!). I've had a couple of bad days but have mostly adhered to mushy foods minus the blending. Unfortunately, I'm getting hungrier as the days pass. And the holiday season is an additional handicap. Can't wait for my first fill on 1/11.

Caryn

I just want to say something re:"healing very quickly, I can eat anything!"

It's not about your body punishing you for eating something ahead of the stages your doctor set forth. It's about long term damage that you could be doing to your body. The point of the post-op diet is to give your STOMACH time to HEAL. The more your stomach has to digest (ie, bigger pieces), the harder it has to contract to digest it. Do you really want your stomach workin' it on a piece of food and risk slipping? Is the food REALLY worth it that you can't wait through the post-op healing phase before eating whatever it was that just couldn't wait?? Your doctor AND the maker of your band know what they're doing - they didn't give you guidelines to punish you.

FTR - I agree with Longhorn on this thread in regards to the original question put forth.

Straight from the mushy stage I was able to eat anything as long as I chewed it to mush. The danger in doing this is that you may unknowingly begin to swallow bigger bites than you are supposed to. You actually have to concentrate on chewing and make sure it goes down completely mushed. Otherwise, you are risking complications.

Steph cn,

I appreciate your reply. I have been trying hard to adhere to the doctor's food plan and find it, at times, very difficult. It is helpful to learn about--and be reminded of--the potential negative consequences of eating food prematurely. I will try to rmember this the next time I want to eat solid food.

Caryn